Hello All,

I've come across this Speedmaster Red Schumacher edition. The caseback serial suggests the production year as 1999 which checks out with the production run for this watch. The caseback in general looks good to me as does the Omega logo and "Speedmaster" + "AUTOMATIC" lettering. The red dial colour also seems ok (I have seen a variety of listings with different shades of red - I think this might be down to the light contrast). The area on which I still have a doubt concerns the paintwork (difference in colour between the hands and the hour markers). Also if you have a look at the 10 hour mark it seems slightly off. Any advice most welcome.

Thanks

P.S. photos attached

 

Speedmaster reduced by my reckoning. The watch could be 25 years old, so expect little things such as you describe. Service hands, maybe? Even brand new Omegas from the Omega Boutique reportedly have infinitesimal little “flaws”. As with most other prestige brands. The eagle eye of many who post here, pick up on microscopic “flaws” on almost all brands.

 

So nothing flagrant to suggest either a redial, a franken or an outright fake?

Thanks

 

In my opinion, not likely a redial, a Frankenstein (more on that later), and not an outright fake. When the topic af the Speedmaster reduced pops up, the thread tends to elicit abroad spectrum of opinions. If you are contemplating buying this watch, you might want to use the SEARCH function (magnifying glass), and read the opinions of many others on the Speedmaster reduced.

Frankenstein? Omega produced the Speedmaster reduced, so not a Frankenstein in the usual sense of the word. Though opinions of many seem to border on calling it a Frankenstein. The base movement is by Omega, but the chronograph module is a totally separate module produced by Dubois & Depraz. The reduced is a “sandwich”, with the base movement piggy-backing on the chronograph module. Most watchmakers (myself included) refuse to work on the chronograph module. So if service is required, these watches usually go to Omega for a total movement exchange?

I have a reduced, and a Speedmaster. I much prefer the Speedmaster reduced, and therein lies the variance of opinion. On the message board, you find the pro element, the anti element, and the “meh” element. The decision is yours to make. But ditch the microscope! Most watches would fail such close scrutiny!

 

Not sure where you are getting your dating info from but I would suggest that watch is in fact from more like 1996 which was the year of release of that model. The difference you are seeing between the dial indices and hand lume plots is due to the way the tritium lume deteriorates differently. It is very common on Omegas from this era. If you were to swap out the hands with new ones you'd still have a mismatch as the replacements will use a brighter greeny/white compound. SL lume was introduced in 1997 hence the hard date cutoff. 55m serials are also more typically seen in the mid 90s rather than later so that too tallies with 1996 or so. I don't see anything there that makes me think the watch isn't fully original.

That looks a bit of a tired example of a sometimes troublesome model so if I were buying I'd want a service to be priced into the deal vs a mint watch. Here is the Omega page for the model showing how it looked new.

https://www.omegawatches.com/planet-omega/60th-anniversary-speedmaster/racing-1996

ps be aware that some (all?) versions of this model originally came in a rather rare and expensive double tyre design box/case. If the one you are looking at still has this it does add value as they sell for hundreds loose and many have been separated from their watches.

 

Thanks for the link padders. I have indeed been using the Omega link you shared to get some more info. As for the serial the 1999 year of production is what came up when entered into a website called "Omega Serial Decoder" (https://serial-number-decoder.co.uk/omega/omega.htm). I read that for older Speedmasters they sometimes used newer casebacks on older movements, hence the slight mismatch. Do you. think this could be a possibility on this one?

The watch is indeed a little tired and as @Canuck pointed out the Omega x chronograph x modified movement x age of the watch does mean that a discount needs to be priced in.

 

Thanks @Canuck. The watch is apparently in working condition. I did indeed read about the Dubois & Depraz element, which for me makes the watch quite interesting (despite what I can only imagine is a higher repair price). Like I said my fears were more concentrated on the dial and the off-pairing between the colour of the hands and those of the hour markers.

Thanks again

 

No. As I say, that watch cant possibly be from later than 1997 due to the change over in lume material. The caseback is fine, it is the website that is wrong. Pretty much all the online one stop websites for dating Omega watches from serials fall down on watches after around 1980 and many have issues even before then*. You can date a more recent watch from a serial but it is complicated as they run in model sequences and you need comparison data.

*One notable exception is Ilovemyspeedmaster.com which is excellent but only works for Moonwatches.

 

I don’t know about Omega prices for servicing a Speedmaster vs replacing a Speedmaster reduced. I have read that there is not a lot of difference. The service on a Speedmaster reduced results in you receiving a “recycled” reduced movement as serviced by Omega in Switzerland. Does Omega service the D & D module, or does D & D service it. That I don’t know.

 

Actually I do that website a bit of a disservice. If you select Speedmaster you get 1999 as the answer, but Reduced models like this do not follow Speedy Moonwatch serials, they follow the mainstream series and if you select 'Non Speedmaster' it returns 1995 which is pretty damn close. Maybe they should specify that only Speedmasters using the 861/1861 movement work with that option.

 

Thanks @Canuck. Hopefully I won't have to make that decision just yet.

 

@padders thank you

 

I'm looking for, and not seeing the Omega symbol embossed/stamped into the centre of the crystal? Also a back-off photo should evidence a really pretty (IMHO) movement. From memory it's a snap-on/off case back.

 

Not all that pretty really. It looks like a fairly plain 2892 variant with no serial number. The DD module is dial side so none of the chrono parts are visible.

 

My reduced was serviced by Omega about 10 years ago. I don’t know if this one has the original crystal, or whether it was replaced when they serviced it. But this one does have the symbol inside the crystal. As to what you see when the back is removed? Compared to an early 20th century, high grade American made railroad watch, the movement in the reduced is not spectacular.

 

Hello all,

I've finally managed to get my hands on the watch in question. I haven't yet removed the case back so no updates there. RE the crystal I've had a look and can't find the omega symbol embossed. However I am pleased with the watch overall. Definitely not the best finishing I have seen but the colour on the dial is to my liking and bracelet has a much nicer feel than what I was expecting.

Best