Fratello is one for three, in my view. I have a ‘57 Replica and think it’s a great piece. Fortunately I bought it before the reference was “discovered,” so IMO it was a bargain at well under $3k.
The other two I can do without. I’ve never had much use for the Speedmaster Reduced in any of its iterations. And I’m not really into the moonphase complication either, although I like the silver/blue aesthetic of the Broad Arrow.
One automatic Speedmaster that I do like — and it’s still both cheap and plentiful — is the JDM 3511.80. It’s the blue dial version, powered by an Omegafied 7750 movement. When I was still working I wore one on a blue Rios alligator strap, as part of my “suit and tie” rotation. It’s thin enough to fit under a shirt cuff and has some nice details like the steel bezel and octagonal crown. IMO there are several variants of the 3511 — including the reverse-Panda 3511.50 — that are maybe better value than the Speedmaster Reduced.
I’m also a bit surprised that the article didn’t mention any of the 90’s models at the end of the tritium dial era. There are plenty of 3590.50s out there with very nicely aged tritium dials. I have one of the last of the tritium 3570.50s, and IMO these are a great buy — still fairly easy to find in good condition with box and papers, not crazy expensive, and likely to hold their value.
