Like many of you I was fotunate enough to be online when Robert-Jan and Omega announced the ST. The launch fortuitously coincided with a hunt I'd been on for along time - to find a nice panda/inverse panda watch from a good manufacturer. I'd been scanning For Sale on forums, Chrono24 etc for a nice vintage due to lack of choice in the current market new, but many were either not good enough or simply way above my budget and this, combined with my limited knowledge of vintage had held me back. I'd even toyed with the idea of converting my Speedmaster with a Mitsukoshi dial

So - it was in this light that ST was launched and of course I immediately put in a reservation. Months passed and the hype/speculation built to a crescendo along with my excitement. I purchased a "Snoopy" style strap and deployant ready for arrival and then finally towards the end of June I was notified by Omega (just shows that you should answer those calls from an unknown mobile number sometimes!) that it was ready and I was to become one of the first recipients (LE number under 100).

After a 7 day wait I got the call from my AD and left work early to pick the Speedy Tuesday LE up. The AD staff were almost as anxious as I was to get a proper look and after a nice pickup I went home for a proper inspection.

Here's where the trouble started.

After the excitement of the initial pickup I sat down at my desk and opened the package for a proper inspection....

...and the feeling I was expecting from was not there - the watch itself was simply not grabbing me and telling me to put it on my wrist. In fact I'd just ordered a Seiko Turtle the previous week and felt no inclination to replace it with the Speedy. Worried, I decided to get my standard Moonwatch out and look at them in tandem:



I spent a long time comparing the two on and off the wrist. Here are my conclusions:


- The fully brushed case makes the case look larger whereas on the original polished edges "disappear" and it suits the case shape better.

- I do like the applied logo. I hope this is an item Omega use in future releases.

- The dial looks as if there's a larger gap between the bezel and the outer minute track and also the "Swiss Made" label is larger. It's not easy to measure to see if they did really reduce the diameter of printing, but it may be so - certainly the contrasting subdials seem to make the watch crowded in the centre and a reduction may have been done to offset that. It may also just be an optical effect.

- Neither original strap choice suits the main distinguishing feature of the watch - the panda subdials. I understand the reasoning behind them, but felt that this took precedence over the aesthetic design of the package. The people who are buying the Snoopy strap or a bracelet seem to agree with me on this

- The panda subdials are nice - the pearlescent effect (I assume from the lume paint) is not unpleasant at all

- There is some clarity lost due to the brushed hands over the subdials. But not enough to be worrisome.

- The watch roll set is amazing quality and probably the best part of the package. It's something I'd use regularly and far more useful that a box cluttering up the top of the wardrobe!


For me the problem was that side-by-side I had a watch that, in all honesty I felt was not equal or improvement on the original Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch. Maybe there were just too many departures from the classic design.

Agree with me or not I think it'll be a much in demand watch and will probably appreciate in the long run but I don't keep watches I don't like - after all luxury watches are a major discretionary purchase and for me they're not investments - I have to like the ones I own.

As a footnote - I'd like to make clear nothing here is a criticism of either Robert-Jan Broer or Omega. I'm in awe of the development and marketing process they went through and thankful for the opportunity to buy one. I completely understand why people love it and wish them a long and happy ownership.

Hmmm, maybe that Mitsukoshi dial wasnt such a bad idea....

 

This is where I am too - and I haven't even collected the watch yet.

 

Hmm, I realise we're all different but as I haven't yet seen one in the flesh and have been feeling very mixed from real life pictures I've seen, reading this does make me a little nervous.

I've just sold almost all of my watches to pay for this one so I'm praying that I really love it, should find out next weekend thankfully so at least I don't have ages beating myself up over it.

Interesting thoughts anyway, no watch is for everyone. I just hope I'm in the other camp.

 

You'll be fine I think I'm a minority view. Plus unlike most watches it's a risk free purchase in monetary terms - you'll be able to get your money back easily if you decide it's not for you.

 

Interesting observation about the brushed case making the watch feel larger. I no longer have them both to compare, but when I had an Alaska project and Apollo 11 45th with the fully brushed Ti case I don't recall noticing a difference tbh.

As an aside, I presume if you hadn't picked up their call then the AD would have emailed? No-one's losing their reservation just because they don't happen to take the initial call I hope.

 

There is nothing to be nervous about, the OP has flipped his watch and is rationalizing his decision.

If you like it keep it, wear it and be happy that you have a fairly unique Speedy which will retain it's rarity and be an interesting conversation piece.
If you don't bond with it then move it on, you will never lose a penny on this piece and you cannot say that about many watches.

 

I think this has been covered elsewhere - they've used several methods.

Most people seem to get an email from Omega telling them it's left the factory. Some got a phone call (presumably if you missed it they'd send an email. A couple of people only got a call from their OB when it arrived.

 

Yes that is the reassuring part and as you say a rare situation to be in at least.

As for the contact thing. In my case I received a mobile phone call rather than email as many others in the UK seemed to receive on the same day, so as above it almost seems they're experimenting with different methods. Slightly strange was at the start of the call upon introducing themselves they mentioned they'd been trying to contact me the past couple of days(I had no missed calls). I got the impression the call was from a representative within the UK also.

I had an earlier email reply from Aurthur on a question I had regarding AD's having our details where he also mentioned mine would soon be on its way, but I did not receive the what seems standard Conratulations your watch has left the factory/ Switzerland email that most seem to receive. I'm sure I've even read about people having no contact at all from Omega and an out of the blue call from their OB to say it's with them and ready to collect.

 

I was torn between love and scruple about this watch from the very beginning.

For this year a FOIS was on my shopping list - modern superluminova Moonwatch was just to ordinary and I also do not feel comfortable buying vintage, at least for hyped models.
So I was very excited when I learnd about the ST. First of all I like the aesthetics of (inverse) pandas and - even more important - the ST shares something with the FOIS but not the regular moonwatch which is the correct scale for the movements beat rate. I am doubtful about the fully brushed case as well. Nothing against a fully brushed case, but the inverse panda makes the watch dressier for me and this could somehow conflict with the full brushing giving a more toolish look.
It is also still my opinion that this LE is overprice compared with the regular model and what you got with other LEs like the Silver Snoopy. Although I have to admit that the situation on the secondary market makes up for this.
The story-telling and the casback engravings are rather ridiculous to me. However I made my peace with this as well during the long waiting period.
I have a rather high number, so I will be probably recieving the watch quite late. Seeing photos now rises additional doubts with me - especially the dial seeming rather off black.
And I fully agree, the straps supplied with the watch definetly make this a sort of bearded, white cashmere pullovers wearing hippsters watch.

So I am rather anxious waiting for the piece. I really hope I like it - because it will probably the only occasion for a long time where I can get hands on a special speedy.

If it wasn't heresy I would realy consider getting a FOIS as well, putting the ST dial and hands in the FOIS and the FOIS dial with regular Speedy hands in the fully brushed ST case. I think those would be the ideal packages for me .

 

Re:"Tet, post: 752743,

I'm still surprised by how often people seem to be unsure of their own judgement - we get quite a few posts which ask for an opinion on what should be their next watch purchase, (OK, sometimes this is just a rhetorical device). When considering and then buying something as strictly unnecessary as a fine Swiss watch, surely that should be driven by a well-considered personal-aesthetic-informed decision process? Otherwise, we could see a situation where products do well, even if mediocre, because of noisy, proactive advocates who influence sheep-like consumers; (Range Rovers and such-like spring to mind!) I still feel that happened with the Silver Snoopy, which, while be lauded by some and chased up to incredible resale value, I thought to be one of the least attractive Speedmaster models yet produced.

I appreciate that seeing a watch 'in the flesh' is necessary before finally taking the plunge, but with the excellent pics so far posted here (thanks to the members who've done that) it's surely clear that the ST is a really good looking variant, distinctive but nicely understated, i.e. not flashy!

 

You're right, watch buying decisions are heavily influenced by aesthetics... the big problem with a launch like the ST, or 1957 trilogy, or even the Silver Snoopy, is that to be in with a chance of getting one, you had to order it without seeing it in person.

So they get ordered, they show up... and they aren't what people hoped for, or expected, or had been hyped up (often by internet forums) to be.

I too, am not a Snoopy fan - but as to whether people really love them, or just bought into the cult... who knows?

 

Agree to a point, but the big difference with ST is that it wasn't telegraphed in any way beforehand.

You had to be online and spot the launch then make up your mind to reserve one on the spot, as most people would have realised it would sell out fast. No photographs beyond the couple from Omega, no peer pressure, just an on-the-hoof decision. Once you had a reservation, I can't believe anyone would cancel it - the best option is to wait until it turns up.

 

I share the OP's overall view of the watch. The more I've seen of it, the less enamoured I've become - especially once the price is considered.

That said, in my personal experience, how you ultimately feel about a watch can change once you've seen it in the metal (what is it with people referring to seeing a watch in the flesh, by the way? Are they referring to it's strap? ).

I can't count the number of times my opinion of a watch has dramatically changed once I was able to strap it onto my wrist. The Royal Oak is one such example. I used to think it was a gaudy, dated hunk of angular metal. Then I tried one on and...

So for that reason, I'm reserving judgement till I get to see one in person. Sadly, unlike the OP, I won't get to make thousands of dollars if I decide it's not for me.

 

Haha, let me just say that I've never asked people's opinion on a watch before buying and I've always had quite a quirky taste and collection which won't ever win any widespread respect amount the watch enthusiasts.

I'll also add I was one of the first to comment on the Speedy Tuesday on a forum about how much I loved it, before all the hysteria kicked in. My taste is certainly my own.

I think the thing here is in not used to preordering a timepiece, all my purchases have been been on the moment so I've seen something, loved it and bought it. The waiting and constant searches for images is whats given me doubt, I should just wait and forget about it but I couldn't help myself. Anyway not long for me thankfully to finally see this thing for real.

 

Sorry Tet - I didn't mean to imply that you had sought others' opinion on this occasion, but what you said just called to mind that this has been the case previously.

And R3D9 - you're quite right: I'd never thought before how silly 'in the flesh' is in relation to something like a watch. We live and learn!

 

No problem and I certainly agree with what you're saying. I'm always baffled from the amount of watch buying that seems more based on what other people like rather than a person's own taste(hence so many similar SOTC threads always about) . I like to think my collection along with all my other nonsense is a bit of a representation of my taste and style, popular or not it's what I like.

 

Hey @Scepticalist, great post! Informative, well thought out and very honest.

Ref. the straps, I have not yet received my ST but I do intend to wear it on a brown strap. I think the ST on the Snoopy strap looks great, but I already have the Explorer and a Reverso as my classic black/white watches in my collection. The brown strap provided by Omega looks a bit thin from the photos, I would certainly consider an aftermarket strap.

Similar to @BenjaminT, I had the FOIS on my shopping list this year to pair up with my XI-45. As much as I admire the history/pedigree the original moonwatch (non vintage) does not sing to me from an aesthetic POV. So the real modern wathc collection "competitor" to my ST is the FOIS.

Ref. asking opinions for which watch to buy between two or more options, I have done that in the past on the OF. I think many do when they are on a learning curve and the posts and replies provide valuable input to newbies, nothing to be ashamed of. Although I do feel that I have got past that stage, I still ask for opinions on watches that I have not yet had the opportunity to test out as I have a very busy schedule to fit in a relaxed watch drive testing at a given brand boutique. I prefer visiting a given boutique already with a clear idea as to what I might buy and I will usually take a watch from my collection relevant to the final choice, usually a possible "competitor" for future wrist time. As many have commented above the final wrist watch test is the real pull the trigger moment.

I fully agree that following a consumer heard mentality is not the best path to go (a path which usually leads to a Rolex Sub purchase)...but between a complete zombie transference of your consumer decisions to social media peers to just asking whether other forum members like a given watch and how it wears on a day-to-day basis...there is a wide spectrum there.

 

R.P.- I like your closing paragraph and it prompts me to realise that I'm often too absolutist in my opinions, and that trading views about how these things look as relaxed 'chat' is very appropriate for a forum like this; I also like your extension of my 'ovine' jibe into a raspberry in Rolex's direction as I continue jeer that brand for its obviousness and flashiness at every opportunity! (see: there's that absolute thing again - rather childish too - but I so much enjoy the restraint/elegance of Omega as a brand in comparison.)

 

Another one received and placed straight on Sales Corner on TZ. That's three out of three received and put up for sale. Does anyone actually intend keeping this watch?