The Omega Speedmaster is without doubt one of the few watches that we will really name iconic. Whereas that should be some of the overused phrases within the English language lately, it’s apt on this case. However regardless of the Omega Speedmaster being really iconic, I’ve by no means owned one. Worse but, I’ve by no means even come near proudly owning one! Why? Properly, to me, the Speedy looks as if such a default possibility (in the most effective sense) that I’ve virtually been swayed away from it.
The opposite issue is that it’s not related to underwater endeavors or functionality. Even so, as RJ has identified a number of occasions, the present Speedmaster Skilled is certainly able to a pool dip if you happen to don’t use these chronograph pushers. Plus, the Speedmaster occurs to have among the greatest historical past of any watch within the enterprise.
The Omega Speedmaster is only a nice watch!
There, I stated it. The Omega Speedmaster is an superior timepiece with an almost unmatched historic pedigree. This isn’t simply as a consequence of it having been the primary watch on the Moon. It’s additionally because of its utilization inside NASA’s house program extra broadly. This included many house missions and phases of intense coaching by which Speedmasters have graced the wrists of astronauts and technicians.
Numerous iterations of the Speedmaster are current in historic images from that golden period of house exploration. These embrace variations with attention-grabbing “radial” dials, a particular kind of Speedmaster I’ve written about beforehand for Fratello.
Why is it so good?
Then, we get to the watch itself. The Speedmaster Skilled has a phenomenal case design that feels smaller and higher on the wrist than its 42mm diameter would recommend. It additionally boasts an extremely legible dial, nice construct high quality, and an ever-increasing spec checklist to match trendy manufacturing tolerances.
Just lately, I accompanied a pal of mine as he bought his first Swiss watch. He settled on this 12 months’s white-dial Omega Speedmaster. I requested him why he went with this one as there are a variety of good choices on the market. He instructed me that it was as a result of, to him, the Speedmaster symbolizes journey and exploits. It additionally was a design that “simply works.” Little doubt, my pal made an important alternative, and his determination impressed this text.
Speedmaster Pilot Flight Certified — the one for me
Okay, so we have now established that the Speedmaster has a robust heritage and an important design. Now we get to the sheer plethora of choices on the market for various tastes. If the “basic” design will not be for you, we have now all kinds of unusual and attention-grabbing new and classic choices to discover.
That is one other energy of the Omega Speedmaster line. There really is one thing for everybody. In reality, Omega’s new Speedmaster Pilot Flight Certified is severely attractive for my tastes. That is definitely nothing near a basic Speedmaster, however it gives sufficient design quirks and funky capabilities to attract me in. Bravo, Omega.
Why don’t I personal one, for Pete’s sake?
I’m penning this missive of appreciation for the Omega Speedmaster as somebody who doesn’t personal one. Nor am I near proudly owning one (with the exception, maybe, of the aforementioned Flight Certified). Why is that this the case? Properly, as I discussed earlier, it’s partly as a result of the Speedmaster is such a ubiquitous watch. It’s the identical cause I don’t and doubtless gained’t personal a Rolex Submariner. This isn’t to say I don’t vastly respect the Rolex Submariner, however I discover my Tudor Black Bay 58 does the identical job and connects with me greater than its Rolex counterpart. Sure, I’ve spent some appreciable time with the newest Rolex Submariner, together with within the ocean, so I’m not making unfounded statements out of spite.
The opposite issue is that I’ve by no means seen the Omega Speedmaster as one thing that might go well with my life-style. The shortage of a screw-down crown at all times left me a little bit unsettled with the thought of taking it into the ocean. Certain, this modifications with the 100m water resistance score of the Speedmaster Pilot Flight Certified. That is one other issue that makes that watch so attractive to me. Lengthy story brief, I’m somebody who, fairly actually, won’t go a day with out an ocean swim. I prefer to put on my watches on these endeavors (my trendy watches, anyway), so my decision-making round watch purchases displays that.
It’s not you, Omega; it’s me…
Regardless of my quirks round ocean swimming, the Omega Speedmaster does certainly make a lot sense as a primary large watch buy. The chronograph operate is helpful. It’s a watch that may be worn in so many various conditions and nonetheless look good whereas ticking reliably. That is why my pal made such a sensible choice for his first costly Swiss watch. It’s a genuinely helpful timepiece with arguably extra operate than a dive watch. Not solely that, however it should additionally look elegant whereas doing its job. And in the long run, isn’t that additionally tremendous vital? I believe it’s.
Admittedly, one other hang-up for me is that I personal an IWC 3706 chronograph. This watch does have a screw-down crown, and it may well deal with the ocean. It additionally occurs to be a watch that I join with on a design degree. Certain, it’s a little bit funky, however it’s endearing. Then once more, I’ve a number of dive watches in my assortment, so why can’t I’ve a couple of chronograph? The human thoughts is a curious factor…
Concluding ideas on the Omega Speedmaster
Now we come to the ultimate ingredient to contemplate in all of this. Sure, I’ve written a letter of appreciation for the Omega Speedmaster, and no, I don’t personal one. However maybe not proudly owning one offers me a little bit distance and house to understand the watch in a contemporary mild. Sure, I can see the entire historical past that makes the Speedmaster so vital within the timeline of horology. Strip that again, and we have now a watch with a downright attractive design and glorious construct high quality. If I had been to rewind to the start of my horological journey, I’d be the primary to acknowledge that the Omega Speedmaster can be the proper first Swiss mechanical watch. I’m glad that I might see a pal make that call and be very proud of it.
If the Omega Speedmaster didn’t have such a profitable formulation with its mixture of good-looking seems, historical past, and high quality, I don’t suppose we’d be right here discussing it. Fortunately, it has all of these issues. What do you suppose, Fratelli? Should you don’t already personal a Speedmaster, is there any reference on the market that’s attractive you just like the Flight Certified is for me? Let me know within the feedback.
