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  1. M'Bob Feb 21, 2021

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    Has anyone else noticed the visibility sucks at certain angles? I thought it might be just the silver hands blending into the background, but compared to the 300, they’re nearly invisible:

    A0C3F064-DF85-4FB2-BE1E-305CE9AD3280.jpeg
     
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  2. AntonisCy Feb 21, 2021

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    The main reason i don't like the FOIS are the hands.
     
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  3. SkunkPrince Feb 21, 2021

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    And now you whiners know why Omega changed them into the moon watch you see today.
     
    MtV, khanmu, gnuyork and 10 others like this.
  4. JwRosenthal Feb 21, 2021

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    They still suck ::stirthepot::
     
  5. SkunkPrince Feb 21, 2021

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    I did get rid of mine in favor of the Seamaster 2254.50.00.
     
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  6. cvalue13 Feb 21, 2021

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    Spot on, except that it’s not as though some of the modern “fashion” speedy’s don’t sometimes suffer the same “fashion” issues as the FOIS:

    AC93D4A7-354E-4769-A7C7-E611E6729D31.jpeg E345731A-3803-47F8-B46B-F6E4D50AEB4B.jpeg
     
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  7. Vercingetorix Spam Risk Feb 21, 2021

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    I think the sapphire crystal is equally responsible as the hands for poor visibility. Passed up on more than one Apollo Soyuz meteorite dial because the visibility with the reflections was terrible.
     
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  8. rootbeer7 Feb 21, 2021

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    Funnily enough I have the same Seamaster 300 and struggle in certain light too. Must be an age thing!
     
  9. SkunkPrince Feb 21, 2021

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    Some people have the issue of "silver" color hands disappearing against the background.

    Turn your damned wrist a bit. :)

    But I get it.
     
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  10. Donn Chambers Feb 21, 2021

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    The main reason I like the FOIS are the hands. :)

    Different strokes....
     
  11. watchwinder808 Feb 21, 2021

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    I also chose the FOIS for the handset. Agree the polished hands are more difficult to see in low light, but I was drawn to the vintage look...
     
    IMG_0235.JPG
  12. Rman Feb 21, 2021

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    One of the problems is that they are flat unlike the originals.
     
  13. gbesq Feb 21, 2021

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    Interesting discussion. It’s usually the skeleton hands on the Seamaster Professional Diver 300m that people either love or hate.
     
  14. scapa Feb 21, 2021

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    Really not a big deal for me. Yeah, you make the hands disappear for a moment but it isn't like you then have to send out a search party to find them again. A minute shift of the wrist and they're back. Also worth pointing out that at other angles the metal catches the light and they hands explode into focus.

    I do think that GS and IWC pull this trick off better -- GS by faceting the hands so they catch more light and IWC by shaping and luring the hands so that they're never less than highly visible. But in my case it's really only the running seconds that occasionally go MIA, and it isn't a major deterrent, like the difficulty of winding the Pro was for me. But I get that it's joined the skeleton hands on the Great Big List of Omega Design Grievances.
     
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  15. arcadelt Feb 21, 2021

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    Agreed. This is the reason I love silver hands nearly above all others.
     
  16. maskwp Feb 22, 2021

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    Yes that can happen but it doesn't bother me that much. Perhaps that is the reason why the hands have changed for the "Professional" models. Personally, I love the FOIS and the hands are one of the things why it is appealing to me. It is one of the most elegant Speedmasters mainly because of the alpha hands and the size imho.
     
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  17. dsio Ash @ ΩF Staff Member Feb 22, 2021

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    They do tend to a bit, the 116520 Daytona has some really bad legibility too with silver hands against silver subdial rings
     
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  18. Eve Feb 22, 2021

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    But were they really all curved (convex shape)?
    As far as i see there were different variations, for example here is a 2998-3 found here (right now for sale from a member) with, what to me looks like, flat hands.
    upload_2021-2-22_9-26-8.png
     
    Edited Feb 22, 2021
  19. S.H. Feb 22, 2021

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    I really came close to buying a FOIS two years ago but ultimately didn't, because of the bright sapphire, the flat polished hands, the squished applied logo and the lack of depth on the dial. It looks quite OK by itself but as soon as I looked at an original speedy from the 60s, it felt sanitized, shiny and fake in comparison. It may feel better with white batons hands, but forking out this price and having to customize afterwards, meh.

    Quite luckily, I soon after stumbled on my EW and ratty as it is, I much prefer it. I could have sold the EW, bought a FOIS and pocketed 5 to 6k spare change. But I didn't, and never looked back.
     
  20. Hamish02 Feb 22, 2021

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    Are the hands really that much of a problem? I reckon its one of those things if it plays on your mind, even subconsciously, then you go looking for it. I know what you mean that they can disappear but I've only noticed this when I make it so by tilting my wrist - never ever had an issue reading the time. Each experience is individual, though. Its a beautiful watch and enjoy it! @M'Bob cracking pair (;)) you have there by the way - snap!