Hi guys, this might have been discussed before, but I couldn't find an old thread. When I first posted about this, some of you guys really wanted to know what it was. So here we go.

The big bulky box of the Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch was just gathering dust, so I decided to turn it into a Speedmaster watch box. I stripped the original inlay, which are just cardboard layers and thin black lining. I ordered a bespoke watch tray from MisterChrono (Hong Kong, but also delivers from Paris to avoid customs). The package arrived quickly on a Speedy Tuesday, so I guess it was meant to be ;-)

If you are very very very careful, you can remove the original Omega inlay but it's very fragile and I don't know if it will look good when you put it back. But then again, each year thousands of these boxes were sold (part of the 1861 Speedmaster Pro package) so it will never be collectible and I don't get the point of that box anyway, apart from looking nice. Anyway, as I didn't know how it would turn out, I ordered a second Moonwatch box at my AD.

The quality of the MisterChrono tray is very good, feels very solid and is very very heavy, so I'm guessing solid wood. The cushions are large and the depth of each tray compartment is sufficient for a 42mm Speedmaster pro on bracelet. It's a tight fit though, so larger Speedmasters will not fit properly and they will stick out. It comes with a large soft cover which you can put on top of the tray, for maximum protection.

Secondly, my wrists are 18 cm and my Speedmasters on bracelet were a very tight fit around the cushion, so keep this in mind. If you have smaller wrists, be sure to order smaller cushions (which is possible because it's bespoke).

Update: Pierre-Yves of MisterChrono contacted that he will deliver another set of bespoke watch cushions, made to my specifications. Great service!

So here's my verdict:

+++ Perfect fit
+++ Solid / heavy / well constructed
+++ 42mm Speedmasters fit like a glove
+++ Comes with a protective cover
+++ Tray is removable; very handy
+++ Very friendly customer service of MisterChrono ([email protected])

--- Expensive (330 euro for just the tray; including shipping)
--- When removing the original Omega inlay, you are probably not be able to put it back (very weak cardboard construction). Not really has anything to do with this particular tray ofcourse.
--- Protective cover slightly too big, so you need to place it perfectly on the tray, otherwise the box will not close properly.











Original Omega inlay (didn't want to keep it, so you might be able to do a much better job)

 

Nice job, looks Awsome !

 

Whoah this is a crazy mod! Awesome watchbox and obviously goes perfect with the contents

 

Brill' !!!

 

The best way to make use of the box - very nice!

 

330 euros is a large sum, but hey it looks amazing! If you like it, bravo for repurposing your box!

 

Hi,

your box upgrade looks cool, as well! I did that in April 2017 already, but with a grey insert and 12 possible watch positions.
You can see it here:

https://omegaforums.net/threads/watchbox-build-your-own-for-10-speedies-in-original-box.56093/

Well done, i like your black version very much!

BR
Hans

 

Yes that's a nice solution as well. Great bang for the bucks! And wonderful is fits perfectly. Unfortunately I don't like the gray and looks a bit crowded. Optima forma efficiency though!

Pierre-Yves of MisterChrono send me an e-mail today saying he is replacing the cushions for free, because that are custom made to client specifications. This was one was at stock in Paris, so he just send it over. I've now ordered slightly smaller cushions so the bracelet Speedys will fit perfect. Because of the tight fit it might damages the cushions over time.

 

Very nice! Not sure I would have the guts to do it <afraid>

 

Well if it's just gathering dust somewhere you can put it to good use. Like I mentioned before, they sell thousands of these boxes each year (I heard they are selling 40.000 Speedys each year, so that means 40.000 boxes each year). So it will not become collectible, nor will a regular Moonwatch with the currect production numbers.

Removing the original Omega inlay from the shell was quite easy and didn't do much harm to the black lining.


Step 1: Carefully pull the sides and it will quite easily let go. If you want to save the original Omega inlay, use a large kitchen knife to slice between the black outer shell and the cardboard:


This is what it looks like when you flip the inlay upside down.


Step 2: Also remove the bottom cardboard. You can glue this back to the original Omega inlay, or with a bit of luck, it will let go all together.

Close up of the cardboard construction....


The edges are still intact and smooth so putting it back should not be a problem. I threw it away though, have no use for it.


Step 3: Remove the cardboard sides. This should come out with the original inlay, if you used a knife to seperate it from the outer shell.


Don't forget to remove all the remaining paper trails.

Step 4: Also remove glue remains.

Step 5: Buy and insert the MisterChrono inlay

 

Well done! Looking real nice. Great watches aswell =)

 

Just an FYI, if you have a hairdryer or heat gun lying around it will greatly help in the removal of the parts secured down with adhesive. After you get it out a few shots of goo-gone should be enough to remove the extraneous adhesive.

Great pics and rundown, and the final result looks fantastic.

 

Thanks, great advice! I was afraid the black lining glued to the wooden box (the shell) would let go if I would start using a heat source. Guess the next one will have to try this ;-)

 

Looks great but 375usd for the insert is too rich for my blood

 

This is a great idea, perfectly executed.

It would be nice to have an inlay that had spaces for spare straps, tools, etc. as well as half a dozen or so watches. Has anyone seen anything like this?

 

Yeah but this one is kinda pricey as well, which is the reason I didn’t purchase the OP insert.

 

Wow. This is stunning. Nice work!

 

That is also very nice, with a handle to boot. Although it looks like it should be stuffed full of crisp new banknotes, ready to be swapped with some dodgy package down a dark alley somewhere

 

Great. But the original inlay that is not a nice construction

 

Can anyone tell me the dimensions of the inner part of the Moonwatch box without the original inlay inserted?