White Speedmaster 3861 Step Dial: Collector Opinions

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Appleseed6

·Jul 10, 2025

Good morning.

Visited an OB and got some hands on time with the white Speedy 3861.

It's a beautiful watch. That said, the "step up" on the dial at the circumference of the minute hashes seemed prominent.

It's not something that ever stood out to me in pictures, but now I can't unsee it.

Am I alone in thinking this is an odd design choice? I was sure I was going to buy the watch, but I walked out without it.

best
A6

 

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josiahg52

·Jul 10, 2025

The step dial is the most awesomest Speedmaster dial there is. Other dials seem flat and lifeless. It's not an odd design choice to me. It's a wanted attribute.

 

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bsowers34

·Jul 10, 2025

It has the concentric circles in the subdials too. The step dial is more visible on the white dial, and the hesalite black dial.
I foresee cats in the future if this thread gains traction...........

 

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Appleseed6

·Jul 10, 2025

I appreciate the feedback - the mocking icons, not so much.

My only hesalite is a 3560.50 from 99 - the Apollo 11 anniversary watch. I don't recall seeing the step there, so maybe it's just newer feature?

The feature was so prominent in person I was surprised.

 

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bsowers34

·Jul 10, 2025

Appleseed6

I appreciate the feedback - the mocking icons, not so much.

My only hesalite is a 3560.50 from 99 - the Apollo 11 anniversary watch. I don't recall seeing the step there, so maybe it's just newer feature?

The feature was so prominent in person I was surprised.

That's why it's awesome.

 

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YY77

·Jul 10, 2025

Appleseed6

I don't recall seeing the step there, so maybe it's just newer feature?

Stepdials are applicable before 1975 and after 2019.

 

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padders

·Jul 10, 2025·Oooo subtitles!

Appleseed6

I appreciate the feedback - the mocking icons, not so much.

My only hesalite is a 3560.50 from 99 - the Apollo 11 anniversary watch. I don't recall seeing the step there, so maybe it's just newer feature?

The feature was so prominent in person I was surprised.

It’s an older feature which has been resurrected.

It’s Cat o’clock somewhere!

 

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josiahg52

·Jul 10, 2025

Step dial on my 145.022-69 ST:

Flat dial on my 3894.50:

 

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Mute

·Jul 10, 2025

It's a feature, not a bug.

 

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4011021

·Jul 10, 2025

Love the stepped dial. One of the things that makes the 3861 better than the previous generation.

 

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NotJackson

·Jul 10, 2025

I hadn’t noticed the step as a pronounced feature of the white dial. I guess I just took it for granted as a design element of vintage Speedmasters that had been resurrected for the current generation.

That said, I’m still trying to wrap my head around “cat o’clock.”

 

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bsowers34

·Jul 10, 2025

NotJackson

I hadn’t noticed the step as a pronounced feature of the white dial. I guess I just took it for granted as a design element of vintage Speedmasters that had been resurrected for the current generation.

That said, I’m still trying to wrap my head around “cat o’clock.”

It's ALWAYS cat o' clock. Actually, to me the step doesn't seem as pronounced on the white one because there is no shading difference like there is with black.

 

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Davidt

·Jul 10, 2025

This thread is useless without pictures.

 

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bsowers34

·Jul 10, 2025

Mine. If I were to have only one 3861, this is it. You can really see the outer taper and the sub dials in this (lucky) shot.

 

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Appleseed6

·Jul 11, 2025

I went back and in different light, the step was less prominent - more proportional.

So... it came home with me.

 

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bsowers34

·Jul 12, 2025

The enablers forum strikes again. Congrats.

 

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Jemagloh

·Jul 12, 2025

Congrats, wearing mine today as well. Fantastic reference!

 

W

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Wahlberg

·Jul 12, 2025

josiahg52

Flat dial on my 3894.50:

Is this flat, doesn't look flat? When I google the ref it does show a flat dial.

I also thought the 3594.50 had a similar and a not so flat dial? Or is my definition wrong lol.

 

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YY77

·Jul 12, 2025

W Wahlberg

Is this flat, doesn't look flat? When I google the ref it does show a flat dial.

I also thought the 3594.50 had a similar and a not so flat dial? Or is my definition wrong lol.

Yes the dial is flat if you look at the area of the hourmakers, maybe you're focusing on the subdials which have depth but that's not what differentiates a stepdial from a no stepdial.

 

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padders

·Jul 12, 2025·Oooo subtitles!

There is no step on the ‘Replica’ dial. Or any other model from around 1974 to 2020