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Hesalite vs Sapphire Speedmaster Pro (Pics)

  1. gbesq Mar 20, 2019

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    ^I think you meant to say the 1863 movement. The hesalite version of the Speedy Pro uses the 1861 whereas the sapphire sandwich uses the 1863 which has a higher grade of finishing due to the display caseback.
     
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  2. robinhook Mar 20, 2019

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    It's definitely personal regarding how often to look at the display back... but I think it is safe to say that we look at the front a lot more. Also as an NASA fan, I think the engraving "Flight qualified by NASA for all manned space missions" is equally cool...

    Not to say that sapphire is no good, it's just different from the hesalite, and each has its own characters.
     
  3. axl911 Mar 20, 2019

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    Sapphire dome... Why can’t Omega do it???
     
    B61A14D1-B574-46CC-8706-844F7EC9430C.jpeg
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  4. drhombus24 Mar 20, 2019

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    The sapphire speedmaster has been out for quite some time now. I suspect that when omega originally released it, creating a domed sapphire like those mentioned was not possible at the time, or needlessly expensive. Now as technology has improved and made these crystals cheaper, others have begun to use them. As for why omega does not use them in the current sapphire speedmaster, I do not know.
     
  5. robinhook Mar 21, 2019

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    Ok guys... I guess this is a rather rare opportunity so we don’t see much of this comparison on the internet. But I got a hold of a early production 2007 sapphire sandwich 3573.50, and compared it with my current production 2017 sapphire sandwich 311...006. The difference is shocking.

    The shape of the crystal is significantly different, resulting the 2017 one having a evident “milking ring”, while the 2007 one looks almost like a hesalite crystal... I don’t think I need to tell you which one is which in the picture... stunning

    I don’t know what to make out of that.. I can compare it later with my hesalite, to be continued...
     
    10F317AC-D64B-4FA4-A8A7-F8C8809C6BAF.jpeg D02BF094-2FDD-45F6-81B4-116CF859139F.jpeg
  6. MCG555 Mar 21, 2019

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    Although bizzare - thanks very much for the insights! :thumbsup:
     
  7. robinhook Mar 21, 2019

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    Thanks... I guess maybe the milky ring is not a technical issue but a deliberate design by Omega? Bizzare indeed!
     
  8. robinhook Mar 21, 2019

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    Ok... from left to right:
    1. Hesalite 3570.50
    2. Sapphire 3573.50 - 2007
    3. Sapphire 311...006 - 2017

    I think this 2007 3573.50 is really quite special.
     
    69ED4C65-0629-40C6-99E8-281A89F658B2.jpeg
  9. 105012 Mar 21, 2019

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    Hesalite still the best of the three, but no idea why the sapphire would have got worse. Not so much milky-ring as mucus-ring ::puke::
     
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  10. axl911 Mar 22, 2019

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    1. Black coffee
    2. Just a bit of milk
    3. Lots of milk and sugar
     
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  11. robinhook Mar 22, 2019

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    #3 is probably half and half ;)
     
  12. axl911 Mar 22, 2019

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    Oh wow. Seemed the shoulder of the 2007 crystal is more rounded and the 2017 is more squared.
     
  13. robinhook Mar 22, 2019

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    Exactly! I'd say under most light conditions, the 2007 sapphire sandwich looks pretty darn close to a hesalite one.
     
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  14. padders Oooo subtitles! Mar 22, 2019

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    This last point is interesting. I have a sapphire crystal BroadArrow and can’t say I have ever found the look of the crystal distracting, indeed just can’t see the milky ring so perhaps some models show it more than others. I have other Hesalite Speedies too and can’t say there is much difference so perhaps mine is one of these early one too.

    Can anyone show me where it is here?
    B453C01C-9D64-478F-84AB-7C5EEC329AD2.jpeg

    EE2C2EC7-960C-42D5-8BB4-128BECDE5472.jpeg

    Seems a pretty similar profile to the Hesalite too

    05FD91A6-EC48-4E3A-A7DB-7E54AE1EDB79.jpeg
     
    Edited Mar 22, 2019
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  15. padders Oooo subtitles! Mar 22, 2019

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    Comparison with original 145.012 Hesalite, there is a difference, but it’s not IMO distracting in use:

    BA991989-1652-4D9A-8E49-77126030F01E.jpeg 19EC1910-CB62-46B7-A9FC-F2EBCC19E31F.jpeg
     
  16. Yukatan Mar 22, 2019

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    Oh wow, that's a cool side-by-side. You have a picture from the side? I want to see how different the dome shape is!
     
  17. MCG555 Mar 22, 2019

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    I guess Omega decided pro readability (Box-Saphire) and against distortions (Hesalith-like Saphire); despite the fact that the 2. looks better... :whistling:

    Hesalith example…
     
    7A599396-087A-4B23-B22F-A2E60378F7C0.jpeg
    Edited Mar 22, 2019
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  18. robinhook Mar 23, 2019

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    Here are the side view comparison. From the top to bottom:
    1. Hesalite
    2. Sapphire 3573.50 2007
    3. Sapphire 311...006 2017
     
    C66D5AE9-5E43-4B21-9B76-87187751B481.jpeg
  19. MCG555 Mar 23, 2019

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    Pretty clear wirh these comparison pics! :thumbsup:
     
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  20. robinhook Mar 23, 2019

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