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Omega Speedmaster Reduced White DialThe Omega Speedmaster Reduced was once the watch for the fellow who wanted an automatic version of the Moonwatch, or simply wanted to have a smaller timepiece than a 42mm giant chronograph. This particular model was introduced in 1988 and came in several different versions.Best known version is probably the black dial model, often being held for a Moonwatch (but it is not, read our Speedmaster Reduced versus Moonwatch here). Omega also used the Speedmaster Reduced for their bright coloured racing series (Schumacher had one). However, one of our readers owns a rare white dial version. Now you will come across a white dial version in a bi-color Speedmaster R [...]
Yesterday I joined the press conference in the Cite du Temps in Geneva about the new watch certification based on new quality standards for the Swiss watch making industry. This news was communicated by Omega and METAS (Swiss Federal Institute of Metrology), more specifically by Nick Hayek of the Swatch Group, Stephen Urquhart, Andreas Hobmeier?and?Raynald Aeschlimann of Omega and Christian Bock of METAS.After I received the invitation I quickly googled what METAS was about and it appeared to me that something was coming regarding certification. However, I could not foresee what it exactly would mean as they do measurements and tests in all kind of areas. So I was happily surprised yesterday [...]
Last week Bert Buijsrogge and I visited the assembly line of the much talked-about Omega Caliber 9300 movement. This in-house developed movement was introduced during BaselWorld 2011 in the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Chronograph as well as in the Omega Speedmaster Co-Axial Caliber 9300.Ever since 2007, Omega is focusing on their in-house developed Co-Axial movements and started by equipping the De Ville and Seamaster models with their caliber 8500. Starting in 1999 already, Omega started using the Co-Axial escapement in movement as such, but (mainly) based on existing ETA movements.For?this in-house column wheel chronograph caliber 9300 movement with Co-Axial escapement, Omega?made huge in [...]
When watch lovers look at the Omega Geneve collection most of them think about the lower valued so called entry-level vintage Omegas. It is wide known among Omega collectors that back in the day when Omega introduced the Geneve collection it was meant to be one of the flagship lines of the brand though. By the mid- to late 1960s Omega shifted their attention.The Speedmaster collection was very successful (and we all know why). The Seamaster collection with its diver watches was also doing great and with the introduction of a few new Seamaster chronographs the brand was getting to a wider audience than ever before. Older collections like the Omega Geneve was re-positioned and put in the marke [...]
The Omega Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon: a long awaited black version of the famous Speedmaster watch was introduced during the BaselWorld 2013 exhibition (as we reported here). The delivery of the Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon watches took a while, and still not every retailer has them in stock.So, after more than one year after the introduction of the Dark Side of the Moon lets see if we are still as enthusiastic about the watch as we were during Baselworld 2013.Omega Dark Side of the MoonWhen I first laid my eyes on the Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon I was immediately sold. There was a long wish for an all black Speedmaster. Although there had been a couple of PVDed Speedmaster [...]
Omega Seamaster Jedi Let's get this straight once and for all!When you start collecting vintage Omega watches from the 1970s and come across the big chunky Seamaster chronographs the top 3 models you will find are: reference 176.001, reference 176.007 (these 2 are basically the same) and reference 176.0005 or the so-called Omega Seamaster Jedi. This due to the fact that these models were produced in fairly large numbers, not too expensive to buy and you can find them all over the internet (eBay etc.).The next thing that will happen is that you start to like the chunky TV-shaped case of the Omega Seamaster Jedi 176.0005 and you slowly start to fancy that model over the others. You search for [...]
Omega Speedmaster Mark II 45 Year After Its IntroductionAfter the Omega Speedmaster Professional won the race to the Moon in 1969, Omega thought it was time to come up with a watch that perhaps was a bit more up-to-date and ready for the 1970s. Design wise that is, as the watch should be able to withstand the same abuse as the Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch could handle. Somewhere in 1969 Omega introduced the Speedmaster Mark II. Actually, a Speedmaster Professional Mark II. The Mark in its name stands for a new or revised/improved version, for the non-native English readers. It is like calling it a 2.0 version these days.The Speedmaster Mark II came with the same Lemania based movement [...]
King Willem-Alexander And His Omega Speedmaster ProIts Speedy Tuesday By coincidence I came across the photo below, where you can see Dutch King Willem-Alexander and his wife Queen Mexima on the stand?cheering for the Dutch national soccer team during the World Championship of 2010 in South-Africa. You can see Queen Mexima wearing her Rolex, which has been covered elsewhere in the past, but my eyes were drawn to the wrist of King Willem-Alexander. Although the resolution of this published ANP photo is too low to study the watch in detail, my nose for Speedmaster?spotting?is rarely off. It was time to investigate.Most of our readers probably know that we are based in The Netherlands. Only few [...]
In 2021, Omega updated the iconic Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch with the caliber 3861 movement. A very good reason to update our Speedmaster Buyers Guide as well!This guide dates all the way back to 2014, and since then, a lot happened. Not only did we have our own way with Omega and the two Speedmaster Speedy Tuesday watches (in 2017 and 2018), Omega also introduced a number of interesting Speedmaster watches to the collection. What about the Speedmaster Calibre 321 from 2020, or the new Moonwatch Master Chronometer models in gold? Time for us to update this Speedmaster Buyers Guide.In this Speedmaster Buyers Guide, we give you an overview of the most important references of the Speedm [...]
This article is contributed by one of our loyal followers and readers, Boris Pjanic. He runs a watch business in Germany and has a blog on watches as well. While being a Rolex passionate, his second love is for Omega timepieces. This contribution covers a wonderful vintage Omega Seamaster 300. Not the Seamaster 300 that Omega based their 1957 reference CK2913 re-edition on this year (click for the article on the new Omega Seamaster 300 Master Co-Axial), but from the early 1960s.Most Omega collectors think of the Speedmaster first when asked which vintage Omega they would consider first. Nevertheless, the Seamaster 300 is definitely not a watch to ignore. While the Big Triangle seems to gathe [...]
Its Speedy Tuesday Just last weekend Ive met Ben Oliver, a car journalist from the United Kingdom who writes for a number of titles. He told me about his love for mechanical watches and vintage chronographs in particular. One of the watches he carried with him last weekend it was during the Concorso dEleganza Villa dEste 2014 in Italy was the 17mm thick Omega Speedmaster Professional Mark III from 1972. A watch that is quite difficult to fit under your sleeve. The Omega Speedmaster (Professional) Mark III reference 176.002 was introduced in 1971 and featured an automatic chronograph movement for the first time in a Speedmaster. Omega and Lemania jointly developed this movement (officially [...]
Its Speedy Tuesday Today we have a contribution from Arthur van Grinsven who lives in The Netherlands. Arthur is a fan of Speedmaster watches, owning two Speedmaster Pro Mark II watches, a Pre-Moon Speedmaster Professional with caliber 861 (145.022) and the Speedmaster Pro in this article. A conversation maker, as he had the entire watch (and bracelet) treated with a DLC process. This Speedmaster Pro was bought by his father in the 1990s and given to Arthur in 2012.As you can see, the white baton hands have been swapped with a set of all-black hands as well. This does effect the readability of the watch according to Arthur, but it does look cool. However, after seeing the Omega Speedmaster D [...]
Its Speedy Tuesday This week we have a contribution from Ashley Budgen (co-owner and founder of the popular Australian based omegaforums.net website) about his very rare Omega Speedmaster reference 105.002. A straight-lugged Speedmaster from 1962 only 1 year in production and therefore one of the rarest references. Ashley bought one last year and shares his story with you.I had actually been looking for a pre-pro, straight lug Speedmaster for quite some time, either an ST105.003 or a middle to later series Speedmaster CK2998.? As all Omega (Lemania based) caliber 321 Speedmaster fans know, the earlier the watch, the harder it is to find an all original example, and for this reason Id waite [...]
Its Speedy Tuesday We realize weve been discussing the Omega Speedmaster Pro X-33 quite often here lately, but it seems we are not the only enthusiast about this model. Recently we received an e-mail from Philip Kisloff who owns an Omega Speedmaster Pro since 1977 with a very nice write-up on the new Speedmaster X-33 3rd Gen (reference ?318.90.45.79.01.001) model. We would like to share his article with you today. Review of the new Omega Speedmaster X-33 SkywalkerI've owned an Omega Speedmaster Caliber 861 for almost 40 years, wearing it proudly for almost every day of that time. For one thing, it's a tangible connection with the greatest feat of exploration in history. Even on its own, th [...]
Its Speedy Tuesday One of our dear readers and Speedmaster enthusiasts has contributed a number of photos of his recently acquired Omega Speedmaster Pro Tintin watch. We discussed this watch already even before it was released in BaselWorld and then were the first to tell you about the association with Tintin. Jean-Claude Monachon ?Vice President and Head of Product Development told us about the initial plans for this watch when Omega designed it, making it an official Omega Speedmaster Tintin timepiece. Instead, it became the Omega Speedmaster Pro Racing as the owners of the Tintin copyrights (probably) did not like the idea of having this watch as a tribute. As our first publication on th [...]
Its Speedy Tuesday An uncommon Speedy Tuesday, as we have a contribution from one of our readers about his unusual Omega Speedmaster Pro with reference number 145.0077 / 345.0077. Roman from Croatia writes us the following:Two unconnected events started this story.Purchase of a white dial Speedmaster in January, 2005.The OMEGAMANIA auction in April, 2007.In 2005 I bought Omega Speedmaster with with a white dial, Ref.No: DD145.0022 with a OMEGA 861 movement, Year of manufacture 1984. I wrote to Omega Switzerland to request some additional information about this watch.Below is the answer I have received from Mr.Jean-Luc Miranda, OMEGA Museum in February 2005.:?Your movement number is well rela [...]
When Omega introduced the Seamaster?Ploprof 1200M back in 2009, I was actually happily surprised to see that they did such an amazing job.The resemblance with the original Omega Ploprof 600M 166.077 was amazing. ?On first sight, the new Omega Seamaster PloProf 1200M looked identical to the PloProf 600M version of almost 40 years earlier. On Fratellowatches we wrote about the PloProf watches several times, but never took the time to put the two models together and have a closer look.Seamaster PloProf 1200 History In A NutshellFor detailed history on the Omega Seamaster Ploprof 600 I will ask you to read this article on the Omega Ploprofs History. I will give the highlights of the PloProf hist [...]
Its Speedy Tuesday Weve been waiting to publish an article on this new Omega Speedmaster Professional X-33 reference?318.90.45.79.01.001, also called Skywalker. It was a surprise to us actually, that Omega was developing a 3rd Generation model of the Marswatch. Weve been a big fan of the Speedmaster Pro X-33 and covered it many times. We actually did?a write-up on the Speedmaster X-33 1st Gen ref 3290.50 right before BaselWorld 2014 started where the new 3rd Gen Speedmaster X-33 was introduced.Omega developed?a new version of the discontinued Speedmaster Pro X33 (2nd Generation) together with the European Space Agency (ESA). According to the Omega press release, it was even developed based o [...]
Its Speedy Tuesday Every 5 years, Omega introduces a commemorative edition of the Speedmaster Pro with regards to the Apollo 11 mission in 1969. In 2009, the 40th Anniversary edition of this Speedmaster Pro Apollo 11 was a slightly modified version of the standard Speedmaster Pro 3570.50 model. A beautiful silver medal patch on the sub dial on 9 oclock and a big Eagle on the case back. We covered it in one of our Speedy Tuesday articles, of course (click here).Omega Speedmaster Pro?311.62.42.30.06.001It wasnt a surprise to anyone that Omega introduced the 45th Anniversary Edition of the Speedmaster Professional Apollo 11 this year. However, I guess that nobody expected the watch to be like t [...]
Speedmaster Lunar DustIts Speedy Tuesday What else would youve expected us to write about than the new Speedmaster Lunar Dust? The brother (or fratello?) of the Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon that was introduced last year during BaselWorld came a bit as a surprise, but what a pleasant surprise it is!First of all wed like to stress that this Speedmaster Co-Axial Caliber 9300 Lunar Dust (reference 311.93.44.51.99.01) model wont be on the market before end of this year. Both the newly introduced Speedmaster Lunar Dust watch and the new Speedmaster Professional X-33 are not on the Baselworld 2014 novelties page of the Omega website yet, as they were probably just finished in time to present t [...]
