Most helpful client reviews
69 of 71 humans found the following review helpful.
30 Year Review
By ETOH DR
After much research, I purchased an Omega Speedmaster in 1968 as an 18th birthday present to myself. There were not galore chronographs available at that time (Rolex, Breitling, Omega and in all likelihood others I no longer remember). To my surprise, that summer (or next), Omega started out agressive publicity that it’s watch was the official timepiece of the Apollo Astronauts. It reaffirmed my choice. Thirty years later, it is still the best watch I own (including my Submariner). My only complaint is that I have gone through three or four bracelets/straps. Ironically, a new metal bracelet costs more than the primary cost of my Speedmaster ($185). Interestingly, no Rolex owner has ever commented on my Submariner, but fellow Speedmaster owners always commence up a speech with each other. I can not comment on the new Speedmasters, but mine has been dropped, thrown, drowned, frozen, heated, shaken and maltreated for 30 years and still runs great. I commend factory cleaning, vacuum sealing and a new crystal each 10 years or so, just to be safe.
55 of 58 humans found the following review helpful.
Legendary Watch with Proud and Unique History
By E. Kim
This is a beauteous watch with a legendary history and extraordinary following. It has been one of the most usual watches ever made by Omega since it is debut in 1957. The current Speedmaster Professionals come in multiple versions, but are for the most part little changed in it is over 50 year life.
Why is it amazing?
During the 1960′s space race with the Soviets, NASA did not have the time to announce an open contest from all fascinated watch companies to design a watch suitable for space travel. This would have required bids from dissimilar manufacturers with the eventual award of a government contract. NASA engineers in plain clothes went to downtown Houston and entered respective high end stores and purchased high-end (i.e. expensive) manual wind wristwatches from 10 dissimilar brands, such as Omega, Rolex, etc. This was all done in secrecy and none of the watch manufacturers, such as Omega, were conscious of this. NASA subjected the watches to grueling tests of temperature extremes, shocks, humidity, uttermost pressure changes, etc. All of the watches malfunctioned and could not finish all of the tests except for one, the Omega Speedmaster.
NASA begun to equip their astronauts in 1962 for the Gemini missions with a Speedmaster attached by a strap to the OUTSIDE of the astronauts’ suits. Omega executives saw NASA’s photos of the astronauts and realized that they were using their watches. This was speedily confirmed with a phone call to NASA. NASA then speedily declared that the Omega Speedmaster was the official watch to be applied on their space missions. Realize that this was all done without Omega’s awareness.
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Bulova, an American watchmaker, pressured congressmen who pressured NASA to concede for an open contest to include Bulova. NASA then permitted watchmakers to submit watches for evaluation. Once again, the Omega Speedmaster Professional was the only watch that passed all of NASA’s tests! Believe it or not, through neverending pressure from Bulova, NASA again had to hold an open contest a third time in 1978, and AGAIN, the Omega Speedmaster was found to be the only satisfactory watch. This is the stuff of legends!
What traits do all of the current versions of the Speedmaster Pro (3570.50, 3573.50, 3576.50, etc) have?
1. Beautiful clear dial with luminous markers
2. Chronograph (timer)
3. 42.5 mm case size (good IMHO for wrists 6″ and above)
4. Classic unchanged looks from the primary 1957 design
5. Wonderful manual wind mechanism with proven history of reliability
6. Water resistance of 50m or 167 feet (this is satisfactory for “normal” use, but is surely not intended to be a diver’s watch)
What is specific to a 3573.50 a.k.a. “sapphire sandwich”?
1. Cal 1863 motion (all of past and current movements are terrific and one ought to not be thought of as superior to another)
2. Sapphire crystal is employed over the dial rather of the hesalite crystal (i.e. plexiglass) used on the frequent 3570.50 model. Sapphire crystal is much more scratch immune but may shatter with high impact. The traditional, popular 3570.50 model’s hesalite is closely inconceivable to shatter and it is scratches may effortlessly be buffed out. The basi hesalite is also more authentic to the primary moon watch design as the sapphire crystal models were never approved by NASA.
3. Sapphire crystal caseback to show the beauteous movement. The established 3570.50 model has a stainless steel back.
What are the downsides of this 3573.50 “sapphire sandwich” equated to the general 3570.50 model shown?
1. Cost – the 3573.50 is significantly more costly than the 3570.5
2. Sapphire crystal may shatter
3. Sapphire cyrstal is less “authentic” when thinking when it comes to it is NASA history
4. Sapphire crystal caseback is also less authentic than the basi moonwatch
I ended up purchasing the 3573.50, but I strongly considered the more classic, 3570.50 with the hesalite crystal plexiglass and the steel caseback. I did not like the idea of having to buff and polish out scratches on the plexiglass. It is supposed to be very easy to do, but I just preferent sapphire crystal.
Even altho it is less unfeigned to the primary 1957 design, I liked the idea of sapphire crystal caseback to detect the gorgeous Omega movement.
If you either don’t want to spend the extra cash for these differences, or if you prefer to have a truer, more authentic moonwatch, then get the 3570.50. People love that watch. Either way, you will most likely be pleased by it is aesthetics, functionality, and history.
You will have to NOT buy any of these Speedmaster Pro models if you will be wanting to use this as a diving watch. Get a Seamaster 300M or Planet Ocean for that need.
As for it is time keeping accuracy, most owners don’t mind it all. If you are very concerned with accuracy, then a mechanical watch, even if it is COSC certified, is probably not the right type of watch for you. A quartz watch will be significantly more accurate. I have heard that people’s experiences for the Speedmaster Pros range from -/+ of 0/0 -5/+15. It is not a certified chronometer by the COSC. This watch only needs to be wound each 1 or 2 days and it is time adjusted in regards to once each 1 or 2 weeks.
If you end up for some unexpected reason to not like the watch, realize that this watch has a phenomenally high resale value and is very easy to trade on respective online auction sites.
39 of 48 humans found the following review helpful.
The best watch for years and years
By Mediahound
I’ve owned this watch for over 2 years now and have worn it each single day since the day I purchased it. I intend to keep it for years (probably for the rest of my life) as it remains the most swanky and stylish (elegant yet functional) watch I’ve ever owned (and I’ve owned and sold rather a few).
The Speedmaster has all the appeal and uttermost accruracy of a Rolex, yet none of the gaudiness-it’s understated, cool but not too cool. Looking at it evokes a sense of faith in exploration and the adrenaline rush of speed and the strength of Gs or zero gravity. With it’s black dial and white hands, and brushed silver bracelet and casing, the Speedmaster is one of the best executed designs to come out of the last 100 years and surely one of the most classic timepieces ever.
There are other models that offer things since as a day/date, or a more or less littler size, or a glass crystal rather of the sturdy Hesalite plastic one, but these are not the firstborn “Moon Watch” and are not worth buying. If you are going to go Speedmaster, get the original. Technically this is a men’s watch, but I’ve seen it worn by a woman with outstanding success (the actor Daniel Day-Lewis’s wife wears one).
It’s Swiss made and Nasa spacewalk certified. This very watch model was worn on the Moon (on the outside of the space suit!) by Neil Armstrong in the Apollo missions back in the late 1960s. The build quality and styling has not changed much since then (it hasn’t necessitated to). This is a manual watch, which means you have to wind it up. I like that, it becomes share of your every day procedure like sleeping and eating. The back is engraved with a cool logo and a Nasa approval insignia. When your mate picks it up off the nightstand in the morning and reads what it says on the back, she will in all probability ask you when it comes to it.
This is the stuff of legends, and it’s a finelooking good watch too.
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