A well explained response I concede, though I disagree with you on many of the points. Moving on from the plane shaped chrono hand, which I believe was used for chrono minutes originally pre Mk 40, the double ended 2 colour running second hand smacks of plain desperation to my eye and is a stretch too far. I do take your point about the Utlraman being less than hugely significant. Perhaps the fact they hedged their bets with the Racing Dial on the ST2 one suggests that you aren't the only one to consider the orange hand alone a bit of a tenuous excuse for a re-imagining. That said I would personally want my LE of choice to be influenced by something older than a 20 year old slow selling design memorably described by one of my pals when I was considering buying one back in the day as 'something garish, cheap and nasty that Swatch would release'. He had no idea about the inspiration for the Mk40, or that Omega are indeed linked to Swatch, just thought it looked childish in the use of colour. He may have had a point, though I secretly still like the look!
I fail to see how the running second hand remotely smacks of desperation, but to each their own. My take is that it's clear design choice based on the watch it's a tribute to and a good one at that. To each their own though.
I actually like the original Ultraman quite a bit. I anticipated it's tribute to be very much in line with the original and sort of questioned buying it simply down to the orange hand alone, but I so liked the look of the original that I resigned myself to doing so. Fortunately the tribute was something else and don't feel the need to get one.
I would want my LE of choice to be influenced by something other than an MK40 as well, but how well it sold or what my friend thought of it wouldn't really factor into my decision. My FOIS didn't seem to sell so well considering what I paid for it in the grey market in unworn condition and full set, but that doesn't change my enjoyment of just looking at every time I wear it. I own four Speedmasters and it's still arguably my favorite one despite costing the least. Anyway, as for the color, like I said, for me it evokes something nautical and it looks a fun Spring/Summer piece. In fact I think the H10's chronograph seconds hand should be all yellow.
If you secretly like the watch then I would say get one. My introduction to watches and what got me into watches as a kid was Swatch and I just picked one up last week. Not sure I'll wear it much at all, but I like the design and story behind it.
I'm waiting for the Popeye Seamaster LE.....there's got to be one on the roadmap
With his arms hands, tattoos and all! You should be working for Omega.
Differences between the inspirations for ST1, ST2, and the Hodinkee watch:
ST1: Go try to buy a radial-dial Star case Speedmaster. Even if one were to appear at auction, the last one went for $150,000. Enter the Speedy Tuesday, yours for $7100.
ST2: Go try to buy an Ultraman 145.012-67. They do appear from time to time, and are pushing what, $25k now? And it's just a regular 145.012-67 with an orange chrono hand. Enter the ST2 Ultraman, with a bit more going on than that (and much more than your regular Moonwatch), yours for $7100.
Hodinkee watch: Go try to buy a Mk40. You can easily find them all over the place for under $2500. This watch, though quite ugly, features a 24-hour subdial and triple calendar complications. Enter the Hodinkee 10th Anniversary, which features none of the above complications, only its colors, yours for $6500. A $4000
premium over a
commonly available watch.
Yet H10 has apparently sold out in about 24 hours and surely would have sold out much quicker were they all made available on Hodinkee. Anyway, I would say the comparisons are to a large degree false equivalencies. With both ST releases they were essentially open to what piece they wanted to tribute to. With the Hodinkee release they were to a degree only going to be paying tribute to that specific piece. Perhaps they had a choice to do a Speedmaster of their own (though I think it's fair to say that with Speedy Tuesday being what it is perhaps they did not), but I can see why they went this route.
I also think that a lot of this is comparing design choices. You and I may both look at a Picasso that is universally praised, but I may like it while you may hate it. Who is to say who is right?
Since you brought them up, I'll comment on the watches you mentioned. ST1 I got on the grey market paying a bit of premium, but nothing astronomical. I actually wasn't sold at first even though I liked it and was only going to be a "one Speedmaster" guy, but after giving it some more time grew to love it. I think it's amazing piece and one of the best Speedmasters of the past say 5 years or so, surely top 3-4. ST2 doesn't do it for me. My collection is pretty much all pieces that are essentially tribute watches and this was a bit too modern for me. I think the design went overboard with the orange (I think some of it could have been omitted and exactly what is open to debate, but I definitely don't like the orange "tachymetre" and "Speedmaster" bits), I don't like the running seconds hand and I find it a bit gimmicky to something I'm not overly interested in. With regard to the orange, maybe seeing it on a different strap would change my mind some. I also prefer other Speedmaster releases in the past five years that I do not have, like the 45th Anniversary to Apollo XI. That said I'm on the waiting list, but if I want one I'll probably have to go grey market and I don't see myself doing that. I don't think it's a bad release at all, but I think it's definitely a bit overrated (overrated does not equal bad in any way, shape or form). Much like with the H10, too many other pieces I'd rather have especially for that sort of money. H10 to me was just a fun piece. I wouldn't want the originals complications at all. Not a fan of the arabic numerals and it has a bit too much going on for me. I think it's a good tribute all things considered (like the piece it's a tribute to) and it seems to me to be somewhat misunderstood.
Well I wasn't meaning to imply that you intended to flip it, but it sounds like you didn't really like this thing all that much after all.
If you want to try one out as a summer watch, might I suggest going and buying an actual Mk40 for less than half what you'd pay for this? Advantages to that are a) you won't have to wait until November to try it on and b) if you don't like it, you'll probably be able to sell it for what you paid for it.
OTOH I have a feeling these Hodinkee Speedmasters will meet the same fate that the blue CK2998 Lollipop met (and that the red CK2998 Pulsations looks like it will) and have trouble selling above $5k on the boards
I liked it, just not enough to spend $6500 of my own money it considering all the other watches I want. I also think I need to go in another direction considering my last four purchases have been Speedmasters.
That's the thing though, I don't like the MK 40. Plenty of other pieces I'd get as a Summer watch. The Skipper has such a monopoly on that season anyway that I'm not sure I need another one. If I get one it'll be a piece I'll feel I can wear in other seasons as well. I just don't want the hassle of having to sell a watch. If I ever go that route with a piece in my collection, doubt I will any time soon, but if I do I can see myself going Crown and Caliber simply for ease.
I really don't know how the H10 will sell. I can see it going both ways. The difference of course is that the only made 500 of them. As I like to say, rarity is one thing but desirability entirely another and I don't see the H10 as desirable as say the blue ck 2998, but 85% fewer pieces might change things a bit. Anyway, since you brought it up, I find the blue ck 2998 aftermarket pricing all over the board. Just saw one go at just over $5k (I think it's tempting at that price) and another at about $5.5k, yet I've seen it at prominent grey dealers going for $7k plus. In the latter case they don't seem to be selling, but the range is notable. Not a fan of the red ck 2998 myself.
