FOIS Speedmaster Review: Legibility, Size & Wearability

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For anyone undecided and unable to view in-person.
Recently picked up the new FOiS, for context I’ve owned many Speedmasters and have a fairly large watch collection. So after watching many YouTube reviews I was pretty much a “no” due to it being smaller (I’m 6’4” with 8.25” wrists) and the very poor legibility. Well, I got a deal I couldn’t refuse so decided to take the plunge knowing I could return the watch. So I have to say the poor legibility is actually a non-issue, legibility is very good as the hands always catch the light and show up very clearly even in very low light conditions, not once have I found it difficult to see and is just as legible as my other watches but in a different way that is equally effective.
Size, in my opinion it wears the same as any 42mm Speedmaster, when I look at a watch the size tends to come from the width of the dial and bezel which on the FOiS is the same as the Professional.
Anyway what I thought was a watch I would send back is definitely a keeper especially worn on a NATO.
Ultimately for me the legibility was the biggest concern, for some reason video creates the impression of the hands blending into the dial which in real life just doesn’t seem to happen.
 
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Yet no pic? I do like the domed crystal on these, compared to the crystal on the white release. I'm not a huge fan of sapphire, but they seemed to have made it much more tolerable.
 
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Size, in my opinion it wears the same as any 42mm Speedmaster, when I look at a watch the size tends to come from the width of the dial and bezel which on the FOiS is the same as the Professional.
Yeah, sizing of the moonwatch speedmasters is silly. The 42mm and the 39mm Speedmaster cases are effectively identical size wise. The 'crown guard' adds 3 mm to the measurement without actually changing the size of the watch at all.

IMO, its still fairly silly that we're using this sort of measurement at all for Speedmasters. It makes sense to compare cases that are otherwise 'equal' or so, but the crown guards don't add a single molecule of size.
 
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I have owned both err FOII (if that is the plural) and must say I do find that the silver hands can disappear more so than the white painted examples. I don’t find it a huge issue since no one dies if I don’t know the exact time but YMMV. It’s a nice piece and at almost half the price if the 321 can be considered a bargain. Or alternatively correctly priced whereas the 321…
 
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I was in doubt as well, and searching for answers.
Then it struck me ; the FOIS 2012 could do with better hands and bezel, and the dial of the FOIS 2025 needed a better case 🙂

 
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For anyone undecided and unable to view in-person.
Recently picked up the new FOiS, for context I’ve owned many Speedmasters and have a fairly large watch collection. So after watching many YouTube reviews I was pretty much a “no” due to it being smaller (I’m 6’4” with 8.25” wrists) and the very poor legibility. Well, I got a deal I couldn’t refuse so decided to take the plunge knowing I could return the watch. So I have to say the poor legibility is actually a non-issue, legibility is very good as the hands always catch the light and show up very clearly even in very low light conditions, not once have I found it difficult to see and is just as legible as my other watches but in a different way that is equally effective.
Size, in my opinion it wears the same as any 42mm Speedmaster, when I look at a watch the size tends to come from the width of the dial and bezel which on the FOiS is the same as the Professional.
Anyway what I thought was a watch I would send back is definitely a keeper especially worn on a NATO.
Ultimately for me the legibility was the biggest concern, for some reason video creates the impression of the hands blending into the dial which in real life just doesn’t seem to happen.
I love this watch and I would say it is amount the top Speedmaster in the catalog. However, when I tried this unit on in the store the minute hand was very hard to see. Always twisting my wrist to catch the minute hand. The second hand some time it totally disappears. Every other thing with this watch is beautiful. I don't know if I could get pass the hand legibility. Shame too, because for me every other part of this watch is not good, it is perfect.
 
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For anyone undecided and unable to view in-person.
Recently picked up the new FOiS, for context I’ve owned many Speedmasters and have a fairly large watch collection. So after watching many YouTube reviews I was pretty much a “no” due to it being smaller (I’m 6’4” with 8.25” wrists) and the very poor legibility. Well, I got a deal I couldn’t refuse so decided to take the plunge knowing I could return the watch. So I have to say the poor legibility is actually a non-issue, legibility is very good as the hands always catch the light and show up very clearly even in very low light conditions, not once have I found it difficult to see and is just as legible as my other watches but in a different way that is equally effective.
Size, in my opinion it wears the same as any 42mm Speedmaster, when I look at a watch the size tends to come from the width of the dial and bezel which on the FOiS is the same as the Professional.
Anyway what I thought was a watch I would send back is definitely a keeper especially worn on a NATO.
Ultimately for me the legibility was the biggest concern, for some reason video creates the impression of the hands blending into the dial which in real life just doesn’t seem to happen.
I really like the FOIS. I have 6.25 inch wrist. Do you think it looks fine on me ?

 
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I really like the FOIS. I have 6.25 inch wrist. Do you think it looks fine on me ?

Honestly, I feel it wears a little big on you. But your opinion is what matters. I’ve often worn watches that are “too big” - with the right attitude, you can rock whatever you want!
 
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The minute hand is invisible in most situations. So is the seconds hand. Still a gorgeous watch.
 
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dimensions wise, the FOIS was seemingly perfect for me as it appears smaller than the standard. However when the opportunity and desire came up to add a speedmaster to the collection, they had stopped the numbered edition and they were getting up there in price. Sure of enough, after buying a speedmaster professional, Omega announces another run of FOIS with a bracelet too. Lug to lug, the speedmaster professional ended up working out but I do consider the path not taken.