Speedmaster 3861 concentric circles

4011021 · Oct 1, 2024

beaz2890
Has anyone been able to confirm any updates on this? I have a June 2024 Speedmaster (Sapphire Sandwich), and I definitely don't see any of the concentric circles on the sub-dials, even under magnification.

It seems like there was a change to the subdials in mid-2023, at least on the sapphire sandwich models.

Unlikely that they would silently change the dial of one of the most famous, most photographed and most talked about watches ever and no one in the world would notice until that reply in this thread.

bsowers34 · Oct 2, 2024

Now I can't wait to look at my white one, which should be back this week, to see if they are visible, and also to see if the dial looks like they used rhinoliner for it. Zoomed in the black looks like asphalt, lol

beaz2890 · Oct 3, 2024

4011021
Unlikely that they would silently change the dial of one of the most famous, most photographed and most talked about watches ever and no one in the world would notice until that reply in this thread.

I agree that it seems like a strange change to silently make, and yet all of the sapphire sandwich 3861 Speedmasters that I’ve handled this year (my own and others at a boutique) don’t appear to have concentric circles on the subdials. If concentric circles do exist, they are certainly much less pronounced than all of the sapphire sandwich models from the 2021 review videos, or any of the hesalite models posted.

dsio · Oct 4, 2024

beaz2890
I agree that it seems like a strange change to silently make, and yet all of the sapphire sandwich 3861 Speedmasters that I’ve handled this year (my own and others at a boutique) don’t appear to have concentric circles on the subdials. If concentric circles do exist, they are certainly much less pronounced than all of the sapphire sandwich models from the 2021 review videos, or any of the hesalite models posted.

Interesting photos, I can’t see them there either so they must be ultra subtle or perhaps not there just on the new sapphire models. They’ve made some other minor changes to the 3861 moonwatch during its production run so I guess it’s possible.

Archer · Oct 4, 2024

dsio
Interesting photos, I can’t see them there either so they must be ultra subtle or perhaps not there just on the new sapphire models. They’ve made some other minor changes to the 3861 moonwatch during its production run so I guess it’s possible.

Even in the last models with the 1861, the circles are far less pronounced than they were previously. Some of the big box models that I've had in the shop, I had to look under the microscope to see the circles, and even then you had to catch it in the right light they were so faint.

4011021 · Oct 4, 2024

dsio
Interesting photos, I can’t see them there either so they must be ultra subtle or perhaps not there just on the new sapphire models. They’ve made some other minor changes to the 3861 moonwatch during its production run so I guess it’s possible.

What are those other minor changes? I only heard about the substitution of the problematic bushing and the new bracelet clasp. Did they change anything else?

beaz2890 · Oct 7, 2024

Based on the 3861 two year update on the 3861 by @Robert-Jan, it seems like there have been multiple dial suppliers throughout the course of the production run:

"In addition, the sapphire version’s dial is a little bit darker and has clearer snailed finishing on the sub-dials. However, please note that this is not always the case! Omega had several different suppliers at some point to keep up with the demand, and you will also find dials in the sapphire version that is closer to the finishing of the Hesalite models"

https://www.fratellowatches.com/two...e-current-speedmaster-professional-moonwatch/

I wonder if the differences in dial texture and subdial patterns is more linked to dial suppliers than it is to a specific cutover in production date.

bsowers34 · Oct 16, 2024

My white one is back, and I need a jeweler's visor to see them.

Eve · Oct 16, 2024

I own two variations of the first gen. FOIS.
I also noticed that the later one was slightly more inky black than the earlier one. I thought the reason was the shape of the crystal and the milky effect (it was slightly stronger on the earlier model), but then looked with a makro lens and realised that different paint is applied. The later watch has slightly more grainy structure and therefore looks more black, however has slightly less visible concentric circles.

Here is a comparison of the two:
Left: early, Right: later

Clearly different crystal shape

The earlier one:

The later one:

Jakeys · Oct 17, 2024

This was a surprising read. I wouldn't have expected this amount of variance on a modern Omega. IMO I would find the dials without the concentric circles visible to be unacceptable for quality control pass. But I went to get a screenshot from Omega's website to make my "it's part of the design" argument, and found that the majority of the photos of the current gen watches don't show the concentric circles in the subdials at all. Nor do they reference them. One did, but it was right in the cortner of a macro shot. So I guess, technically, it's okay?

They do on the white model though, very clearly.

Speedmaster 3861 concentric circles

4011021

bsowers34

beaz2890

dsio

Archer

4011021

beaz2890

bsowers34

Eve

Jakeys

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