First, I apologize if this is not the correct forum to post in. I’m not sure if the reduced is considered a modern or vintage watch, so I thought I’d post it here since I’m also considering the speedmaster 38mm co-axial.

I’ve been considering expanding my collection recently. I like the moon watch but have small wrists, so the speedmaster reduced seemed like a good option. I have read that the movement is difficult and costly to service, but I’d love to hear some feedback from people who own it, how the movement/chronograph has performed, any issues with its function, cost of servicing etc. I was considering the Speedmaster 38mm co-axial, but it’s currently quite a bit more than I want to spend. Of course I could wait a bit until the co-axial would be doable, but would be waiting quite a long time.

So, is the reduced a good solid movement that’s a work horse and reliable, or is it too much hassle to deal with? Or would it be a better choice to wait a while and pick up the speedmaster 38 co-axial?

I currently own the Globemaster silver dial, so I feel a bit spoiled in terms of daily experience with a superior reliable movement, but it could be nice to have something in contrast to the GM.
I appreciate any feedback or advice.

 

Keep in mind that the lug-to-lug distance matters more than dial diameter when it comes to the fit of a watch on small wrists. Not sure if the Speedmaster reduced wears much smaller than the full size Speedy. I would try them on both at an AD before pulling the trigger if I were you. You might be surprised.

 

The lug-to-lug of the Speedy Pro is 48mm. The Reduced is a hair over 45mm, but on my 6.75" wrist it also wore higher and quite a bit heavier than the Pro. So while there is a noticeable difference in size on the wrist, there are enough trade-offs that spending some time with each might be a good idea, IMO, as the poster above suggests.

In terms of the movement, I have owned a few of the modular chronos (GP and a Tudor) and both generally worked well with no movement-related issues -- although the GP had enough other idiosyncrasies that I sold it on. There's quite a bit of info here on Omegas that use the piggyback, with plenty of opinions for and against, but the consensus seems to be that it can be a hassle to maintain and repair.

FWIW, I went with the Pro, which ended up fitting better and even costing less than a Reduced, and certainly the 38.

 

"So, is the reduced a good solid movement that’s a work horse and reliable, or is it too much hassle to deal with?"

Not much love here for the movement. Maintenance / repair is painful.

 

Sounds like a speedy date or MK40 might be the best route for you. The Speedy Dates wear a a bit smaller at 39mm and have a easy to service 7750 based movement. they come in a lot of different color options.

The all black mk40 is a better value then a reduced imho and is in a very similar case.

 

Here's a comparison between the Speedy Pro & the 38mm Coaxial side-by-side on my 7" wrist. The 38 definitely wears smaller. From my reading here on this forum, the 3330 Coaxial movement is well regarded and has been running consistently +1sec/day for me. I would have preferred white indices and hands over the rhodium, but the overall effect under most lighting is pleasing. I'm currently in the process of obtaining a leather/deployant strap as I have some difficulty (due to nerve damage) with the butterfly clasp on the bracelet, but the bracelet is comfortable. Hopefully this is helpful.

 

Hold out for the 38mm coaxial, if thats what you really want. Keep in mind though that your local watchmaker might not be able to service your a coaxial down the road and will have to be sent to Omega.

 

I started out with a Reduced - in fact it was a absolutely trashed example. I ended up cleaning, repairing, and servicing the whole watch and bracelet. It still shows it's age and history but I'm pleased with the result.
I'm not mentioning that to toot my own horn but to say I've worked on the DD Module. Sure, it's a little tricky and not as intuitive as a chronograph movement but it's not THAT hard. I've only ever worked on one. I'm a hobbyist. Any professional watchmaker worth their salt should be able to handle it without issues. That said, I don't know if Omega charges a different premium for service compared to a Speedy Pro.
Also, full disclosure, I bought a Pro shortly afterwards. While I like the size of the Reduced (it does wear smaller than a Pro) I'm a sucker for the heritage of a Pro and a screw down case back is important to me.
I think the Reduced is a very nice watch. Mine is keeping spectacular time and handles my abuse handily (cycling, martial arts, kids, etc).
Try on that various options and go with the model that suits you best. I think you'll be perfectly fine with any of the movements. It's not like the DD Module is a cheap Asian clone or something.

 

Thanks for all the reply’s and feedback! You all make lots of value points. It seems I have to put more thought into this and try on all these options. Cheers!

 

Good point. The lug to lug on the pro seems too big on paper as I have 6” wrists, but I guess you never know how it will wear until you try it.

 

great point about the reduced case height. I guess case size is not everything. Will try both. Good to hear about the movement being without issue.

 

I’ve heard this too, something I fear.

 

You say you really like the Moonwatch so you might also want to test-drive the FOIS (ref. 311.32.40.30.01.001) which has a 39.7mm diameter, it’s a charming and popular alternative to the Pro.

 

I’ll definitely check these out. Thanks for the suggestion!

 

thanks for the side by side photos. I do like the co-axial. I share your same feeling about the hands color, but it’s not a deal breaker.

 

Good point about servicing the co-axial movement. Will have to keep that in mind.

 

Thanks for the photo. Can definitely see the size difference. Size is important to me as I have 6” wrists. Good to know you’ve had good experiences with the movement. Perhaps I need to talk to local watch makers to see if they’re able to/ willing to service the reduced and their cost.
Have to admit I’ve never practiced martial arts while wearing a luxury watch... that’s bold!

 

I will check this out for sure. Thanks!

 

Didn't you mean this the other way around?
My Speedy Reduced is both lighter and thinner than my Speedy Pro.

 

Did you have to replace and DD module parts? I ask because even within the Swatch parts account world they can be unavailable for watchmakers.

There is a misconception that these are terribly difficult if not impossible to service - they aren't, but they are tedious and even when everything is "right" they can still have little things that customers won't be happy with, that are more or less inherent in the movement.

A more pertinent question is, will any professional watchmaker worth their salt want to work on it, when they have plenty of other work that's not a potential pain in the ass? Would I rather service a movement that I know when I'm done is going to work right, or spend time chasing my tail with a movement that has design issues I'm trying to solve in service? The answer is pretty obvious for a professional - doing this for a living means you need to get the work done and back to the customer to get paid.

One thing is for certain - your options outside of Omega will be more limited, because many watchmakers won't service them. It's not a reflection of competence, but more a reflection of good business sense in my view.

They don't. The price for a chronograph is the same, no matter if it's a reduced or a pro...however the price of service is a much larger percentage of the value of the watch with the reduced, so people see it as being more painful.

Cheers, Al