Speedmaster advice... New '21, New Pre-'21 or Pre-Owned?

edpop · Jun 27, 2021

Hi -

I was after a little help and advice on buying my first Omega Speedmaster. I’m a huge fan of the Moonwatch (with steel bracelet) and would love to own one and use it as a daily wearer. But also something i can pass on to my 2 year old son in years to come.

I’d originally set a budget of around £2.5K for a pre-owned model (not sure how realistic that is), but have since tried on the 2021 version and love the new lower profile case and bracelet. It would of course bust the budget considerably.

So, after some online research i’m still a little unsure as to what the better investment would be when trying to balance spending budget with its potential future desirability and value in say 30–40 years or so when i do come to pass it on. Obviously the intent would be that the watch is kept in the family so therefore resale value shouldn’t be critical but at the same time i don’t want to hand down a turkey!

So...

Would i be better off buying a new 2021 model (Hesalite @ £5,370 or Sapphire @ £6,120) given they’re both well over over twice my original budget?

Or should i buy a new pre-2021 model @ £4,260 and compromise on the slimmer profile of the 2021 watch and bracelet that i really like?

Or should i buy a pre-owned / vintage model and if so what could i expect to pay and what year / ref. numbers should i possibly look out for bearing in mind my budget and wanting to have something worth passing on?

Additionally, what service costs do i need to factor in to the decision (is it considerably more to service the new 2021 than the old?)

Finally, aside from the Moonwatch… are there any other good options for a Speedmaster that i could consider?

Many thanks.

MikiJ · Jun 27, 2021

I can only speak from my 6 decades of enjoying this wonderful watch hobby. Forget attempting to buy a watch as an investment. If it happens then good for you. Buy a watch because you really like it and you plan on wearing it. Buying one to make a safe queen is another issue all together.

There is certainly something to be said in favor of buying a pre-owned vintage Speedmaster. Yes, a Speedmaster 😀
In particular the stepped dial with the AML and of course, if you can afford one with a DON bezel, better yet.
The drawbacks, besides expensive service, is finding one with original parts. Finding correct original parts is difficult and expensive 🙁
All of the above, plus and minus, are solved with buying the new Speedmaster. If the new cal.321 is too pricey the how 'bout anew cal.3861?

eugeneandresson · Jun 27, 2021

Yes, yes & yes 👍

marcn · Jun 27, 2021

TL;DR: Save until your budget can reach for precisely the watch you know you must have. You already know what you want and what you will wear with pride; get that watch.

There’s no bad choice between either the current (3861) models or the previous (1861 hesalite / 1863 sapphire) models. 3861 is a metas certified master chronometer, and for me is the no-brainer choice.

I have a 4-yo and he asks regularly to sit with me and see “the secret” watches (his term for display backs) and getting (and keeping!) him interested in watches has been very much on my mind, given how his two older brothers couldn’t care less about them. So if you like the sapphire sandwich, it has the potential for that side benefit.

Master chronometer watches (with coaxial escapement) generally require service less frequently, but this is variable and others can comment on that.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Omega-Q · Jun 27, 2021

Only you can make the call on whether you want the 1861 vs. 3861. If the heritage sings to you, then go with the older version. If you like the history but with an updated movement, I'd go with the newer one. Speedy watch will last many years with proper maintenance. There are loads of members here who have Speedys that are decades old. Like others said...but it because you want it, not for resale value! Good luck!

pdxleaf · Jun 27, 2021

Ditto on get what you want. Try to listen to your gut. Imagine buying one. Would you still wish you had the other? It will cost you more in the end if you resell to buy what you wanted in the first place or end up buying both. (I suspect you already know this as you sound very practical. )

Strictly from bang for the buck, it's hard to beat the previous version 1861. If you buy new, it'll look exactly like a used one in six months so just save some money and buy preowned. My 1861 is my daily and I don't baby it and it looks great. They stand up really well. You will get micro scrathes but it's harder to nick them than you'd think. Mine has survived a lot of house, car and lawn projects. A hesalite 1861 is probably the best valued watch in the watch kingdom.

But the 3861 is pretty sweet. Enough to tempt me. Having the hesalite i have my eye on the sapphire. The aml and stepped dial intrigue me enough. Plus the movement is different enough from the 1861 to partly justify the cost. I haven't done it because i don't want to pay msrp.

If you can try some on, that will help. If you really would like the 3861, that may be what you should get. It's a budget killer, so if you will feel nervous about wearing it and be thinking of it losing money, you'll waste your money. If you want to wear it and not worry about money but have a great watch, find a used 1861. It's not likely to ever be worth zero. In either case, the person you pass it on to will think it's the coolest watch they've ever seen. By then, the more nicks it has the more they will like it.

Good luck.

Longbow · Jun 27, 2021

861 vs 1861 vs 3861 (taken yesterday).

I hadn’t expected the latest Hesalite 3861 (310.30.42.50.01.001) to be such an improvement on the others, but it is. Vintage vibe with no fear about damaging something rare/valuable. Side-by-side my 861 and the Watchmaker’s 1861 look a bit flat and lifeless compared to the newest model….that’s the one I would have gone for, had I not been picking up the Snoopy 3861.

watchdanny · Jun 27, 2021

I would try to get the new one on here if that's the one that you like. Personally, I would pay a little more to get the coaxial escapement and better bracelet. If you buy at the AD make sure to get a discount. I would go with the manual wind hesalite version because in my opinion its way cooler. Also, it holds value better and is more collectable. Ultimately, buy what you like and what you can afford.

Kim · Jun 27, 2021

If you don't need the new movement (I will not debate pros and cons here), or let's say it's not an important factor, I'll check which bracelet suits me best (but you have interesting after market alternatives also) and if I like hesalite over sapphire (or vice versa).
If you're not a watch nerd or on the road of becoming one, you might just not care that much about the movement. So I would not make too much of a fuss (don't get me wrong, the new movement has been improved, but the old one is excellent and you might just don't care about the improvements).
On the collector’s side, you can't predict the future. One might have an idea based on the past, but 20 years is a long way to go. And in the end, both are 'just' steel watches which hold little material price (not talking craftsmanship). That being said it will be determined how much sought after your watch would be. But also the global economic situation will add to, so don't worry to much about resale value (and if I understood, your son will get your watch, which is far more valuable than anything else).

marcn · Jun 27, 2021

Kim
[…]

(and if I understood, your son will get your watch, which is far more valuable than anything else).

+1 This.

Wear it, be in photos wearing it, and it will be priceless when it’s time to pass it on.

edpop · Jun 28, 2021

marcn
Master chronometer watches (with coaxial escapement) generally require service less frequently, but this is variable and others can comment on that.

It's been suggested that a service roughly every 8 years can be expected for the 3861, does this sound about right?

edpop · Jun 28, 2021

Omega-Q
Like others said...buy it because you want it, not for resale value! Good luck!

This seems to be a common bit of advice so thanks to all who have suggested likewise. In fact it's the mantra i kept repeating when buying a house and makes sense to apply the same principal to this purchase too 👍

edpop · Jun 28, 2021

pdxleaf
You will get micro scrathes but it's harder to nick them than you'd think.... A hesalite 1861 is probably the best valued watch in the watch kingdom.

I think i'm definitely favouring the Hesalite from an aesthetic perspective, i'm just more than a little anxious about scratches. On the flip side i've read the Hesalite is much easier to deal with than the Sapphire if you do scratch it. It's a difficult decision!

pdxleaf
f you can try some on, that will help.

Last week i tried both the Hesalite and Sapphire 3861 plus the pre-2021 models. The 3861 just felt more elegant in terms of it having a slightly reduced profile, but i'm not sure if that was simply the new tapered bracelet helping to give that impression. I wonder what the 1861 plus new bracelet might look and feel like... shame there's not an option to try that in store to compare.

edpop · Jun 28, 2021

watchdanny
If you buy at the AD make sure to get a discount.

A discount? Okay, enlighten me please.

watchdanny
I would go with the manual wind hesalite version because in my opinion its way cooler. Also, it holds value better and is more collectable.

Do you mean it holds value and is more collectable than a sapphire version?

edpop · Jun 28, 2021

Kim
Don't worry to much about resale value... your son will get your watch, which is far more valuable than anything else.

Fantastic point well made.

pete91m · Jun 28, 2021

I went hesalite and have worn it most days for almost a year - I have 1 very small scratch on the crystal that can just about be seen with the naked eye depending on the light. So IMO, the scratching isn’t really an issue providing you aren’t hard wearing on it.

The trips to the AD, the researching and the decision making are great fun! Enjoy whatever you purchase and what a gift to your son in the future!

edpop · Jun 28, 2021

pete91m
I went hesalite and have worn it most days for almost a year

Lovely! That looks like the bracelet with the polished interlinks that comes with the Sapphire model, did you buy it separately?

Duckie · Jun 28, 2021

There's so much to consider and comment on.
My advise is to buy what you like and can afford.
As has been said already, after purchase wear it as much as possible and build your history with it. Then when it comes to handing it down there may hopefully be a fondness attached to it by your son through it being "your watch" with all the shared history with it.
He will always remember it so. I know I do with my own fathers watch. Memories of it through shared experiences and all that.
But then again, he may be like me and want to put it away somewhere safe. I couldn't bare to wear my Dad's watch as he has passed on.
But you will be best placed in your endeavour to hand it on in a timely manner.
That's all I know.

You also can't really go wrong with Hesalite.
Any scratches it may accumulate are very easily dealt with. Besides, the view of the dial is superior especially if you chose the 3861 as it is more interesting hands down with the step.
But the reality is that nobody else is likely going to be able to tell the difference between a 1861 and a 3861 whilst it's on your wrist.

If it were me in your position, I would save up for the 3861 and wear the hell out of it.
On a strap😉

amfalconer · Jun 28, 2021

The 1861/1863 has the polished links as standard, only the latest version has different bracelets for hesalite and sapphire.

The 3861 is a notable step up in terms of performance, but being a new movement, a few members have reported teething issues on using the chronograph.

If you can find an 1861 at retail, or even better at a discount, snap it up - you'll pay nearly the same for a pre-owned Speedy from Watchfinder or Chrono24, and you have the peace of mine of a warranty and unlikely to have to factor in the cost of a service.

1861 and 3861s are/will be mass produced, these will be unlikely to appreciate in value too much, so future resale shouldn't be a concern.

eugeneandresson · Jun 28, 2021

E edpop
The 3861 just felt more elegant in terms of it having a slightly reduced profile, but i'm not sure if that was simply the new tapered bracelet helping to give that impression.

Three things give it that impression: 1) the bracelet 2) the case profile (it’s a clone of the 105.012-65 case…very nice) and 3) it’s thickness has been reduced (as a result of all that) by 1mm (so back to vintage thickness) 👍

Speedmaster advice... New '21, New Pre-'21 or Pre-Owned?

edpop

MikiJ

eugeneandresson

marcn

Omega-Q

pdxleaf

Longbow

watchdanny

Kim

marcn

edpop

edpop

edpop

edpop

edpop

pete91m

edpop

Duckie

amfalconer

eugeneandresson

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