Hi!
It is my first time writing. I joined the forum to ask this question. I'm so curious,
but I have no friend who knows watch!


I love Speedmaster, but I prefer the reduced because I have slender wrists.
And I have a cal.3220 Reduced from the early 2000s (serial no. 57XXXXXX).
This is my watch photo.




But recently, I discovered cal.1140 Reduced which is produced in 1986 (serial no. 50XXXXXX).
These are the 1986 Reduced.



Of course, these are the same Reduced except the year. But there is no bracelet in 1986, and Lume was much prettier!

So, even though I already had it, I think of selling my Reduced and buying cal.1140 in 1986.
But I didn't have enough knowledge of the history of the watch or vintage watch, so I wanted to ask on the forum. If someone knows, ask for an answer!

1. As I know, that Reduced has been produced since 1988, but when I looked for it, there was a previous version and its authenticity is correct. So when did Reduced actually start made? The peculiar thing is that the 1986 one, there is no sea horse emblem and watermark on the back, but only the Omega logo.

2. I know that the cal.3220 movement has been updated several times, but I haven't been able to find a very special difference from the cal.1140. I looked it up in the forum, but there wasn't much content. Does anyone know the difference?

3. Vintage watches usually say that the old ones are more valuable. However, is there a difference in price by year for Reduced too? Because the 1986 Reduced Lume is cool, but I already have the 2000 Reduced. I want to know which of the two is more valuable.

That's it!
If someone knows the answer, please help. Thanks!

 

Does anyone know what's wrong with my question? I'm so so sad that there is no answer.

All right, let me be a little more honest. Actually, I don't really know much about watches. For my husband who wants to buy Speedmaster Reduced, I bought Reduced with cal.3220 for his birthday present. I had to study a lot to buy without talking to my husband.

But I'm wondering if I should sell it and buy cal.1140 again because the 1986 watch looks older, prettier, and more valuable. But it looks like something strange case back, and it has no bracelet! My husband's birthday is still two weeks away.

Are you sure there's no one to advise for me?
Knock, knock, Is there a gentleman here?

 

It's not from 1986, as you say, the Reduced wasn't released until '88. You are probably using an online serial number list to work out the year, those are full of errors. It will be from 1988-1990. The reason the lume looks nicer is that it is tritium, that was used up until 1998 on all omegas. It will have faded nicely but no longer glows so there are pluses and minuses. There isn't much of a price difference. Servicing is key with these, the one with a verifiable service history by someone that knows was they are doing is the most valuable by a long way.

 

I was impressed by your kind comments. Thank you very much!!

Yes, as I know also, Reduced was released in 1988. By the way, it wasn't eBay or website stuff that introduced me this 1986 watch, it's a pretty old and reliable vintage watch shop. I told him, there could be no reduced in 1986, but the owner was convinced. He contacted the OMEGA watches directly to check the release year and serial numbers starting with 50, and that the case-back of the watch(no sea horse) was also authentic. He is not a person to lie, but I'm not sure if I should believe him or not. So I wrote a question here.


If you know that Reduced has been made since 1988, it's likely to be true! Lume was pretty, so I confused, but I have to think about it again. thanks a lot!!

 

If I were your husband, which I`m not, I would be really happy with the first one
It has the original steel strap hopefully long enough.
And as others has written the build in chrono modul is very complicated to service and you have to find a real master watchmaker for the job.
Most watchmakers would reject to take an order to service this Debuis-Depraz chrono modul but there`s Omega HQ in Biehl/Switzerland also.

For your information:
https://journal.hautehorlogerie.org...nograph-module-switzerlands-best-kept-secret/

 

Thanks a lot, Sirtaifun!
Your comments on the first watch made me feel more comfortable.
Yes, I heard that the repair of Reduced is very complicated, but fortunately my watch... ah, my husband's watch was overhauled at the Omega service center last year.

So, I don't think there will be any big problems for the time being. Good information, and I'll take it for reference!

However, this is just a curiosity, Reduced in 1986 is real or fake! Because I found a link in this Forum, there would be Reduced in 1986 another person. What is the truth?! haha!

https://omegaforums.net/threads/help-on-confirming-birth-year-speedmaster.18248/#post-196961

 

Like padders wrote yours is not from 1986 it`s from 1988 and up your linked info is no true evidence.
You are free to order an extract of the archives by Omega to be sure would be a nice addition as a birthday present also.

Do you have an evidence for that?
I just can`t believe that they don`t changed the dial.

 

As far as I know the 1140 and its successors the 1141, 1143 and 3220 are all based on a ETA 2892-A2 movement with a Dubois-Depraz 2020 chronograph module added. So the change in movement number may reflect a production change by ETA or something in the modifications made by by Omega to adapt to the D-D module. Realistically it probably makes no difference to the owner of any of them. Here is some information : https://www.bobswatches.com/rolex-blog/resources/omega-speedmaster-reduced.html https://www.fratellowatches.com/speedy-tuesday-the-rise-of-the-speedmaster-reduced/

Mine is 54,555,xxx so an 1140 movement, but it's reliable and as long as that continues I don't worry what the exact movement might be. If you prefer the look of earlier tritrium lume over the later luminova then swap, but the tritrium will not fluoresce strongly, or at all, at more than 25 years old.

For servicing claims any statement without the paperwork is not to be trusted. Good watchmakers will also provide photographs during the work if asked, although I doubt that Omega will. My Seamaster went to Bienne and all I got was a single piece of paper and a small bag of the old parts that had been replaced. My excuse -- I had not found Omega Forums then

 

Oh really? Why do you think about it? Too clean or too crude?
I believe it because the person who sold it(2000 Reduced) gave me a paper (of course not so serious, just one sheet of paper) of Omega service center in the famous Department store. So I called the service center and asked about this watch with the serial number, and fortunately, they replied they overhauled this watch last year, and 2000 Reduced to be authentic!

 

Could you tell me how I can receive it? Should I ask the Omega Watch website by e-mail?
https://www.omegawatches.com/

 

Here you go:
https://www.omegawatches.com/de/customer-service/extract-of-the-archives
It`s in German language maybe you have to switch to englisch or use google translator.

 

Because they change your watch back to full functionality they normally don`t care about the vintage part.
But it was serviced not at Omega HQ thats the reason why not.

 

Yes! In fact, I don't think my husband will secretly sell my gift! (No matter how expensive it gets, his life will not be safe, hahaha).
Nevertheless, it was a question that I started because I wanted to give a better present. However, since it is clear Reduced were not produced in 1986, I suspect the owner of the vintage watch store I believed in.

Actually, I've looked at Bob's Watch's blog.
"There were a few versions of the Speedmaster Reduced chronograph during its two-decade production run"
Because he said like this in his blog, I thought there might be a test version produced before 1988, and I thought this 1986 Reduced watch would have a more interesting story.

Thank you so much MRC, That's very kind of you.

 

Oh, my, thank you so much! That's cool!
The only problem is that I have to open the case-back of the watch to take a photo. I can't do it alone, so I'll think about it seriously.

Fortunately, it wasn't Omega HQ, but it was a department store service center, so wouldn't it be okay? Of course I'm not sure. Haha, thank you sirtaifun!

 

There are 2 watches shown in this thread, are we talking about the year 2000 watch the OP already owns? Why would you need to open the caseback? There is no requirement for movement shot for an extract request, just a dial shot and the serial number (which it seems you already have). I am not sure it is worth it really. Unless you must have the production date it is quite an expensive at over £100. The supposedly 1986 Reduced is just dated wrong so an extract for that will be an expensive way to correct a dealer who doesn't know his stuff and is possibly not to be relied on for other factors too such as service history.

Also, why would Omega replace the SL dial on a year 2000 watch unless it was damaged in some way? Even if we were talking about the earlier watch, Omega in my experience don't routinely change tritium dials unless there is evidence of lume flaking off or some other damage.

ps without adding confusion to the mix, I can see a Superluminova lume dial Speedy Reduced on a 57m serial number being maybe more like 1998-1999. If you really must know, maybe an extract is a good idea after all!

 

Yes, They said "open the case", and I thought like that, but as you said they don't ask the photo of movement. I confused. I don't know why "Extract from the Archives" is necessary exactly. However, if my watch(2000 year) does not have a box or certificate and it is less valuable as a gift, I am willing to receive "Extract from the Archives" at this cost.

However, in the case of a 1986 watch (his claim), the owner of the vintage watch shop only gave me the serial number in the first two digits. And I did not receive more photos, so I don't think it will be easy to determine the authenticity of the original product and year by requesting it from the HQ.

I don't know why Sirtaifun says that either! But assuming Omega HQ were replacing the dial, I wouldn't have been, hahaha!

The assumption of Reduced produced in 1986 is probably simply out of my curiosity. Actually, the 2000 watch looks good already, so I don't have to exchange it. I wish I could reveal the truth, but I don't have enough information.

Thank you padders, includes your PS.

 

The only reason to open the case is to get the serial number. If you have that, you don’t need to open it.

 

Omega replace a lume dial if the lume doesn`t glow anymore because it has to it`s a functional thing they don`t care for vintage originality it`s that simple.

 

yep! I got it. Thx for your comment!

 

Oh, I mean, my watch is 2000, and not tritium lume, and no reason to change. 1986 is not mine. I just wanted to buy it, but not now, I don't know hahaha. And not exactly when it checked to Omega HQ or service center. Thank you