I love my 3861 on hesalite...except when I am going to be in (or have the chance to accidentally be in) water. So depending on the situation, I'll put it in the box and wear something else. But I love the size, shape, legibility, comfort and everything else about the Speedy. If I were looking for something similar in a domed-crystal (pref. hesalite), what would you recommend? Just a good all-around classic watch with a simple dial. The dials of the Panerais appeal to me, but I just get comofrtable with the case/size and the current direction of the company concerns me (e.g. removing the hacking seconds, closing the case back, keeping the same movement model number but hiding these changes from the market). edit: Ideally this is the type of watch I could buy for my young adult son that he could keep as his only watch (currently has a Seiko diver) but would also use as the starting point for his collection as well should he desire. Price point is ideally around $3k and I'd prefer new. Longines and Tudor type value is the starting point. Perhaps this is the wrong section of the forum, but it seemed best fit for general watch discussion.
The Seamaster 300 Heritage model is definitely close and is one I have considered (I do love the jumping hour hand!), but the indices, arabic numerals and sword hands just seem a bit too busy for my personal tastes. Great idea though!
Thanks! I really like the looks of the baltic. This one also has my attention: https://www.fratellowatches.com/han...-meraud-bonaire-mkii-in-green-blue-and-black/ I like the black, but the fauxtina is a bit much.
I could probably get over the HE valvle, but I dislike the wave dials on a lot of the Omega Seamasters. That's one thing I really liked about the NTTD when I had it.
Thanks for the recommendations, but I'm mostly looking for something available new for this particular find.
Seamaster 2254.50. It has a Speedmaster bracelet (also comes with a Bond style bracelet) and Speedmaster like case. It's not new but was built starting in 2000. Mine shown here was recently purchased in unused condition for under 3k from Japan. They are available but you need to look. There are members here who live in Japan who could help or members who have one who might sell it (not me.) It has the wave dial, but it is subtle, like raised paper instead of engraved metal. It disappears in certain angels. I also don't like wave dials but I like this. It's very accurate, comfortable, and slim. The movement is reliable and inexpensive to service. It has sword hands and a vintage vibe but is a modern watch. It has a strong following and will be worth hanging onto and building a collection around. I am a Speedmaster fan but often wear this. You'd have to get it serviced to add new gaskets to make sure it's still water resistant.
I ended up with the same conundrum (loving the Speedy, but wanting water resistance), and ended up with a 2225.80. Its a bit bigger, but is a fantastic looking chrono + Seamaster combo. Its quite a bit thicker/heavier, but the difference bothers very little when I'm in the water. Plus an underwater-capable chrono (meaning you can use the pushers underwater!) is really reassuring. I got mine on WUS for ~$3k https://www.omegawatches.com/en-us/watch-omega-seamaster-diver-300m-chronograph-41-5-mm-22258000
Then get the .0324 variant. One of these is 95% classic Speedmaster but with real water resistance. There's really nothing else that meets nearly all your criteria. Sure, one of the heritage SM300 work but they are nothing like a Speedmaster, nor will they wear like one. And you don't like wave dials which rules out the venerable turn of the century SMP, and you want something "new" so all of the newest SMP are out except for a very narrow window with a few of the cal. 2500 variants. Seems an earlier SMP with a cal. 2500 movement and smooth dial might be best for you.
I second the recommendations from the 1120 and 2500 caliber SMP 300 ranges. The benefit of a Seamaster Pro of that era, is that they have the cylindrical HE valve shape... not the reese's peanut butter cup shape HE valve on modern SMPs. Picking between a 2254 versus a 3578 Snoopy 1 moonwatch out of my local Omega AD's display case, was my first ever "big watch" purchase decision back in 2006, when I bought my first Omega. Oh... if I can go back in time can grab that Snoopy... The only reason I sold the 2254 for a 2220.80 later is because I ended up preferring the skeleton hands, and like the smaller sized font on the dive bezel. If you and your son enjoy 20th century aviation history, try a 1990s Breguet Type XX 3860 alarm. Water resistant to 100m, but still has the aviation watch aesthetic. One of the few watches from the 1990s that has a curved sapphire crystal, before this design element became much more easier to find in the latter 2010s as brands cashed in on retro re-issues. All of these watches from the 90s and 2000s will wear closer to the modern 3681 Speedy Pro, compared to modern dive watches in the $3k - $4k range. Dive watches in particular have really bulked up in the past 10 years. For brand new, I quite enjoy my Glashutte SeaQ 39.5. It wears light, like a 90s Submariner, and has that curved raised crystal profile that you get on vintage 1960s dive watches. But hard to find a BNIB one for under 7,500, so nearly double the budget target.