How many people can wear an Ed White, maybe in great condition and wear it like they don't care everyday?
Sure if one is a millionaire, But if one is not rich guy and bought them a while ago before they became so pricey it can be a problem when "just" a bezel is 2K and a dial other 2/3K if you need some parts.
I really like everything about this, except would prefer a standard 1960's pre-moon hippocampus on the back. No real point in a display back on a standard copper plated manual wind 321. A regular back would allow the watch to wear slimmer and incorporate the antimagnetic shield feature.
There’s zero point in owning a watch you’re not willing to wear.
Would they? I don't really see that most people give a toss, beyond some of the more intense elements of the collector/investor crowd.
This is the beginning of a two tiered, and much more expensive manual wind Speedmaster range, where the RRP is now going to solidly be north of £7k if you want into a "traditional-esque moonwatch".
Why can't you wear the ones you have everyday?
These are mass produced watches.
Has everyone lost their fricking minds?
It looks like there is no more creativity in the watch industry, everyone just does iterations of old models. So boring.
That's a really good suggestion.
I felt Omega did right with the display back, as there is no NASA association and the back would have been bare.
Hippocampus would have been a great choice, but I'm afraid Omega is all about showing off the movement on the reissue 321 models.
On another note, I think it's a bit ridiculous what they say they had to go through to recreate this movement.
They've made it before. I'm sure they didn't just throw all the blueprints away when they stopped making them.
From my engineering background I can say that manufacturing components from original drawings will always be more precise than 3D scanning something and guessing wear to come up with your dimensions.
But sure, it sounds a lot better to have gone through this step.
Frankly. at £4-5k I think they've been taking the piss.
The introduction of the 321 reminds me of what often happens in the car and motorcycle industries. A manufacturer introduces a concept vehicle and the reaction is overwhelming, the public says they will run down to the dealer and buy one if they would really make the vehicle. So it is greenlighted and upon release to the marketplace it flops. All of a sudden people aren't interested, 'too expensive, too many compromises made, just not interested any more'. The 321 really is an answer to a question very few people were asking. Just how many customers are out there for a watch containing a very old movement design? A few, obviously, but the reaction from many who have been pining for this watch have been mixed. Some don't like the sapphire crystal, or clear back, most don't like the price. So what is Omega's reason for this watch? Obviously they think it will make money for them, but I wonder if they vastly overestimated the demand. We will find out going forward, but this is a very expensive product in a very competitive market.
This had occurred to me too Eugene. This lume is different to the toffee/beige colour used on the earlier recreations, it’s more like the colour of new tritium so it can perhaps be forgiven and maybe even embraced. Super white would look wrong here. If they had wanted to go full faux then I would have expected a darker colour. This is recreating a watch that used tritium, the earlier ones like the Trilogy or SM300 or ‘57 were mimicking radium though so perhaps that has some bearing on their choice.
