Seems like the front is more of a Rolex Smurf light blue rather than the SM300 or ck2998 2016 deep blue.

 

Hard for me to tell with that lighting. My assumption would be that the sundials and bezel are the same colour, but they look quite different in those pix. The subdials seem almost the same shade as the strap, while the bezel is a brighter, fresher blue. Also, the left side of the bezel is a few shades brighter than the right in that lighting,

Owning one of these with the "Not for Sale" engraving would be pretty cool.

 

“Not for Sale” = “Only for Gift”

 

I'm not in the market for this watch at all, never have been. But in the 10+ days it has been out it seems to have morphed from cute, to gimmicky, to kitschy. I just can't see the real interest in this watch. It seems very unserious for a $10k price tag.

 

tis exactly why I love it

 

For sure someone will flip the strap the other way round to wear it with the back case in front

 

Local AD called me few days back and required 20% deposit, so my order was placed. See if and when it can be delivered now.

 

Seems like this guy have the bezel already

 

Not everything expensive has to be austere.

 

No. That's bezel from Gemini IV I believe.

 

i spoke to him. It’s a custom omega he made from different Speedmasters. Amazing how much it looks like the snoopy 3

 

It doesn’t have the DON which was a “feature” highlighted

 

I fell in love with the Snoopy 3 the second I saw the announcement. Have put my deposit down with my AD. Looks like a stunning watch Want to see what shade of blue it actually is and as stunning as the case back is I’m concerned it’s a novelty that I will look at a few times and then never again.

 

I get the "it's a novelty that'll wear off" concern, but a) it's a heckuva novelty, and b) even without the animation it's a very striking caseback with great depth and textures. In other words, for me anyway, the Snoopy 3 contains more than enough that interests me technically and aesthetically that I won't be doing a relative worthiness calculation I(casebook 30%, movement 30%, DON bezel...) in order to justify its purchase or retention.

I also disagree that the caseback is kitschy or gaudy or vulgar. IMO the historical references subtending the animation and the attention to detail involved in it (14s, combo of starfield, CSM and earth disc, whatever its material composition or the earthscape depicted) reflect a commitment to the events behind the award and this watch, and not simply design hubris or profligacy. But YMMV, of course, and as always, with watches.

 

What is the 14 seconds in the back actually timed from in regards to snoopy's flight path? It's not the time that snoopy is visible (not behind the moon), seems kind of arbitrary...

 

What does 14 seconds represent? The length of the timed burn the Apollo 13 crew had to do to adjust their path to get back to Earth. Keep part to your question is that last bit of Earth.

Snoopy is at the 6 o'clock position on the caseback and is the counterweight to the stopwatch second, which sits at 12 o'clock when it's reset. When the stopwatch starts, Snoopy overlaps the Earth after 14 seconds. Earth is located at 3 o'clock on the caseback as it is directly connected to the 9 o'clock second subdial on the front. So technically Snoopy perfectly overlaps Earth at 15 seconds but is still completely over the Earth at 14 seconds. So it represents that after 14 seconds of elapsed time the CSM is back at Earth.

 

I like your phrase “relative worthiness calculation” because that is something that I definitely do. I love the look of the case back and the “animation” however I purchased a Panerai Luminor Base PAM00112 in part because the transparent case back is absolutely stunning and I barely look at it now hence my concern. Regardless, I will be purchasing and am very excited about the watch!

 

Not sure whether you're asking about the actual events that the Snoopy Award celebrates or the watch itself. I'm guessing you're aware of the former so for the latter, here's Fratello's explanation:

Animation
Before discussing the dial, we have a look at the case back. Powered by Omega’s new hand-wound caliber 3861 that was introduced last year in the Apollo XI watches. Based on the caliber 1861, but 50% of the parts are new and it has been Master Chronometer certified by METAS. Pushing the chronograph will start moving the rocket on which “watchdog” Snoopy sits in his little rocket. In 14 seconds, he will float over Earth. And a few moments later, he will disappear behind the moon surface again. Earth is orbiting as well, as it is connected to the small running seconds. The rocket is mounted to an almost invisible hand that can only be seen under certain angles.

 

Fair enough, and I tend to agree. I'm not sure how often I'll actually "watch" the animation at this point, although I know my kids love it, but I can easily imagine being delighted when I do. And for all those other occasions, I'll rely on the movement, the 3-dimensional effects of the dial, applied indices, striking colour, enamelled inlay, etc. And if all else fails, I won't pony up the balance for the watch or will move it along.

I guess I'm saying that the combo of elements in this Snoopy that appeal to you should ideally outweigh those that don't or that actively turn you off. I feel like I made that mistake with the Speedy Pro, and remedied it with the FOIS, which has a balance of virtues I prefer, although I can certainly imagine (and read about a thousand pages worth of opinions from) others being happier going the other way.

I also feel like the line between "charming" and "kitsch" can seem alarmingly thin. Having discounted the recent Speedy LE after absorbing the endless "Buzz Butt" commentary I got to handle one a few weeks ago at an event. It's really beautiful in the metal, and I honestly barely noticed the floating Buzz until I looked for it, and when I did it was the quality of the workmanship rather than the fact I was staring at an arse in space through a loupe that struck me. So, charmed when I expected to be kitsched.

So am I counting on gazing at the back of a Snoopy 3 every morning as I wind the watch? No, but I fully expect to be charmed when I do, and that plus everything else I like about the watch make it worth it for me at this point, despite the extravagance of the outlay.