Hey guys! I'm looking to pick up my first Omega (and first "nice" watch) and, contrary to popular opinion, I have my mind set on a Speedmaster with Date. I love the moonwatch and the history behind it but I really need the date complication and the 100m water resistance that some of the other models offer.

My ideal watch would be 40mm, chronometer, same overall look as the moonwatch professional (black dial and chrono layout), exhibition caseback, and, like I said above, date and 100m water resistance. The 4 I've narrowed it down to are:

Option 1
323.30.40.40.06.001
This one checks all the boxes other than the greyish dial color, the red font, and no clear caseback.



Option 2
3210.50.00
This one checks all the boxes other than the Chrono dials layout and caseback.



Option 3
324.30.38.50.01.001
This one is about perfect but I'm not sure if it's too small (and no exhibition caseback).



Option 4
311.30.44.50.01.002
This one seems PERFECT other than the 44.25mm size. Not sure if that would be too big.



What do you all think? Is there any I missed that would match what I'm looking for? I'm leaning toward Option 4 if the size isn't too big. If it is, I'm leaning towards option 2, as long as I can get over the Chrono dial layout being different from the "real" moonwatch.

Sorry for the long first post! I need help from the experts!

 

I'd personally pick #4. I like #1 too but the date window at 4:30 bugs me.

 

I really like #4. I wonder if I can find one to try on to see the size. And granted, my every day watch for the past 5 years has been a Seiko 5 SNZG which is 42mm and that's what I'm used to. What's 2 more mm?? Haha.

Although, I've never really thought of it till now but I wonder if the Seiko is already a little big on my wrist:

 

Option 4 is the best. The date window is a bit suboptimal but I think it blends in nicely. The new Speedmaster 57s also have nice date windows.

 

I like option 1 the best. The date window at 4:30 looks the best to me since it’s by itself and the Speedmaster being in red.

 

They do option 4 in 42mm with other dial styles but you can't have the exact Moonwatch look with a date window in 42mm. Take a look at ref 321.10.42.50.01.001 which is the 42mm Broad Arrow.

 

Option 3 Looks very good, date at 6 is much nicer than 4.30

 

look on the left one. is also available in steel or bicolour.

 

Bare in mind, not only is it 2mm larger, but to include a black bezel on black dial (which can make the watch wear a bit visually larger than your Seiko with a SS bezel)

Here is a 39.7mm NEW321 next to a 41mm Submariner, and to me it’s anyone’s guess which is visually larger (dial-to-bezel ratio playing a role)



And here’s the same 39.7mm NEW321 next to a 42mm speedy pro, but the black-on-black bezel to me reading as visually larger than the black-on-white panda dial

As a fallback, remember that aftermarket exhibition casebacks are available for many models

A few questions for you:


Just to explore the constraints:

• why do you feel you *need* 100M water resistance?

• same question for the date?


Finally, you’ve had a Seiko for 5 years, just curious whether you only recently came to be interested in the Speedmaster (welcome!) and if so what might have sparked the interest?

 

There is also the option of the previous Speedmaster Racing, which is 40mm, with hidden date at 6', 100m water resistant and with a nice comfortable bracelet.

Below is my watch in red, but you can find it also in 5 other colors: grey, reverse panda, white, black and blue:

 

Option 5 the sister to option 1

 

I own #3, the 324.30.38.50.01.001

I always use the date on my watches so I was super happy to get that feature. However, I also have small wrists so the 38mm was a shoe-in. I will say that compared to my other watches, the 38 seems more like a 40mm on the wrist.

I think the watch does a great job of drawing a lot of moonwatch heritage, adding some flashier elements, adding the date and being a great size overall.

Here it is compared to my 36mm Seamaster.

 

given how your Seiko looks on wrist, that 38mm option seems nicely sized for your wrist

 

Depending on how deep your pockets are, Phillips possibly has an option for you

 

I feel the same way about the Speedy and need for a date, but I am starting to warm to the idea of having a Speedy without a date. That being said, why not consider a 9300 Speedmaster? I realize it has only 2 registers compared to 3, but in a lot of ways I think that makes the dial less cluttered(?) and attractive.

 

Is the gold one solid or plated? What reference number is that?

 

Whoa. Got a link to the lot? Never seen this before, would love to read about it.

 

WTAF is that...

@Tekashi_145.022 I had to chase it down... It was obviously not a fake, but I couldn't recall any 3313 or a weird non-GMT version of the 3306 movement ever being put into a 145.0022 case.

https://www.phillips.com/detail/omega/CH080122/273


So it's both amazingly correct and so wrong all at the same time... It totally changes the watch but it's still the same...

 

Yeah, it’s pretty wild and I like it! Sorry for not including a link @Foo2rama or @Tekashi_145.022 ! William briefly talked about it here
https://omegaforums.net/threads/speedmasters-at-phillips-may-2022.144601/

& here
https://speedmaster101.com/speedmaster-blog/

With the link to the auction here
https://www.phillips.com/detail/omega/CH080122/273

 

It’s an early precursor to the 3303. The production Broad Arrows were chronometer certified so the 145.0022 case number became 178.0022. They chose to not keep the exact same dial layout as the Moonwatch, perhaps wisely since it would dilute the Moon marketing message and also since the BA were pitched as a more expensive up market alternative, like the 9300s are now.