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s2000_driver
·Thank you for the information and pictures, Henry!
Breaking News: The New Steel Speedmaster With Caliber 321 “Ed White”
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slwoodster
·Plastic gloves were standard at the Omega Boutiques in california. I def would rather try on a watch without the gloves. But... such are the times
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Evitzee
·In the Covid hysteria times I am avoiding visiting any dealer or boutique, it is just silly. I've bought a couple of watches this year, and sold a few, too.....all by the internet. I will wait until the mask/glove nonsense passes.
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jpjsavage
·I went to my Rolex AD yesterday here in the UK to look at a day date. Not a plastic glove in sight.
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stevec14
·No gloves at my ad either. You have to sanitise before entry and They are cleaning the watches post handling however....
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stevec14
·Thank you for sharing your observations. A lot of us are very excited to see one in person.
Any thoughts on the quality of polishing and the edges?
I see this watch as a showcase/celebration of the 321. At this price level and low volume production, I hope the finishing is significantly better than everything else from the Speedmaster collection. I expect the bracelet to be finished to a much higher level than the one of the Apollo 11 50th. Omega US as always, has been lagging on deliveries...
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s2000_driver
·I suspect the bracelet is exactly the same as the Apollo 11 50th save for 1mm width difference. It’s finished beautifully on that watch to my eyes. What do you think could maybe be done differently?
Yes, the design of the bracelet seems to be the same. I am just hoping that the execution/craftmanship is a lot better. If you look closely at the Apollo 50th bracelet, you will notice that the polished surfaces are not well finished. Reflections are quite distorted. The transitions between the brushed and polished surfaces on the clasp are not sharp. Even on the case, some edges are very sharp while the transitions between polished and brushed surfaces are not.
While I am not expecting Grand Seiko level craftsmanship, I do think a watch that costs 10K USD could be finished better. Don't get me wrong, I love the watch. The design is thoughtful and it is one of my favorites, but I cannot ignore the fact that the bracelet quality is seriously lacking.
Since the 321 is such a low volume watch, I am hoping that they pay more attention to the fit and finish...
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Evitzee
·Yes, the design of the bracelet seems to be the same. I am just hoping that the execution/craftmanship is a lot better. If you look closely at the Apollo 50th bracelet, you will notice that the polished surfaces are not well finished. Reflections are quite distorted. The transitions between the brushed and polished surfaces on the clasp are not sharp. Even on the case, some edges are very sharp while the transitions between polished and brushed surfaces are not.
While I am not expecting Grand Seiko level craftsmanship, I do think a watch that costs 10K USD could be finished better. Don't get me wrong, I love the watch. The design is thoughtful and it is one of my favorites, but I cannot ignore the fact that the bracelet quality is seriously lacking.
Since the 321 is such a low volume watch, I am hoping that they pay more attention to the fit and finish...
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s2000_driver
·H'mm.....the machines that made your particular watch must have been off spec that day. Just took a look at my Apollo 11 under a loupe and I don't see any of the things you are seeing. At the $10k level it is certainly up to spec, at least in my experience. I don't think you are going to get any higher finishing level on the Ed White 321. Case and bracelet are all machine finished at this price level. We aren't talking PP/AP/VC prices here, and even with their sports watches fit and finish aren't that much higher.
Interesting to hear that. I will have my OB take a look when this virus situation gets better. It is possible that I got unlucky.
I've never handled anything from PP or VC. From what I've handled in person, Grand Seiko is by far the best craftsmanship we can get at the 5K to 10K level. Of all the various boutiques and ADs, GS boutique is the only place where they gave me a loupe along with the watch I wanted to look at. Also when they set a watch down, they put it next to some fine print so that we see the clean and crisp reflections. But, I digress. Let's see what my OB says about my watch.
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Evitzee
·Interesting to hear that. I will have my OB take a look when this virus situation gets better. It is possible that I got unlucky.
I've never handled anything from PP or VC. From what I've handled in person, Grand Seiko is by far the best craftsmanship we can get at the 5K to 10K level. Of all the various boutiques and ADs, GS boutique is the only place where they gave me a loupe along with the watch I wanted to look at. Also when they set a watch down, they put it next to some fine print so that we see the clean and crisp reflections. But, I digress. Let's see what my OB says about my watch.
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bradurani
·Does anyone wish Omega had gone the Rolex route, making a slow but thoughtful series of progressions over the years so that today's Speedmaster could be a thoroughly modern watch? The constant re-issuing of classic designs is just tired. I guess they tried and failed early to update the Speedy with the Mark __ series, and became risk averse, and decided they had to keep the original around. We do in fact know what a modern Speedy would look like based on what they've done with the Dark Side series and other modern re-interpretations. I wish the stock Speedy Pro was a modern watch like that: a thoroughly modern watch but without the gimmickry of the Dark Side series. Instead we get these tired overpriced re-hashings while the stock Speedy Pro stagnates and remains a worse watch than it was in the 60s, with the step taken out of the dial.
They're just too risk averse and I think we're all worse off for it. If Rolex re-issued the Paul Newman, it'd be a joke - a shameless cash grab at the expense of the company's integrity - and we'd all call them out for it (and imagine if they put an acrylic crystal on it... preposterous!), but when Omega does it, we just nod and say, oooooooh, another cool watch.
They're just too risk averse and I think we're all worse off for it. If Rolex re-issued the Paul Newman, it'd be a joke - a shameless cash grab at the expense of the company's integrity - and we'd all call them out for it (and imagine if they put an acrylic crystal on it... preposterous!), but when Omega does it, we just nod and say, oooooooh, another cool watch.
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s2000_driver
·Any possibility that your watch was touched up before you got it? What you describe can occur if someone tried to freshen it up in case it had any small nicks or scars. Most Apollo 11's went straight to their new owners so I wouldn't expect this to happen, but you never know.
You are right. Most of the watches went straight to their respective owners. I got mine directly from my OB, and removed the stickers myself. Let's see what the OB says...
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BlackTalon
··This Space for RentDoes anyone wish Omega had gone the Rolex route, making a slow but thoughtful series of progressions over the years so that today's Speedmaster could be a thoroughly modern watch?
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stevec14
·H'mm.....the machines that made your particular watch must have been off spec that day. Just took a look at my Apollo 11 under a loupe and I don't see any of the things you are seeing. At the $10k level it is certainly up to spec, at least in my experience. I don't think you are going to get any higher finishing level on the Ed White 321. Case and bracelet are all machine finished at this price level. We aren't talking PP/AP/VC prices here, and even with their sports watches fit and finish aren't that much higher.
I wouldn’t expect the 321 bracelet to be much different if at all.
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demchocholips
·Does anyone wish Omega had gone the Rolex route, making a slow but thoughtful series of progressions over the years so that today's Speedmaster could be a thoroughly modern watch? The constant re-issuing of classic designs is just tired. I guess they tried and failed early to update the Speedy with the Mark __ series, and became risk averse, and decided they had to keep the original around. We do in fact know what a modern Speedy would look like based on what they've done with the Dark Side series and other modern re-interpretations. I wish the stock Speedy Pro was a modern watch like that: a thoroughly modern watch but without the gimmickry of the Dark Side series.
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bradurani
·I was going to say they already do with the 44.25mm co-axial chronometer Speedmaster. But I noticed on the Omega website that the steel versions of that watch are no longer listed. Have they been discontinued?
You mean this one?
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KHAAM4M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_rHOvFbMJMK8DP
That's a good point, I hadn't given this model much thought, but it is pretty much a thoroughly modern take on the Speedy Pro (a bit smaller would be my preference though). The question I guess then is whether the continued sale of the classic Speedmaster Pro actually holds this one back, taking attention from it and preventing it from being the icon it should be, in the way the modern Submariner is a sought-after icon with no vintage re-Issue taking attention from it .
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Fickle
·Maybe meant this one:
https://www.omegawatches.com/watch-omega-speedmaster-moonwatch-omega-co-axial-chronograph-44-25-mm-31130445101002
I thought it was replaced by Racing line as the metal entry of the 44.25mm series.
But yeah it would’ve been cool to keep it as the modern interpretation of the pro.
https://www.omegawatches.com/watch-omega-speedmaster-moonwatch-omega-co-axial-chronograph-44-25-mm-31130445101002
I thought it was replaced by Racing line as the metal entry of the 44.25mm series.
But yeah it would’ve been cool to keep it as the modern interpretation of the pro.
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henrimontgomery
·Of all the various boutiques and ADs, GS boutique is the only place where they gave me a loupe along with the watch I wanted to look at. Also when they set a watch down, they put it next to some fine print so that we see the clean and crisp reflections. But, I digress. Let's see what my OB says about my watch.
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Vale21
·I always take my Loupe when going to see watches. Only place I didn’t need it was Journe, who brought one as the same time as the watch.
Didn't experience the same in FP Journe in Geneva
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henrimontgomery
·This is interesting, where are you?
Didn't experience the same in FP Journe in Geneva
In Geneva actually!
