Hi everyone. I just recently signed up for the forum while looking for a Speedmaster. Luckily I was able to pick one up (you could probably guess from who) and now I'm hooked. The one I got is the 3570.50 from around 2008 and it's great.

Anyway, I really like the vintage look too and I was wondering how a modern Speedmaster would age compared to a vintage one. For example, I know that around 1997 Omega stopped using tritium in favor of luminova, which ages completely differently. Is the tritium only used for the lume on the markers and hands or did they also use it directly on the dial? Is the modern hesalite the same as the older ones? Also, has the material used to make the tachymetre changed?

ofrei.com has been a good resource but it's a bit overwhelming. For example, it says that Omega lists about 7000 different dials! So, I'm curious about this and would be happy to read any bits of info that anyone has about this.

 

Superluminova will not get the yellow patina that the Tritium dials are known for. The transition from tritium to superluminova happened around the same time as the 861/1861 to 863/1863 transition, 1997-98 or thereabouts. So, the lume on your hands, markers and elsewhere on the dial will stay white, at least for the foreseeable future (at least 25 years) unless outside environmental conditions discolor it.
The hesalite is the same, so it should "age" the exact same as the older crystals. As for the tachymetre, do you mean the actual bezel? I believe it's been stainless steel all along, but the paint used might've changed.
I know that the dials sometimes age into the "tropical," or brownish look. This is very desirable for many folks, as it affirms the age of the dial.
Do a search for chronomaddox, as that is a wealth of information on the Speedy Pro that will keep you occupied for weeks.
Good luck with the new addition, it will never disappoint.