Hodinkee
In-Depth: The Omega Speedmaster Moonphase Master Chronometer Chronograph
Buzz Aldrin's footprint is visible on the moonphase display. Seriously.
381 articles · 37 videos found · page 9 of 14
Every Omega Speedmaster Professional from 1957 CK2915 to the modern Cal. 3861 Master Chronometer.
The only watch certified by NASA for manned spaceflight. On the Moon in 1969.
No press release, no lifestyle campaign, just a fresh reference on Omega's website. New Moonshine gold subdials with an azurage pattern, slightly thinner case, ~$49,000. Cal. 3861 Master Chronometer.
Hodinkee
Buzz Aldrin's footprint is visible on the moonphase display. Seriously.
Hodinkee
Plus a titanium Breguet Type XXi, and a Doppel-Felix Date from Habring².
Worn & Wound
Editor’s note: In this 3 Watch Collection for $5,000, reader JT takes us through watches from his own personal collection, purchased largely on the pre-owned market for under $5,000. This real-life 3 for 5k is also thematically coherent, to say the least, with a trio of white dialed sports watches that cover a lot of ground, and somehow work well together as a thoughtful, wearable collection that features an indie favorite, a hot collaboration, and an uncommon example of a classic chronograph. You can make your submission to the Three Watch Collection – Reader Edition by filling out the form right here. Omega Speedmaster Reduced “Marui” (3510.20) – $3,000 This was the watch that started it all. I have a small wrist (6.25″), and I love white objects (Kenya Hara’s book, “White,” resides next to my white camera collection). I fell in love with the Omega Speedmaster Alaska Project, and after lots of research and patience, I decided I wanted a Speedmaster Reduced, and subsequently secured this Speedmaster for a very reasonable price. Image courtesy Bob’s Watches It didn’t come with a bracelet, but it actually worked in my favor because I wanted to pair it with a flat link (AKA Ed White) bracelet anyway, so it helped me bring the cost of the watch lower (an OEM 1469/811 is worth at least $500). Seiko x Rowing Blazers 5 Sports – $500 After spending way too much time doing my research, “buying the seller,” and reading forums to check my work, the inte...
Time+Tide
I never thought these words would come out of my mouth, but I am letting go of one of the holiest grails in my collection, my near-mint Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch. If you know me, you’ll know this is one of the most out of character things I have done in all my time collecting … ContinuedThe post Letting go of a grail: Why I am selling my near-perfect Omega Speedmaster appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
Plus, a modern-day sports watch from Cartier and a touch of California from Panerai.
Hodinkee
Plus a 43mm IWC Big Pilot in green and a TAG Heuer Autavia reissued for a legendary racecar driver.
Time+Tide
No matter how tasteful your watch collection, no matter how stuffed your portfolio is with blue chip stocks like no-date Subs, classic Heuers, or the perfect Cartier Tank, there’s probably a black sheep lurking somewhere. Your questionable choices. Your dark secrets. The one that’s horribly out of fashion, objectively unattractive, or just plain bizarre. Be … ContinuedThe post Unholy Grail: the spaciest Speedy ever, the Omega Speedmaster ‘Teutonic’ appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
Omega and Phillips are said to be victims of alleged fraud involving former Omega employees.
SJX Watches
Earlier this week, leading Swiss-German newspapers Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ) published a lengthy story about the possible fraud behind the record-setting sale of an Omega Speedmaster ref. 2915-1 at Phillips in 2021. Mystifying at the time, the CHF3.12 million result was a huge number that far exceeded past records for that particular Speedmaster. As NZZ revealed in its story, the Speedmaster in question was a “Franken” watch pieced together from assorted vintage components – and some fake parts – and it was purchased by Omega itself, on the advice of its then museum head. The allegations are that the then museum head was in cahoots with the seller of the watch. Omega has gone to the police with this, and also released a statement, noting in part, “Omega and Phillips were the joint victims of organised criminal activity involving the selling of this specific watch by auction.” The Omega Museum, which fortunately has enough correct and legitimate vintage Speedmasters on display. Image – Omega Both Omega and Phillips should have done more due diligence, but it appears a few bad actors were diligent in allegedly defrauding Omega. For more on the matter, Dutch watch publication Fratello published an excellent examination of the happenings. The alleged fraud has been covered widely in the mass media, from Bloomberg to Fortune, ironically the same publications that last year touted the success and value-appreciation of the Speedmaster. Mountains and molehills The ...
Time+Tide
It’s fair to say that the Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch is one of the most famous watches of all time, up there even in the minds of the uninitiated. As the watch that went to the moon and thrived on racetracks, it’s cemented a strong legacy within horological history and has become a stylistic icon. As … ContinuedThe post 5 reasons you need to be familiar with the Omega Speedmaster Reduced appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
A selection of exciting watches from the pre-owned side of the shop.
Worn & Wound
Editor’s Note: In this edition of the 3 Watch Collection for $5,000, long time reader Eric L. shares their trio of watches, which include a brand I had to Google to discover. This is a collection motivated not by hype, but by enthusiasm alone so hat’s off to Eric for this selection. Bonos points for one of the coolest G-Shocks in existence. If you’d like to submit your own 3 watch collection for $5,000 can you do so at the form right here. Header image credit: Analog:Shift Long time listener, first time caller. NATO’s are great…always. Full Stop…no question. Keep up the good work folks. Omega Speedmaster MKII Racing – $4,000 It’s a Speedmaster, but you didn’t type in “best watch algorithm” in the Google Machine to find out which Speedy you should buy (It’s the Professional Moonwatch…it went to the moon, but Omega rarely talks about it). Plus, everyone knows that the 70’s racing scene was so funky and lit that it deserves more credit that it receives. Funky case, orange highlights, tach ring under the glass…it’s just better than the Moonwatch in all respects, and I’ll fight anyone who says otherwise. Scared of vintage watches? Get the reissue with a co-axial movement that’s COSC certified. Elliott Brown Houlton Professional – $550 Analog watches are a thing of the past you say? All soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines need are G-Shocks and Timex Ironman watches, you say? Well my brothers and sisters in the UK’s Special Boat ...
Worn & Wound
One of the reasons we love vintage watches is for the stories they tell. Yes, that’s a bit of a cliche, but every so often a watch comes to our attention that is truly historic, and really drives the point home. There are watches that hold personal meaning to their owners (family heirlooms passed down through the generations, for example), and watches that hold special and often outsize significance to small groups of collectors (like a Tiffany stamp on a vintage Rolex). But a watch like the Speedmaster Eric Wind listed for sale recently falls into another category altogether. This watch, worn by astronaut Scott Carpenter, exists at the place where watchmaking history and American history meet. It wouldn’t be out of place in a museum, but if you have the cash, it can be yours. First, a little background on Carpenter, because the fact that this watch was his personal Speedmaster is a huge part of what makes it special, particularly to hardcore vintage watch enthusiasts. Carpenter was an American naval officer and test pilot who was selected as one of the original Mercury Seven astronauts 1959. After John Glenn, Carpenter was the second American to orbit the earth, and was a key figure in the early days of the space program when it both captured the imagination of the world and was arguably at its most dangerous. Carpenter’s space flights did not go off without a hitch – his Aurora 7 spacecraft that flew in the Mercury-Atlas 7 mission famously splashed down 250 mil...
Revolution
Technical innovation has always been at the heart of Omega. From the Speedmaster being the first watch to be flight-qualified by NASA for manned space flight to the industrialisation of the co-axial escapement, Omega remains at the vanguard of pushing the boundaries of watchmaking. 10 years in the making, Omega’s new Spirate hairspring system takes […]
Worn & Wound
There’s a lot of talk among watch collectors of “signature watches.” Watches that essentially serve to define a brand, or even an entire category. The Omega Speedmaster, for example, is a perfect example of a signature watch. Can you even imagine Omega without it? You can’t – it’s integral to the whole operation. They have other collections, sure, but they live and die with the Speedmaster. Does Oris have a signature watch? I walk by an Oris authorized dealer in my neighborhood just about every day, and there’s a giant decal on the side of their building prominently featuring an Oris Aquis. For as long as I can remember, this authorized dealer has had this kind of marketing in this specific place, always featuring an Aquis. Is the Aquis Oris’s signature watch? I think for many collectors it might be. It’s a modern tool watch (with an integrated bracelet, well before the hype) that has specs making it competitive with virtually any well known diver, but thanks to the aforementioned bracelet it has something unique about it that can only be Oris. It’s possible that to an even wider swath of customers, the Divers 65 is the Oris signature watch. I can remember when this watch was first reissued in a modern context, and it was something of a phenomenon. It put Oris on the map for many enthusiasts entering the hobby at the beginning of a boom time for the entire industry, and remains a key watch in the vintage throwback category that virtually every brand...
Time+Tide
Rolex and Omega are the Coke and Pepsi of the watch industry. As two of the biggest brands in the world, they are constantly pitted up against one another head to head. Since the brand’s inception, Rolex has been known for incremental progress and updates. Omega, on the other hand, has taken more risks and … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Omega Speedmaster Super Racing is the brand’s most accurate watch yet appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
Get all of the latest H Shop vintage watches right here.
Sandwich dials have always commanded a sense of mystery and luxury, with very few brands dipping their toes into the genre despite its popularity. Omega surprised many with its release of a second generation for the Omega Speedmaster ’57 in 2022, now featuring a sandwich dial construction against any semblance of vintage accuracy. Whether or … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: Inside the Omega Speedmaster ’57’s sandwich dial appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
Kick off your 2023 in style with a selection of curated vintage watches from the likes of Rolex, Blancpain, Lange, and more.
Time+Tide
Omega’s main point of distinction in the modern era is their METAS-certified Master Chronometer co-axial movements. They have superb build qualities inside and out, and are wonderfully decorated – albeit industrially. But, the Omega Speedmaster 321 was an incredibly well-received novelty upon its debut in 2020 thanks to its heritage qualities rather than a future-forward … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Omega Speedmaster 321 is the grail-Speedy of the modern catalogue appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
No radiations – no worries.
Hodinkee
"I left Earth three times and found no other place to go. Please take care of Spaceship Earth." - Wally Schirra
Hodinkee
Three chronograph scales, one new Speedmaster.
The Omega Speedmaster is certainly deserving of being called an icon. I won’t bore you with its historical provenance, nor the space-dwelling efforts of the Professional – I’m sure you’ve heard it all. The Omega Speedmaster ’57 is what today is all about. While it still incorporates lots of vintage-inspired touches, the Speedmaster ’57 takes … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: The Omega Speedmaster ’57 is a funtastic take on a classic appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Deployant
The X-33 series is as much a practical modern Speedmaster as it is an impractical one. While the main arguments against practicality are the usefulness of functions, this point is mostly moot when it comes to luxury timepieces. That said, with high end Quartz timepieces, one has to consistently remind oneself to monitor the battery life, battery conditions and replace batteries in a timely fashion. This comes at a risk of melting batteries, out of sync micro chips and other general issues from neglect. Since most watch collectors would have more than a handful of watches, it is not uncommon for part or most of their collection to go without wear for a long period of time. That's mostly fine for mechanical timepieces, but it does get concerning with a high-end quartz timepiece. Priced at SGD$9350, the new X-33 with its ESA collaboration shares the same price tag as the Moonwatch. It is undoubtedly lesser loved by mechanical watch fans, but does have its own novelty factor. However, considering the perceived value of quartz to mechanical Speedmasters, it might take a real Space fan to truly appreciate the X-33.
Time+Tide
The story of the Speedmaster Professional being the Moonwatch has been told a tiring number of times. The story of the Mars Watch however, is much more of a novelty. First released in 1998, the Speedmaster X-33 was designed by Omega in collaboration with the USN Blue Angels and USAF Thunderbirds, and has since seen … ContinuedThe post Earth Attacks! The new Omega Speedmaster X-33 Marstimer is ready to blast off for the red planet appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
When Omega’s eye turned towards their 1957 trilogy of sports watches, the reissued vintage watch trend was sky-high, but not yet at its peak. The last few years have seen brands like Omega perfecting the art of the retro, figuring out which elements needed updating and which ones were best kept in their original state. … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: Slimmer than the Moonwatch – the new Omega Speedmaster ’57 makes a giant leap towards wearability appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
A smaller, automatic Omega Speedmaster for the people.
Time+Tide
Omega have been at the forefront of vintage-inspired sports watches for quite some time, and the latest revamp of the Omega Speedmaster ‘57 shows what a great place watchmaking is in right now. We seem to have made it through the onslaught of strait-laced vintage reissues, and now their evolutions featuring daring and creative dials … ContinuedThe post George Clooney and Hyun Bin showcase the Omega Speedmaster ’57 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
Highlighting the newest ten additions to the Vintage Watches section of the H Shop.
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