Hey guys,

Recently I got into vintage pieces of various makes and have/am working on scratching that itch. But, while Omega has and always will be my first love, there is one model I've never owned or dealt much with, contemporary or vintage: THE SPEEDMASTER

I admit, my preferences have always run to relative simplicity, time/date or strictly time, with chronographs usually being of peripheral, if any interest. Seamasters of the last 30 or so years have been my main focus. But, thanks to a friend and all the amazing eye candy and knowledge here on the forum, I've decided that some time in the next few months, certainly after the new year, it's time to add a Speedmaster.

I would like to keep it fairly contemporary to begin at least. My goal is a reasonably attainable (sub 5k U.S.) piece suitable for regular wear. I'd prefer manual but won't outright discount an automatic. 38-40mm tends to sit best on my wrist, but I'm flexible.

So, to begin what I'm certain will be the start of a new journey down the rabbit hole of collecting, what would you guys recommend of the following:
1- Start simple and least costly with a decent used 'Reduced'.
2- Go a bit more with a new 'First Watch in Space' edition.
3- Try the larger size and go for a solid pre-owned Pro.

Having seen and tried on all three in one variation or another, I lean towards option 2, but I'm also open to other ideas. And thanks!

 

Buy the one that you like the most. If in doubt, just buy a Speedy Pro.

 

I would go with a Speedmaster Professional 3590.50 from the early-mid 1990s. They are still well below 5k USD. Calibre 861. Tritium hands and hour makers. 1450 or 1479 bracelet, which I think are both phenomenal. If you are willing to spend maybe a bit over 5k USD, look for the 3592.50 (345.0808) which has a sapphire caseback. Both of these reference numbers are really great values right now and I would expect them to be the ones to go up in value the most over time compared to the "classic" vintage pieces that already have skyrocketed in asking price.

 

I find the FOIS is a great watch very versatile the only downside is the 19mm lug width which can reduce the number of straps you can use.

 

Fois and the pro are basically the same size. They have the same dial and bezels. The Fois does not have the crown guards and a narrower band which oddly makes it seem larger.


You should look at Speedmaster Dates and last gen racing’s. These are plentiful on the Japanese used market and 29-40mm.

honestly though the pro is perfection.
I own a pro and a date.

 

You can get a deal at the AD for a new PRO and be right at the $5k mark.
Or you get one here for quite a bit less than that.

 

The Pro will be my next Omega, just something about it!?
Look at any of the "Triple Date(s)" (reduced, 39mm, but has the 1150 or 1151 cal.) as opposed to the "Reduced" that has the piggy-back mvt.
I believe the Triple Dates are going to be "sleepers" and go up significantly in value in the future because it's one of Omegas most complicated movements and albeit copied, is an in-house mvt.

 

The 1150 and 1160 series are all variants of the ETA/Valjoux 7750. The 1151 is the Omega version of the Cal. 7751 for example...

Nothing particularly collectible about the movement.

Cheers, Al

 

Isn't the triple date one of their most complicated movement though?

 

$5000 will set you a late 70s moonwatch.

 

Is that the one with plastic parts

 

But, is it one of the most complicated is the question, I'm sure a lot of other desirable movements may have plastic in them somewhere?

 

It depends on what you mean by complicated. It has a day, date, and 24 hour hand in addition to the chronograph. None of those are particularly difficult to execute or work on. A split second chronograph, or a tourbillion would be more complicated in my opinion, and Omega has had both of those in their line ups at one time.

 

I'm sure to a watchmaker none of those movements would be particularly hard to work on (I hope not) but, say in comparison to a watch with just the chronograph or date feature it's more complicated in total parts and the way they work together to make the total movement isn't it?

 

Let's look at an 1151 - here's the movement removed from the case:



Here the hands and dial have been removed:



The three arrows point to the three more unusual functions. The date is on a post on the central axis, so I haven't highlighted that as it's easy to do. But all these function in the same way, the day and date are moved by a finger moves a wheel once per 24 hours. The month wheel is moved by a finger that is tripped once every full rotation of the date wheel. It's all very straightforward, even though it looks complicated.

Here's the 24 hour hand:



It is literally one wheel added that is driven off the minute wheel. That 24 hour wheel just floats on top of the movement plate...it is about the simplest add on one could possible make.

Cheers, Al

 

Appreciate that visual, but how many total parts comprise of a 1151 in comparison to say, the total number of parts that comprise of a Pro with the 861?

 

Apples and oranges mate...

 

I get that, they're completely different watches, but the only point I was making is 1151 is one of the more complicated movements by Omega based on the sole fact of the amount of complications it has, not necessarily based on the complexity or ease for someone like a watchmaker to work on? Certainly you wouldn't charge the same thing to service a movement with 220 parts versus one with 300 or more parts would you?

 

I charge the same labour for a manual wind chronograph like a Cal. 861 as I do for an automatic chronograph like the 1151...

 

You mean like the brake made out of Delrin in the 861, which is a high tensile strength synthetic plastic if I'm not mistaken?