Omega Speedmaster

Watch Snob: All-Omega Speedmaster Special Edition

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A Collector Considers The Speedmaster

Some time ago I acquired an older A. Lange watch prior to the Soehne being added to the name — I wanted to own a timepiece that was personally supervised by Adolph Lange. And to the amazement of many, the A. Lange is as spot-on as a mobile phone. However, I am fearful about wearing a 140-year-old watch every day. I would love to own a Patek Philippe Calatrava, but such a purchase would be years down the road. In the interim, I have been considering the Omega Speedmaster Professional . NASA must have chosen the Omega for a reason. There is even a story, possibly an urban legend, that NASA believed in the Speedmaster so much that they stuck to their guns on it even after being called on the carpet for such an unpatriotic choice.

There is generally more real hand-craftsmanship and real horological interest to be found in a good pocketwatch than in 99% of modern wristwatches. If you’re not in the habit of wearing a waistcoat, however, pocketwatches are apt to be more of an occasional idiosyncratic personal adornment and conversation piece than a practical daily companion. As with the enthusiastic acceptance by the public of ballpoint pens over fountain pens, the transition from pocket to wristwatches happened for a reason.

As for the Omega Speedmaster Professional, it is virtually unmatched in the horological world in its combination of history, continuity of production, and quality of construction. The anecdote you are referring to has to do with the 1972 recertification of the Speedmaster as a NASA flight-qualified watch. There was pressure to use an American-made watch, but none met NASA's testing requirements, so the Speedmaster was requalified and remains today the only non-quartz watch to be approved for manned spaceflight by NASA. There are any number of Speedmaster models, but the one you should get is the basic Speedmaster Professional hand-wound reference 3570.50. This is 42mm of history that you won't find anywhere else, from anyone else, at any price.

The Rolex vs. Omega Debate Rages On

I have been collecting Swiss timepieces for years, and have continually passed on buying Rolex for lesser-known brands. I don't know what it is about Rolex that turns me off... perhaps it’s the fact that they produce watches on a large scale, or that owning one seems like a cliche status symbol. Am I passing on the opportunity for a potentially great purchase because of my (possibly ill-conceived) ideas about the company? For my next purchase I am debating between the Rolex Submariner and the new Omega Speedmaster with the in-house co-axial movement. Is it time to pull the trigger on the Rolex or pass again?