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Speedmaster Pro vs. vintage Gameboy

  1. buramu Aug 17, 2020

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    Introduction

    If you type "Omega speedmaster review" into your favorite search engine, it will probably come up with a thousand written and filmed reviews of this most iconic watch. Here's my attempt at writing the only Speedmaster review which until now did not exist.

    Speedmaster versus vintage Gameboy

    Even though at first glance you expect them to wear pretty much the same, there are more differences between a brand-new Speedmaster Professional and a vintage Gameboy than you might think. Both were groundbreaking when introduced, both made a huge mark in history and both were designed to be carried around proudly. But when we look a little closer we'll see that there are actually quite a few aspects to these two classic giants that set them apart.

    gbom1.jpg

    Sapphire versus plastic

    The Speedmaster I'm reviewing today is the sapphire sandwich. Its crystal is made out of super durable sapphire which is second only to diamond in terms of hardness. While not NASA approved for extravehicular space activities, here on earth it means you'll likely never see a scratch on it. There is some debate about the 'smokey ring'; which is the optical effect created by the thickness and shape of the crystal's material. Personally, I like the effect. It's an inherent property of sapphire. I like honest materials, that don't try to be something they're not. The ring is the result of the refraction of light when it hits the crystal, and the watch proudly shows it off.

    The Gameboy, on the other hand, uses plastic. Some say its advantage is that this material will not shatter (it will simply break into big pieces when hit at an unfortunate angle). I'm sure that makes it more appropriate for space flight, but to me it simply doesn't have the same high-end appeal as sapphire. It's simply not a material I expect to find on a premium product. Another often-heard argument is that it adds a warm tone, but to my eyes it's just a bit too green'ish and yellow - although the age of the piece may have something to do with it.

    gbom3.jpg

    Patina and vintage looks

    Obviously this is where the Gameboy shines. It has gained a beautiful golden patina over the last three decades, which is curiously most prominent on the front. The sides and rear of the Nintendo have a much less aged look, at least in terms of color. When it comes to design, the situation is less clear cut. Both the Omega and the Nintendo are iconic designs which represent their respective eras in some ways, yet were far ahead of those in others. Interestingly, the Omega dates back further (by almost three decades) but seems to have aged more gracefully. The plumpness of the Nintendo is endearing by today's standards, but ultimately doesn't exude the timelessness of the Speedmaster.

    Ironically, today's standards have had the opposite effect on our perception of size. The Omega looks much smaller to us than it did back in its early days, whereas the Nintendo looks positively massive in 2020.

    gbom5.jpg

    Casebacks and movements

    This turns out to be one of the most prominent differences between our two contenders. Where Nintendo has chosen for a closed caseback (it wouldn't apply see-through cases until the later Gameboy Color) the Omega flaunts its beautiful 1863 movement in all its glory through the clear sapphire display case.

    And what a stunning movement it is - especially given the fact that it's considered to be a workhorse. Recognizably a descendant of the famous Calibre 321 it ticks away at a modest 21600 beats per second. The Nintendo internals also run at a stunningly low frequency of 4.19MHz, but the finishing of its Z80 processor is certainly less sophisticated than the movement of the Omega (so it's probably for the better that it's not visible).

    Contrary to Omega, Nintendo is also not really known for its advanced technology. Where Omega tends to be forward looking and innovative with new movement technologies, Nintendo is usually a generation behind and focuses on creative applications that don't require state of the art tech and components. It will also gobble up AA batteries where the Speedmaster just needs 20 flicks of the wrist to go for an entire day.

    gbom2.jpg

    Haptic qualities

    When it comes to the tactile sensations of using the Speedy and the Gameboy, there's a clear difference in approach. The Gameboy uses chunky buttons that are light to operate and offer a 'clicky' tactile feedback. It's definitely pleasant, if not a little mushy and cheap. The pushers on the Speedmaster are rather stiff and require a lot of (to my taste a little too much) force in typical use. The crown is sunk deep into its crown guards, which looks great but isn't the most ergonomically optimal design for a hand wound watch.

    gbom4.jpg

    Conclusion

    The vintage Gameboy has a timeless appeal and will offer a ton of joy even today. But when strapped to the wrist, it just has to admit defeat against the Speedmaster Pro which combines vintage design and technology with some great advantages of a modern luxury watch and everyday wearability.
     
  2. time flies Aug 17, 2020

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    Nice.

    have fun
     
    buramu likes this.
  3. Foo2rama Keeps his worms in a ball instead of a can. Aug 17, 2020

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    That’s up there with the Sub vs PO review awhile back.
     
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  4. JesterP Aug 17, 2020

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    Brilliant stuff. Mine has had a full service and new crystal at my own Nintendo Boutique it fits perfectly on a 15 inch wrist 0F7BDBD8-D9F6-41CB-B7EF-D0588767E9FD.jpeg
     
  5. gbesq Aug 17, 2020

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    THIS IS FRIGGIN' GREAT!!! :D:D:D
     
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  6. OmegaP99 Aug 17, 2020

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    Utter genius this post.
     
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  7. buramu Aug 17, 2020

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    Wow, that one has aged really well! Wear it in good health!
     
  8. u35rm8 Aug 17, 2020

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    Apples and oranges here, does the Gameboy even have a Chrono function!?
     
    buramu likes this.
  9. tyrantlizardrex Aug 17, 2020

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    Can't help but think you picked the wrong Nintendo portable to run a comparison...

    DSC_2962_ml.jpeg

    ...there's even a Snoopy (un)LE. :D
     
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  10. E2B Aug 17, 2020

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    It's been discussed here so many times, but you can't just send it back if you want to keep the patina. The first example has the correct creamy color that shows the case has never been touched, but if you just get a resto they'll swap that without thinking.

    Also that probably has the larger pushers, totally ruins the value tbh....
     
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  11. slwoodster Aug 18, 2020

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    You may need to get screen buffed out. Did the gameboy also use hesalite or sapphire?

     
    buramu likes this.
  12. rob#1 Aug 18, 2020

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    Fascinating review, well played sir.

    Looks like there’s some scratches on the Nintendo’s plexiglass, don’t you have any Polywatch? ;)
     
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  13. STANDY schizophrenic pizza orderer and watch collector Aug 18, 2020

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    I was chasing skirt and a rugby ball around by the time gameboys were in.

    :whistling: Don’t tell anyone, the Donkey Kong is still more accurate than the watch.

    7B90E292-AA07-438F-8948-03933B4B9CF3.jpeg
     
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  14. buramu Aug 18, 2020

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    It has probably gone up more in value than the watch! That’s a collectors item today..
     
  15. chaw6125 Aug 18, 2020

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    It's not an automatic so a flick of the wrist does nothing :) I think the Gameboy wins a point back there.

    Nice write up though. I recently bought an old game boy that has been modded to be back lit. I didn't want to mess with my old one so bought one pre-done. So much better than those old magnifiers with a light in.
     
    buramu likes this.
  16. Engee Aug 18, 2020

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    I wish you hadn't posted this. I've spent the past several months thinking more and more about pushing the boat out to buy a Gameboy. Now you've really thrown the cat amongst the pigeons and I'm wondering about a Speedmaster Pro instead.
     
    buramu likes this.
  17. kov Trüffelschwein. Aug 18, 2020

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    Talking of a game boy, who’s got a full set with box and papers available? :)
     
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  18. Tonyash Aug 20, 2020

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    Really njoyed the Gameboy taking on the Speedy.
    Is there a link to this Sub/PO review please?. Tried search but nothing came up.
    Thanks.
     
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  19. Foo2rama Keeps his worms in a ball instead of a can. Aug 20, 2020

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    I can’t find the link from WUS. It had some interesting categories. I’m sure someone has it saved somewhere.
     
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  20. Cayohuesovespa Aug 20, 2020

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    does this come on nato as well?
    its gonna be tough to find a strap for a 90 mm!
     
    buramu likes this.