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OK. A confession. So, at the time of writing, I have owned this watch for 6 hours and 12 minutes. Having just purchased it in person from TT Watches in Taipei. An odd place to start with my first review for this blog, but as my editor keeps reminding me, I have a lot of content to catch up on and 12 more watches to write up. So, after a continuous but admittedly not very rigorous 6 hour wearing experience, here are my initial impressions.
On the wrist, it is superb. The 42mm specification sounds large, but the twisted-lug case disguises its size remarkably well. When I first tried this on in the boutique and without knowing the precise spec, I genuinely thought it was a 40mm dial. It wears small and so do not be put off by the 42mm measurement. I went for a leather strap version rather than the classic steel bracelet. On leather, the Speedmaster is magnificent. It somehow makes a 42mm chronograph feel restrained, comfortable and surprisingly elegant. Almost Bond like… The strap transforms the personality of the watch: less Apollo 11 astronaut, more Apollo 11 astronaut who now owns a decent wine cellar and works for MI6.
The 2021 Speedmaster Professional is of course one of those rare watches where the marketing department barely needs to turn up for work. It looks essentially like the watch that went to the Moon, because that is largely the point. Appreciated, it is a point Omega have been making for the last 57 years. But you have to admit, it is an impressive flex (as my kids would call it).
Technical Bit
The 2021 redesign retained the familiar 42mm stainless-steel case but returned to details inspired by the fourth-generation Moonwatch: the asymmetric case, stepped black dial and wonderfully nerdy “dot over 90” aluminium tachymeter bezel. On leather, it looks considerably less like NASA equipment and considerably more like something you can wear with a suit.
Inside is the important upgrade: Omega’s manually wound Calibre 3861, with Co-Axial escapement, 50-hour power reserve, Master Chronometer certification and resistance to magnetic fields up to 15,000 gauss. This could prove useful should you unexpectedly find yourself inside an MRI scanner while timing a parking meter. But otherwise, nice to know the magnetic field protection is there.
You get the traditional three-register chronograph: running seconds, 30-minute counter and 12-hour counter. Water resistance is a modest 50 metres. More for the Moon (or the pub) then than for watersports. Clearly the notion of a swimming pool is more troublesome than a jaunt to the moon and back. One early impression is that the sunken sub dials for the chrono are like craters. I suspect that is no accident. This detail looks nice and adds some depth and texture to the dial.
The lume is also effective and precise. The hour markers are clearly defined as are the hands. There is no difficulty in reading the time in the dark on this watch. Also, the deployment clasp on the Omega is a subtle thing of beauty and very easy to operate. (I have a slightly fussier JLC deployment).
There is the Hesalite version of his watch. A similar proposition and closer to the original version of this watch with a warmer, beautifully domed and historically authentic look. Though I weighed that against this more modern approach and considered that the Hesalite version scratches with approximately the same resistance as warm butter. So opted for the more robust ‘updated’ version. There is the added feature with this version of the sapphire crystal exhibition back which shows off in its full glory the 3861-calibre movement. Not a common feature on a Speedy and as a bit of a nerd, I like to see the movement of the watch. Even if only I see it. That will be a matter of choice for the individual whether to opt for this version or the Hesalite. I understand why one might go for the Hesalite over this version. Either way, you pay your money and take your pick – but you will have a lovely watch suited to your own idiosyncrasies.
Pros
- Iconic timepiece with a great backstory
- It brings the old classic into the modern era gracefully whilst retaining the character
- It wears smaller than the specs suggest and is light and very comfortable
- The sapphire back allows you to admire the beautiful movement
Cons
- It is manual wind (may be an issue for some)
- No date
- About as waterproof as teabag
- Whilst more robust than the Hesalite, crystal does still scratch
- You probably do not need a chronograph
To summarise, my early impressions are that this is an easy to live with, impressive and yet historical watch – which I am really pleased to have added to my collection. And the next time someone says: “but my phone tells the time”, you can quip back: “but has your phone been to the Moon?”
