Advice on Speedmaster / reduced

Big_G

I have a reduced and purchased it for a few reasons. Wrists are small, automatic and price. I really wanted a vintage 36mm Omega chronograph but wasn’t finding one easily for a fair price so when I saw a nice speed master reduced with like new Omega strap for $1k, I jumped on it and am very happy with it. Not a fan of the bracelets that come with it. Recently found a Seamaster 321 chronograph for much more but they’re getting harder to find so took the plunge. Still keeping the reduced as I can wear it without worrying about it being too rare or expensive. I know the prices of the reduced and pro are much higher now so if it were me, I’d skip both and get a vintage Seamaster 321. You’ll have something that is much more unique with potentially better appreciation than the others as they’re just much harder to source and they look great on smaller wrists! Good luck!

Lurk41

To complete Archer's answer regarding the reduced (the only true one: the shrunken pro)
- The ones with the yellowish markers are the first versions (from 1988), which use tritium.
- They switched to luminova (around mid-90's?) and those stay plain white. Note that 1st versions serviced by Omega most likely have a luminova dial+hands now (replaced during a service)
- There is also a 3rd (later) version of the reduced that uses sapphire crystal instead of hesalite: its dial has no minute number next to the hour index and it has stepped subdial

That is for the main evolution of the reduced. Now, there are also a lot of variations outside of the standard steel/plain-black look: "Schumacher", "Racing", gold, gold-steel, japan-limited editions, "lady". And all of those variations have several variations

Anyway and as already told by others, you should try both. The Reduced is indeed a reduced Speedmaster and it wears smaller than the Pro. But both are cheating about their real diameter as the crown guard is included, plus they have short lugs. At 7" your wrist should have no trouble with a Pro (mine is 6.25, I tried a Pro out of curiosity and it did not look bigger than my 40mm Hamilton, but quite bigger than my 39mm reduced)

B briguy

I would never buy the reduced as it has a piggyback chrono module. I took mine to 4 local watchmakers in Chicago, none of them would touch it, saying it was meant to be replaced and not serviced. I sent it to Omega for service ($650) and it had to go back to them 3 times before they got it right. The first time, I took the watch home and the chrono stopped working, took it back and the boutique claimed that I must have dropped it or something. Got it back the second time, this time I tested it in the boutique, and the chono stopped working. The third time, I think they got it right and they also refunded the service fee. I sold the watch immediately on ebay.

B briguy

I had no issues with mine for years, and when it went in for service I really only wanted it refinished but thought it had been enough years to also warrant service. (it was an older watch I bought used and then owned for about 5 years). Compared to a normal movement, the reduced models with a Dubois dupraz movements should be considered disposable. It will last a long time out of the factory, but watch out when it comes time for service. It's a total cost cutting effort to lessen the cost of goods on a new watch without any real thought given to long term service.

There are lots of date models with the 7750 variant, just get one of those and it can be worked on by anyone.

Big_G

On the wrist, I think the reduced is too big for my tastes. Lol!

Big_G

On the wrist, I think the reduced is too big for my tastes. Lol!

B briguy

I would never buy the reduced as it has a piggyback chrono module. I took mine to 4 local watchmakers in Chicago, none of them would touch it, saying it was meant to be replaced and not serviced. I sent it to Omega for service ($650) and it had to go back to them 3 times before they got it right. The first time, I took the watch home and the chrono stopped working, took it back and the boutique claimed that I must have dropped it or something. Got it back the second time, this time I tested it in the boutique, and the chono stopped working. The third time, I think they got it right and they also refunded the service fee. I sold the watch immediately on ebay.

Donn Chambers

I have smaller wrists than you and have worn a regular sized Speedmaster Pro easily. If you wore a Sub, you can easily wear a Speedy Pro. Get it (or one of the slightly smaller variations like the First Omega in Space or 60th Anniversary edition) any day over the old automatic versions.

J jim o'hara

thanks Big G, those prices are insane - having just looked on line for the 321, I see none around anywhere near the price you quote
very nice watch though

Big_G

Jim, the $1k was for the Speedmaster reduced. I think those go for $2-2.5k now. I paid $5.2k for the Seamaster 321. I don’t follow prices of the Speedmaster pro but I’d expect they’re in the $4-4.5k range on the lower end depending on model, etc., which is why I recommended stretching that a bit for a Seamaster 321. Nothing against the Speedmaster pro, I just think the Seamaster 321 is a much more “special” watch than a Speedmaster pro. These are dealer prices I am listing. You might do better with a private sale.

J jim o'hara

hi all,
first time post - having just sold my Rolex Sub (as was offered double what I paid 7 years ago!!), im considering a used Speedmaster
I dont have the largest of wrists (c7 inch), so was considering a reduced/automatic as they are referred to
I know about the difficulty in servicing, but thats not a concern for me
what's confusing me, is the many different versions that came out - some referred to as a '40', then 'double date', then the standard one which looks more like a shrunken Speedmaster Pro
i.ve also seem some with, what looks like, 'yellowish' hour markers, giving a nice patina, then seen some of the same watch, without the yellow markers

I was wondering if there was a site, a database, or an expert on here that could shed some light on this model
also, I would probably wear on a leather strap, as im not a huge fan of the steel ones
thanks in advance
Jim

Sicario Wombat

I've been there and all I have to say is to slap one on your wrist to decide. I have a small wrists (6.50" depending my ever changing body weight and exercise regime!).

I had a Speedy Reduced, a Speedy Triple Date, Speedy FOIS and presently a Speedy Pro Hesalite Sandwich.

Choice of bracelet, leather straps, NATO or MN straps make a such a huge difference how my present Speedy fits to my wrist. Cheap leather puny straps look horrid and my favourites at the moment are MN style ones from Erika's Originals and Hawkrigger.

In terms of bracelets, Forstner ones make a difference how it draps on the wrist.

My itch for a Speedy Pro was too much... hence the Reduced, Triple Date and FOIS were flipped. Also, never got use to the pushers and crown arrangement on the Reduced, the Triple Date display was too busy and just didn't gel with the hands on the FOIS.

Am I happy? Yeah... The Speedy Pro is a keeper!

7enderbender

My 1990 Speedmaster reduced has been my daily watch for give or take 30 years. It’s been off to service several times. It’s my most accurate watch. Pretty much +/- 0. Back then I opted for it because the Pro seemed too large and it being automatic was actually appealing. It was the right choice at the time.
I’ve since added a 1861 Speedmaster Pro (not a fan of the new 3861 and it’s bracelet, even the somewhat similar one on my Speedmaster Reduced seems more substantial…) because it had been on my list all these years and a larger watch like this doesn’t seem out place these days any longer even in my ~7.25” wrist.

Check out all versions if you can in person but the Speedy reduced (and there are different versions of it also) is definitely a sleeper in my book. It served me well so far and will continue to do so I’m sure. Prices have gone up for those as well. I believe they were quite popular in Japan at the time.

Archer

Omega typically swaps the movements in these, installing a movement that was previously removed from someone else’s watch, and refurbished. Your movement will be sent back to Switzerland to be refurbished and sent out to be put in a watch somewhere else.