Vintage Omega Speedmaster Buyer��s Guide II

The 3590.50 was made between 1989 and 1996, meaning that even the newest versions are nearly twenty years old, barely putting them in the realm of ��vintage�� but making them a delightful contemporary timepiece with classic vintage looks and yellowed lume. This is the version I most regularly recommend to those just beginning a timepiece collection, that might be a little hesitant to strap a 40 year old watch to their wrist and wear the hell out of it every day.

The mechanicals of the 3590.50 are incredibly robust, featuring the same Calibre .861 manually winding chronograph movement used since 1968 (as a side note, if the Speedmaster you��re considering doesn��t have a manually-wound movement, you��re doing it wrong). Given their relative modernity, many examples are still available with their original bracelets, boxes and papers. While I never advocate going nuts over finding a timepiece with full kit over just finding a great example, it is always a nice bonus to find one with all the original goodies.

Values on the 3590.50 are also excellent, with good examples currently fetching only $2500-$3000 or so. This is a great savings over a brand-new piece and gives you a robust, modern example Speedmaster with the added bonus of a vintage looking dial. Unless replica omega Speedmaster Broad Arrow GMT begins using lume with ��faux patina�� on their Speedmaster Professionals (as they have done on their new Master Co-Axial Seamaster released last month at Basel), this is as ��new�� a vintage Speedmaster as I would ever want to wear.

Vintage replica omega Seamaster 300m Speedmaster Buyer��s Guide �C Calibre .861 Models �C 1968 On
The Calibre .861 Speedmasters are by far the most popular vintage Speedies I deal with, even if it isn��t the most ��desirable�� movement by collector standards (I��ll get there, don��t worry). This movement was launched in the Speedmaster Professional in 1968, and survived through the 3590.50 discussed above, making them the longest production-run series of Speedmasters in the lineup. As a result, there are plenty of examples on the market, and prices remain relatively low. The most basic (non special-edition) version Speedmasters to feature this movement are the most common Speedmasters on the vintage market, which might turn some enthusiasts off �C but shouldn��t. These models were purpose-built tool watches, designed for keeping time in the harshest environments known to man, have great vintage looks, and survived as long as they did for good reason. The life cycle alone should say something about the lasting quality of this iconic movement.

Despite the decades of Calibre .861 production, I generally steer people to consider the early .861 models (reference 145.022) from the ��Apollo Era��, lasting from 1968 to approximately 1976 (technically speaking, this encompasses a few different Space Program initiatives, but you get the idea) if for no other reason that these watches were being produced and used in space by professionals regularly at that time. While the actual watches worn in space are rarely put to auction and command stratospheric prices when they do, you can grab a piece that was made on the assembly line at the same time for a relative pittance.

The Reference 145.022 not only utilized the all-new Calibre .861, which replaced the Calibre .321 movement used previously, but also represented the first major aesthetic changes to the Speedmaster since the original model came out eleven years prior. Most notably, http://www.speedroc.com/replica-omega-speedmaster-broad-arrow.html switched from an ��applied logo dial�� to a ��printed logo dial��. The applied logo dials featured a raised metal Omega logo, while these later printed dials were just that �C the metal element was removed. This was likely a cost-saving decision and is the easiest way to differentiate the .861 models from their predecessors visually. The mechanical changes between the Calibre .321 and .861 are better suited for a technical forum and we won��t delve into them here, but the .861 was less costly to produce and easier to maintain than its predecessor, which is a big reason for the longevity of this model.

As noted above, 145.022s are relatively abundant on the market, but that doesn��t mean they are all good buys. These watches featured tritium luminescent material on the dials and hands, and many have started to flake off or disintegrate with age, giving the watches a pretty rough appearance. The dials often have excessive spotting or scratching due to wear, water damage or tool marks from clumsy watchmakers. Worse yet, hands are often swapped at servicing with modern replacement parts that do not match the dial patina at all, and can be a major visual detraction. Wear items such as crystals and bezel rings are often replaced as well, although shouldn��t be considered a deal breaker so long as they are genuine parts.