I am contemplating buying a Speedmaster auto. Maybe a 3510.50 . Am I nuts? They seem reasonably priced for a chronograph these days. What am I missing? Why are so many coming out of Japan on Ebay?

 

Don't

 

Ok, why?

 

Good point. I have been watching the same model for a while and noticed that there seem to be alot from Japan. Could this be that the Speedy reduced fits the average dimensions of a Japanese man better than a moon watch. I have relatively small wrist which made me look at them. I could however be totally wrong and they could all be fakes hehe

 

Well it does depend which one you buy and I must say I am no expert - BECAUSE they are no Speedmaster.

The movement is quite different and some of them (I remember seeing a post by @Archer where he defended some, but not others) are very difficult to service, to the point that Omega swap the movement rather than fix them. Others have commented on the module, or piggy back chronograph that is inelegant. As I say I am no reduced expert, but I have never heard much positive about them.

They are inexpensive, compared to a Speedmaster, but there the comparison ends. The only thing Speedmaster about them is the name. They almost look to me like a Chinese replica factory tried to make a Speedmaster.

If that's what you want, and you know what you are buying, then from Japan is in my experience a good way to acquire a watch. In general the dealers are very honest and efficient, the post is efficient, and the Japanese like to keep their watches well, usually with the box and papers intact.

While I have seen a few Reduced owners sing happy songs, I have seen more get rid of them over the years to replace them with a Cal 861 or even 1861 speedmaster.

 

I was thinking about reduced speedy simply because of the price. Then I figured, if I want to drop some money buying a watch I should go with speedy pro!


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This topic has been covered very often on the MB. I have a Speedmaster reduced that I bought used, in 1990. Initially, it was a PITA! I barely wore it for the first 20 years I owned it. Wind it fully, manually, and by the 7th day, it had run down, even after 24-hour per day wear. I tired of that in about 2010, and sent it to Omega, Canada, who quoted me close to $600.00. I told them to go ahead. Six weeks later came my watch. I checked the movement, to find it had been replaced, not repaired! I am glad I did it. My total investment, including purchase of a genuine Omega bracelet stands me at somewhat less than these go for, and it is among my best performers. If this doesn't sound like a ringing endorsement, consider that any pre-owned watch should be serviced before being put into service.

This one is 18-karat rose gold and stainless, with stainless bracelet (no pink gold and steel one was available). It was bought in Europe, and I am told the rose gold was made for only a short time.

 

Isn't the Auto case the same size as the Professional?. Why the "reduced" moniker?

 

Professional is 42mm, Reduced is 38mm.

Maybe this helps deciding http://www.fratellowatches.com/spee...ed-versus-speedmaster-professional-moonwatch/

 

Perfect all is clear now. Thanks!

 

The Speedy Reduced is automatic not manual, its diameter is reduced in size (38mm) compared to the Pro (42mm), and the crystal is sapphire (at least on the new ones) and not hesalite. The newer ones have 100m water resistance and push button clasp. There are a lot in Japan because the Japanese like smaller sized watches.

The easiest way to tell the Reduced apart from the Pros is that the subdials at 3, 6 and 9 impede on the hour markers. That is to say the the hour markers at 3, 6 and 9 are not as long as all the others. That is because the subdials are spaced further apart. That's a dead giveaway. Also, the running seconds is at 3 o'clock whereas it is at 9 o'clock on the Pro.

There are 2 models of Reduced, an older (3510.xx) and a newer (3539.xx). In both references, the subdials are spaced further and the running seconds are at 3 o'clock. The older version has arabics denoting the minutes (5, 10, 20, 25, etc.) at the hour markers. The newer reference does not have the arabics. The newer version also has 2 dots at the 12 o'clock marker and the older does not.

I think it comes down to what you want. Do you want an automatic winding watch or do you want a smaller sized watch or do you want the watch that is NASA qualified? Only you can make that decision. For me, it had to be the NASA qualified one, at least for the first Speedy.

 

I have a Speedmaster Professional (1989 Apollo 11 20th anniversary commemorative with glass back) as well as the reduced. I wear the reduced far more often! I like the bling factor, and the automatic wind of the reduced. I like the size and the "tool" look of the Professional. If it comes down to a decision of either/or, you can't go wrong with either, IMO.

 

I owned a speedy reduced after I owned a larger speedy pro, (NASA approved caseback) which was a bit too heavy or bulky on my 6.5" wrist.
I found the speedy reduced fit perfect and it was really light with a Low profile. Mine ran great with no problems.
They do not compare at all to a Speedy pro but I liked the one that I owned.

 

Hi @Canuck, mmmm nice watch. That was originally what I was searching for too. They don't come up very often. Is yours the US market one with the numbered edition marked on the side? That was the one I wanted. Then a -69 with a 1971 movement came up and I had to get that one as a birth year watch instead.

 

OK whose got a Speedmaster Date or a Speedmaster MK40 in Canada they want to sell to me ???,

 

If you're going for an automatic Speedy, I suggest looking into the 3513.50.

Proven Valjoux 7750 real chrono movement without piggy back, and it's not trying to look like a pro. Nicely different (6-9-12) subdial layout with shiny applied logo (that's not obscured by the chrono seconds hand in resting position), attractive (to me) date window. Value-wise, I don't see these skyrocketing like vintage pro's anytime soon, but for wearing and owning (e.g. servicing), they're hard to beat for the price.



Or if you want something really off-beat, I can personally recommend the 3513.53, a Speedmaster Date that was sold exclusively (or according to some, primarily) on the Japanese market. Same watch as above, but check out the fat hands, tritium arabics, and sweet guilloche dial!

 

3523.80 gets my vote, if looking for an automatic Speedmaster. Can't beat that amazing blue dial

 

Keep an eye out here...

http://canwatchco.ca/forum.php
Cheers, Al