Hey guys, actually, with my new watches bought in 2020, I had missed the target had planned to cut things short in 2021. But as many of you know – discussions in this forum - and other forums, too, always bring you new inspiration - and the desire grows stronger: I need a new watch. I love chronographs - especially those with a big history - and you inevitably get stuck with the Omega Speedmaster at some point - with hesalite glass - of course. However, I also love the Panda Dial and that's where my story begins. You scour the internet, insta and other platforms and suddenly you get stuck with a very special Speedmaster: a special model from Japan – released in 2003 by the largest Japanese department store in cooperation with Omega. This special Speedmaster was released by Omega and Mitsukoshi in 2003 in a limited number of only 300: the Omega Speedmaster Mitsukoshi.Originals are hardly to be found - and if so, then only to be priced above 15,000 EUR – far too much for my budget in 2021. With the launch of the Speedmaster in 2021, the hunt for the “old” Speedmaster xx.005 was already exciting - sometimes it was available at the Omega-Online-Store - sometimes not. Because it should definitely be the old model with hesalite – the one with the large box - and with the attractive "accessories" inside! I was lucky and was able to pick up my speedy at the Omega Boutique in Munich. Don't worry: the watch was just in the process of setting the strap to the right size ... Now an original Omega Mitsukoshi dial had to be found. Ebay was ruled out for me, this was too tricky for me - so I searched through the well-known addresses for spare parts and found the dial and handset a few weeks later. However, the original parts are not really cheap either … My only picture of the new speedy with original dial while taking a walk on the Chiemsee – located in Bavaria, Germany. The Mitsukoshi Dial : Both packed up and brought to my watchmaker. Today I was able to pick up the good piece. A completely different watch - wonderful interplay of the dial (special the stepdial) and plexi. The only (small) drawback: the legibility has suffered - but that is easy to get over when looking at it... A few pictures after the mod: The Omega logo on the dial (not available on the Hesalit version) And on my wrist: I love the watch - meanwhile it has pushed my other chrono with panda dial back in the box ...
Very nice. Was really wanting to do this as well. Having trouble finding the dial. Mind sharing where you found it?
Can get it here. https://www.swisslimitededitions.com/product-page/omega-mitsukoshi-panda-dial https://www.swisslimitededitions.co...-hand-set-fits-apollo-11-gemini-iv-mitsukoshi
Thanks. That’s not cheap. Some old eBay listings from 2017 had the dials for less than half the cost. Expensive hobby this.
I found this, too. https://omegaforums.net/threads/nos-mitsukoshi-dial-and-handset-3570-31.94843/#post-1643828
thanks! now I have to have the guts to take the plunge... wanted to convert my FOIS, I love the symmetric case but looks too much like my other speedys. have to show my wife some difference so she doesn't think I have a problem...
Nice! Not counting the parts, what does it cost for a watchmaker to swap the dial and/or handset? I've been thinking it would be fun to swap the second hand on my 3594.
are any of these dials ever going to be available for this kind of mod in the future? supply has dried up...