Omega Speedmaster Professional Chronograph 3573.50.00

Well, I finally broke down and got another Omega. It's been a little over two years since I got my first one, a Seamaster Planet Ocean. I've always been a fan of the Speedmaster, not only for its connection to the NASA space program, but also its connection to motorsports. I've been seriously looking at Speedmaster Professionals for a number of months, trying to decide whether to get vintage or new, and if new, then which one? The 3570.50.00 is the model most like the vintage ones and those worn on the moon, with a Hesalite (acrylic) crystal and solid steel caseback. The 3573.50.00 is virtually identical to the other one but features a sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating, a sapphire exhibition caseback to view the movement, and a movement that is very slightly modified to look better (a small plastic piece is replaced with a metal one.) Ideally, I would have bought a vintage piece, probably from the late 1960s. Unfortunately, prices for excellent vintage pieces are high, and while eBay has lots of vintage Speedmasters, it's difficult to find one that is authentic, original and in good working condition without spending more than a new one. I was actually leaning towards the more "authentic" Hesalite-equipped model (what Omega refers to as the Original Moon Watch), probably because I saw it as being something closer to the vintage models I wanted, but then I realized I really wanted to see the movement and that I would probably also get a vintage one someday, and none of those have exhibition casebacks. Like my Planet Ocean, it took an excellent deal from a reputable online retailer (the same one I got my Planet Ocean from, in fact) to push me over the edge. It also happened that they had the sapphire-equipped model for less than I had planned on paying for the Hesalite-equipped model. So, I got the watch and it's fantastic. For some reason I expected the sapphire crystal to be shaped differently than the Hesalite one, but it's virtually identical. I'm also very happy with the exhibition caseback since unlike my other automatic chronographs there is no winding rotor to block the view, and I could probably spend hours just watching everything move, engage and disengage as the chronograph is started, stopped and reset. I was a little afraid that I would be disappointed with the size. If you've looked at my other watches you've seen I'm a fan of large watches, but while my Speedy Pro is smaller than my Planet Ocean (42mm vs 44.5mm diameters) it certainly does not feel small. "Sleek" might be a better word. Once again, the lack of automatic winding works well here as it is much thinner than any of my automatic chronographs. It lives up to all my expectations and I don't have any complaints.

Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Automatic Diver 2200.50.00

I won't bore you by repeating info that can be found elsewhere. I don't know why I was drawn to this watch exactly. It was certainly my first watch that I consider to be very expensive. It was in fall of 2004 that my girlfriend (now my wife) bought me my first new Hamilton that I mark as the beginning of my serious interest in watches. In the following year I amassed a handful of watches: more Hamiltons, Seikos, Orients, etc. But I recall seeing photos of the new-for-2005 Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean and I immediately wanted one. I had liked the previous Seamasters, and I've always been a James Bond fan so I was definitely aware of them. I think the Planet Ocean represented a fresh, modern design but still incorporated classic elements from Omega's history, like from the Seamaster 300 and Broad Arrow Speedmaster. So, I realized I wanted one but the price - oh, the price! - every car I had owned before 2004 had cost less than the list price of the Planet Ocean. Of course, those nine cars combined also cost less than the car I bought in 2004, but I digress. Fortunately, discounts can be found on Omega watches, especially if you're willing to travel to the Caribbean or order over the internet. By the time I went on my second trip to the Caribbean in September 2005 I was prepared to purchase a Planet Ocean if the price was right. Unfortunately, even with a good deal of haggling, the best price I could find was several hundred more than I wanted to pay. It was close, but I certainly did not have to purchase the watch right away, so I came home from vacation with no new Omega, nor any other watches. (I also recall on that trip seeing a Seamaster Railmaster XXL Chronometer on display and being very drawn to that as well. It's very attractive and I think I would very much like to have one someday.) Fortunately, my waiting paid off as a major internet retailer had a sale a few weeks later that took a large percentage off their already discounted prices and I jumped on the offer without hesitation. I wore my new Planet Ocean for a couple months after I received before I felt like I was really tempting fate wearing such an expensive watch on a daily basis. I put it in my watch case and wore it from time to time, especially on special occasions, if suitable. Now, with this blog project, I haven't worn my Omega since before I began, which was March 3rd of this year. Putting it on today it was no less impressive than the first time I wore it. It's a fantastic watch and while I think I might find similar (either in price, style or "prestige") watches in my collection someday, I don't know that my fondness for my Planet Ocean will ever diminish.

On that note, I must say my little "project" or "experiment" here is due to change. I have run out of watches (although I do have one incoming, which I'm sure you don't find surprising.) So, moving forward, I'm not sure if I will be posting daily, nor do I think I will always be posting pictures and articles of my own watches. I think you'll probably see any of my new watches photographed and profiled here, and I will also take photos and do some quick write-ups of watches I have worn before but have either been modified or fitted with different straps for different looks. To everybody who has read my blog I thank you, whether you started at the beginning or jumped in mid-stream. If you haven't read everything, please feel free to go back and read the old posts to see what you missed. Thanks again.

Alpha Automatic Seamaster Planet Ocean Homage

My watch today is the final Alpha currently in my collection, but I'm bound to add more in the future. It is in the style of the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean. I do have a real Omega Planet Ocean, and I've had it for a couple of years, much longer than I've had this Alpha. This Alpha is not as nice as the Alpha Seamaster, so it's not really fair to compare it to the real thing. First off, I have the 45.5mm version and the Alpha replicates the 42mm version, but even keeping that in mind, the Alpha does feel flimsy compared to the real Planet Ocean. The case and bracelet quality is good, but they cheaped out on the clasp (the Alpha Seamaster had a much nicer clasp) and the case has a very plain back. One item that I think is a "flaw" on the Alpha is the white date wheel. All the Planet Oceans have black date wheels and they look much nicer behind the black dial, but I'm sure it's a standard Alpha wheel and it wouldn't be cost effective (cheap) to make a whole run of black ones for this single model. Also, the Alpha is rated for 3ATM water resistance, which puts it in the "splash proof" category, certainly not for prolonged water exposure, like, say, scuba diving, snorkeling or even in-pool lounging. So, I can see yourself scratching your head, "But Jason, if you already have the genuine article, why mess around with this cheap Chinese junk? And just how long is this post going to be? My attention span has its limits you know." Well, those are good questions. First off, because my Planet Ocean was so expensive, I really don't wear it that much. Unlike the rich people who have one, I would be absolutely sick if I damaged it not to mention considerably poorer if I had to send it into Omega for repair. Now, frankly, I don't think about it from that angle very often, but after wearing it for a week or two straight I start to feel like I'm tempting fate. And forget about taking it on vacation. To me, that's just asking for it to be stolen, lost or damaged. I certainly will have no such reservations with the Alpha. Second, while the Planet Ocean bracelet is very nice, some times we watch people like some variety so we change out bracelets for straps, in leather, rubber, canvas or nylon, or anything else that we think might enhance the look or put a new twist on a watch. Now, my understanding with the Planet Ocean is that changing from bracelet to strap and back is no walk in the park, due mainly to the tight tolerances and limited working space. There is a tool that makes reattachment of the bracelet easier, but it runs $100+ and I haven't yet bit that bullet. I did pick up the authentic Omega Planet Ocean 22mm rubber strap and buckle (which makes the watch look like this) for a couple hundred bucks, but haven't been brave enough to put it on yet. So, with that all out in the open, I'm sure you realize that not only is the Alpha probably easier to change the bracelet on, but I also don't care if I put a scratch or two on it in the process. I already have a leather strap with orange stitching that I'm dying to try out, and I'm sure there will be plenty of others. And if one suits the watch particularly well, maybe a similar strap will find its way onto the real Planet Ocean. As for your attention span, well, you can always just look at the pictures.

Pseudo-Ruhla ETA Automatic Diver

So here we have a bit of an oddball which is familiar to many people in the hobby. It is a reproduction of an East German diver's watch from the late 1980s called a "Ruhla" after its city of manufacture. This one comes from Hong Kong via eBay thanks to Ray Wong, who actually sells a bunch of interesting watches and accessories. I believe some of the models he sells are equipped with Japanese or Chinese automatic movements, but this one has a higher quality Swiss ETA 2824. It's 43mm wide with 24mm lugs and a chunky appearance all-around, from the squared-off teeth of the uniderectional bezel to the thick leather strap. It also has a military style dial (a MOD design that we've seen before) and large "plongeur*" hands. Although I don't have a picture of it, the crown you see in the pictures is actually just a screw-on cover for the actual setting and winding crown, much like the original Ruhla design seen here (with a non-Ruhla dial and movement.) Ray's more recent pseudo-Ruhlas (or Raylas as they're sometimes called) have an integrated screw-down crown which eliminates the risk of losing the cap (which I almost did the morning.) This watch is rated at 200m water resistance and it seems to live up to this claim so I will consider it a legitimate dive watch, unlike some of my other homage watches. I like this watch a lot because it combines tried-and-true Swiss technology with a mix of modern and classic miltary style to come up with something that is very unique. Now to check with Ray and see if he'll sell me the matching bracelet for this one (even though I just ordered a couple of straps that I think will look great on it.)


(*The word "plongeur" is simply French for "diver", but this style of hands was first used on the Omega "Plongeur Professionnel", so the name stuck. Not to be confused with the French kitchen helper of the same name.)

Alpha Automatic Seamaster Homage

Alpha watches are as close as most people in this hobby like to get to full-on fake watches. This watch is obviously based on the "Bond"-style Omega Seamaster, right down to the waves on the dial and back and beefy stainless clasp. Of course, this Alpha version is totally made in China with a Chinese automatic movement. The only difference between this "real" Alpha and a fake Omega is the markings. Unfortunately, I know there's a good chance this watch came off the same assembly line as the fake Omegas, but I like to feel that by supporting the more honest of the two "brands", that I'm actually doing something to stop the blatant counterfeiting; showing them that they can make and sell watches without resorting to essentially lying. This is the most well-built Alpha I've ever laid hands on, nicer than the Rolex homages, and also nicer than the Omega Planet Ocean homage that I bought at the same time (on which they cheaped out on the clasp and bracelet.) Now, that being said, the pin holding the deployant clasp closed did come off today, and I haven't checked to see if I can fix it yet, but that's not incredibly surprising for a watch that costs 2% of the watch it's imitating. Probably the worst part of having an homage like this one is now I have the itch to get the authentic version. I've always liked them, and almost purchased one before the extra-huge Omega Planet Ocean came along (which I did buy and will post at some point.) Oh, and one last thing, unlike the real Omegas, this Alpha is marked as "3 ATM Water Resistant", which means it's probably splash proof but certainly not a diver, despite the screw-in back and diver looks.