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Is the Speedmaster underwhelming for many?

18K views 145 replies 93 participants last post by  LB Carl 
#1 ·
Forgive my ignorance. I am yet to see a Speedmaster in person, but have always been drawn to its utilitarian appearance and, of course, the Speedmaster history. Before I seek out a Speedy to get my hands on in person I would like to ask something that I get the impression of based off reviews I've read and the sheer number of used Speedmasters available for sale. In the world of buyer's remorse, are Speedmasters over represented?
 
#90 ·
I've said often enough that the Speedmaster Professional operates by stealth. You can see one a million times and it barely registers on your radar. And then, you happen to glimpse a picture of one on the web, or you see somebody walk past you in the street wearing one and it suddenly hits you all at once just how cool this watch is.

At least, that's how it happened to me. I always knew of the classic status of this watch, about the NASA link, etc. But I just always admired the fact that it remained pretty much unchanged since the mid-Sixties. For me, that was the allure of this watch. I always thought I would get one for myself someday.
But, because it had been around for so long, I wasn't in any great rush to buy one.

Then, back in my watch selling days, our store had a very good year and we were given the option to choose a watch to a certain value. I nearly went for a TAG Heuer Carrera, but I quickly came to my senses; "What watch do you keep saying you're gonna buy, but have yet to get around to doing so?", I asked myself.
I opted for the Speedmaster Pro, even though I had to throw in some of my own money because it was a little beyond the value allotted to me.

I got the watch and wore it on and off for about a month. Yes, it did feel slightly anti-climactic when I first got it. Then one morning, I was putting it on my wrist and the morning light hit it at a particular angle and I instantly realised why this watch has the status that it does.

Watch Wrist Watch accessory Hand Arm


It's not a watch for everybody. I used to get customers in the store who would ask; "I want the watch that went to the moon."
I would take them over to the Omega display case, grab the watch and give them a rundown;
"Okay, this is it. Now, the glass is Hesalite rather than sapphire, which means that it can tend to scratch a little easier and a hard knock from the wrong angle will break it. However, Polywatch will remove most scratches, and replacing a broken Hesalite crystal will be considerably cheaper than replacing a sapphire crystal.
The water-resistance is 50 metres, good enough for splashes of water, but I don't recommend swimming with this watch on for any length of time.
It has no date, but you can use the chrono hand as a date pointer for the first 31 minute markers on the dial. Takes a couple of weeks to get used to.
And finally, it's a hand-wound watch, not an automatic. You will need to wind it."


This information would usually scare off six or seven out of ten customers. The ones who hadn't done a little research on the watch. The remaining three or four customers would purchase the watch.

There are aspects of this watch that are considered antique technology by some folks. But this watch isn't designed for them.
It's a classic chronograph any way you look at it.
 
#92 ·
I've said often enough that the Speedmaster Professional operates by stealth. You can see one a million times and it barely registers on your radar. And then, you happen to glimpse a picture of one on the web, or you see somebody walk past you in the street wearing one and it suddenly hits you all at once just how cool this watch is.

At least, that's how it happened to me. I always knew of the classic status of this watch, about the NASA link, etc. But I just always admired the fact that it remained pretty much unchanged since the mid-Sixties. For me, that was the allure of this watch. I always thought I would get one for myself someday.
But, because it had been around for so long, I wasn't in any great rush to buy one.

Then, back in my watch selling days, our store had a very good year and we were given the option to choose a watch to a certain value. I nearly went for a TAG Heuer Carrera, but I quickly came to my senses; "What watch do you keep saying you're gonna buy, but have yet to get around to doing so?", I asked myself.
I opted for the Speedmaster Pro, even though I had to throw in some of my own money because it was a little beyond the value allotted to me.

I got the watch and wore it on and off for about a month. Yes, it did feel slightly anti-climactic when I first got it. Then one morning, I was putting it on my wrist and the morning light hit it at a particular angle and I instantly realised why this watch has the status that it does.

View attachment 13833651

It's not a watch for everybody. I used to get customers in the store who would ask; "I want the watch that went to the moon."
I would take them over to the Omega display case, grab the watch and give them a rundown;
"Okay, this is it. Now, the glass is Hesalite rather than sapphire, which means that it can tend to scratch a little easier and a hard knock from the wrong angle will break it. However, Polywatch will remove most scratches, and replacing a broken Hesalite crystal will be considerably cheaper than replacing a sapphire crystal.
The water-resistance is 50 metres, good enough for splashes of water, but I don't recommend swimming with this watch on for any length of time.
It has no date, but you can use the chrono hand as a date pointer for the first 31 minute markers on the dial. Takes a couple of weeks to get used to.
And finally, it's a hand-wound watch, not an automatic. You will need to wind it."


This information would usually scare off six or seven out of ten customers. The ones who hadn't done a little research on the watch. The remaining three or four customers would purchase the watch.

There are aspects of this watch that are considered antique technology by some folks. But this watch isn't designed for them.
It's a classic chronograph any way you look at it.
Superbly stated.

Though I don't yet own one, I feel the exact same way.... such was my journey with the speedmaster. I'll have one. Zero doubt.

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#93 ·
Overstated online, understated on the wrist. I just got my first moon last week. I haven't put my sub or 111 back on yet since it arrived. I really, really like it. I even enjoy winding it for the day. You can't really go wrong in my opinion. If anything at least there are a great deal of options to choose from.

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#96 ·
The Speedy was my grail for a long time. After I finally bought one, I was kind of disappointed. It was sort of like going on a date with the captain of the cheerleader team/ prom queen and discovering that she's got some annoying and even offensive personal habits.

I don't view of the Speedy as "a thinking man's watch" any more than a Volvo is "a thinking man's car".....but sometimes people buy these things because they want others to view them in that light.

I suppose my biggest problems with the watch are 1) it is vastly overpriced by the manufacturer....these sold for $225 in 1975, and while we've certainly had inflation since then, it has not been anywhere enough to bring the price to where it is. They actually SHOULD sell for around $1400. The current MSRP is artificially set high to make the product appear to be of greater quality than it actually is.
The second problem is the very high cost of service every 7-10 years...many hundreds of dollars, during which time the watch is sent away and is gone for weeks at a time.

This doesn't make economic sense to me. There are any number of watches that you can own for 20+ years with zero service, just wear them until they stop...and then buy an entire new watch for less than the cost of even ONE Omega service.

So...the Speedy isn't for me....but it still might be for you.
 
#97 ·
I understand that the Speedy isn't your preference. It's not my first love, either. But your other statements exclude virtually all Swiss swatches and even some very nice Japanese pieces. Which is also fine.

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#100 ·
The Speedmaster is a vintage watch that you can buy new with a manufacturer's warranty. Hand winding is no different from many others (yes, I've owned many). Accuracy is more than fine for any normal application. I also love the plastic crystal and polish it 2 or 3 times a year, whether it needs it or not.

Now given all that, maybe it's not for you. That's okay. I love the heritage and understated looks but not everyone has the same desires/taste. If you think it's for you, try it. You can always sell it for a good price.


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#101 ·
HiggsBosun:
You are a man of knowledge that's true
But is it factual buyers of Rolex must get on a waiting list, own other types of jewelry, etc?
I thought all you needed was the long green?

Ever spend any time on the Higgins Boat? Maybe as a Higgs Driver or Bosun?

X Traindriver Art

Fortson: Having a good spring on East side o the Trinity?
 
#105 ·
Hey, Art.
It does appear that if you want a SS sports Rolex you do seem to be put on some sort of 'waiting list'.
Now, the actual time needed to be on this 'list' may vary from country to country. :think:
Some dealers have (according to what has been said on this forum) told potential customers that they must have spent 'X' amount previously to 'qualify' just to get on the 'list'. :roll:
Downright disgusting, if you ask me.
 
#106 ·
I've loved the look in pictures since I was a kid but in the flesh, so to speak, it is prettier and has much more depth than is usually captured in photos. It is a classical beauty.
 
#111 ·
I like the traditional Speedmaster. I don't like those limited edition ones (like the Apollo 40th anniversary one)

I have never had problem with winding the watch up manually. I actually wind it up every 2 days (Mon,Wed, Fri) on weeks that I wear it.

I wind it in the morning before I put it on. Takes a big 2-6 seconds to wind it.

The watches I find super annoying to manually wind each day are the couple of Vostoks and my Rolex 6694 because you have to unscrew the crown and then wind it and then screw the crown back down which is annoying to me because I always fear cross threading the crown.

That said, I do wish the Speedmaster was at least 100m water resistance
 
#116 ·
I think for me its the history of the watch, the look of it, and the feeling of knowing you are part of a very large group of people who love and appreciate the speedy. I think its one of the most popular/icon watches in the watch world. Some people like knowing they have some obscure watch and they are the only one who has one. Others want a watch that is instantly recognizable. I’m the latter of the two. Also, it might be overpriced but you also have to remember you arent just paying for the materials of the watch. You pay for the marketing, development, production costs, and obviously markup. I mean the history and marketing alone is probably worth the price. A watch that went to the moon...its a marketers dream!


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#117 ·
I’ve owned the Speedmaster professional off and on many times and I still don’t know how I feel about it. Sometimes I don’t like the manual winding and sometimes it doesn’t bother me. Sometimes I felt like it was too boring. I feel like there are better made watches for the money but can’t match the history of the moonwatch. It’s a nice watch for sure though!
 
#119 ·
My biggest problem with the speedmaster is its lack of any real WR. Me personally I wouldnt snorkel with one, That being said If I could score a reduced for a good price I would grab it for what it is. Simple and classic but sometimes I dont want plain. Hence me having a collection.
 
#121 ·
My biggest problem with the speedmaster is its lack of any real WR. Me personally I wouldnt snorkel with one, That being said If I could score a reduced for a good price I would grab it for what it is. Simple and classic but sometimes I dont want plain. Hence me having a collection.
Of course not. That's why it's not called a Seamaster.
 
#124 ·
I think it might be underwhelming for someone who pays the full MSRP + tax, which would just about be $ 6,000. It’s a great watch but it certainly isn’t worth that kind of money, not for a new one anyway. However, if you buy one from a reputable grey dealer or a like new second-hand version and spend around $3,500, it’s hard to see how it can underwhelm if you know something about its history and movement.
 
#125 ·
I wanted to add a Speedy (FOIS) to my collection but after seeing it ... it did not really do it for me. I do like classic watches with a little more style to them. Case in point, the most utilitarian watch there is (Rolex Sub no Date) maintains its heritage and design but is updated with ceramic, deep black face, stunning edges on the bezel, etc. to appeal to my sense of style. If the current Sub was dull looking, I wouldn't have purchased it.



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#127 ·
I think Rolex ruined the perfect proportions of the five digit Sub by fattening the lugs and the crown guards. I know they're still selling like hot cakes but Rolex went and did something that Omega has chosen not to do with the Speedy. The maxi dial, harking back to the 5513, in the old style case would have been the ideal Sub. The only bad move Omega has done with the Speedmaster is put it on a modernized, slightly blingy, and to my mind ugly bracelet.
 
#126 ·
I thought the Speedmaster Professsional was an good looking watch from the pictures, maybe a little underwhelming. But after experiencing it in person, I was sold! Seeing it first hand, it really is an impressive watch. The hesalite crystal has an effect that makes the dial seem to pop out, giving the illusion of being closer than it is. Then the edges of the dial look like they taper off downward, again an optical illusion. The dome shape itself of the hesalite is pretty unique. I love looking at it from all sides! Also, the bezel reflects light like a mirror at the right angle which is unexpected and adds a touch of class. It matches the polished edges of the case and push buttons. The contrasting brushed areas on the case are a nice touch too. As you can tell I really like it and appreciate all the features! Oh, it tells time too :p
 
#135 ·
This! I just took delivery of mine two days ago and I'm absolutely thrilled with it. To me, there may not be one single particular thing about it that completely blows you away, but when you put it all together the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. My wife, who isn't a a watch enthusiast really likes it, more so than she has liked most of my watches and when I asked her why, she said she wasn't sure. She said it just has "it".
 
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