Omega SpeedMaster Date

[JuiceMaker]

I finally decided to pull the trigger on this new OMEGA SpeedMaster Date after seeing a couple of good reviews from the members here.

Here are some comments & pics (some were shot at 11pm when the date was changing, hence the misaligned date in the window):

1. The dial face is clean & crisp. Everything aligned correctly. Numbers on the sub-dials are all crisp. The chronograph hands (6 & 12 o'clock & center seconds hands resets perfectly to the START position). The "OMEGA SpeedMaster AUTOMATIC CHRONOMETER" are all crisp & the circular engraving of the background give the letters a nice effect. There's a purple/bluish AR coating on the inside of the sapphire crystal, it looks good but doesn't really do the job of "anti-reflection". The OMEGA logo has the wrong "clown" feet, I've seen the gen & it has the new "flat" feet. The date font is correctly aligned & centered but I believe the date-wheel font is not identical to the gen. Other than that everything else on the dial face is very close to the gen.

2. The case back engravings are also very clean & crisp. There's a 8 digits serial number at the 7 o'clock position. The bracelet also has a 3 digits serial number at the end link connecting to the end lugs.

3. This is the inside of the case back. The letters are little faint but readable. There are no anti-magnetic doom protecting the movement, not sure if the gen has it or not.

4. The movement is the New Asian 7750 (28,800bph). The rotor has a nice crisp OMEGA logo & letters. I realised the rotor only winds the main-springs when rotated in one direction (clock-wise direction when facing the rotor). I read The Zigmeister's post & realised that if the rotor rotates to the other direction (anti clock-wise) it is actually "free-wheeling" hence, not doing work, not winding the main-springs. When I tried to physically push the rotor in the clock-wise direction there's some resistence & sometimes after one full rotation there's a click sound, I guess it's some sort of lever holding the main-springs resistence from relaxing. This movement keeps great time. When wearing it generally gains about +6 sec. & when I lay it down at night it loses about -5 sec. I've been tryinig to adjust it to +/-2 sec. for the past few days but have not been successful. I think I'm over anxious.

5. The chronograph has a small issue. It starts, stops & resets correctly, no problems there. However, if I have the watch around my fingers (as shown in the pic) & activate the chronograph (so the stop watch is ON) & if I swirl the watch to the right, in a fast motion (as if I'm wearing the watch on my wrist & swinging my arms while running on a track), the 6 o'clock sub-dial hands actually jumps to 1, 2, 3, etc. That's funny because I only have just activated the chronograph less than a minute ago. If I swirl the watch to the left direction, it will jump back from 3 to 2 to 1, etc. This also happens when I'm wearing the watch on my wrist & I'm swinging my arms as if I'm walking or running while the chronograph is ON, the sub-dial hands still moves when it shouldn't. I'm guessing the sub-dials hand is loose.

6. Here's a wrist shot of the engravings on the clasp. It's very clean & crisp. However, the springs that hold the clasp to the bracelet (in the closed position) is a little loose.

7. The bracelet is a little "filmsy", it can't compare to the gen. The gaps between each links is a little big for my liking. However the edges of the links are smooth & feels good on the wrist.

Overall, I'm pretty happy with this rep for an "out of the box".

Rating: 8.5/10

Thanks to the members on this great forum for all the great info & discussions. RWG is the best!!!

Edited April 2, 2008 by JuiceMaker

[omegaunit]

Very nice! Wear it well.

At least yours came with AR and a serial number.

Omegaunit

[Shundi]

Wow! Great review and congrats on "Taking the plunge!" I wish I could say that taking the plunge is the most impressive part but, in all honesty, STOPPING is the most impressive part

Thanks for the review and I look forward to seeing your collection as it expands (and it will haha...trust me / )

[JuiceMaker]

Very nice! Wear it well.

At least yours came with AR and a serial number.

Omegaunit

you mean you got the same watch but didn't get AR & a serial number at the 7 o'clock position???

I thought only 1 manufacturer makes this???

which dealer did you get it off of???

[JuiceMaker]

Wow! Great review and congrats on "Taking the plunge!" I wish I could say that taking the plunge is the most impressive part but, in all honesty, STOPPING is the most impressive part

Thanks for the review and I look forward to seeing your collection as it expands (and it will haha...trust me / )

I agree with you 100%

now I'm starting to think about which one I will get next...

seems like I think about the reps more than sex???

just kidding

[FxrAndy]

A nice review, thank you.

[DuDro]

For #7...perhaps some light tapping with a rubber mallet on sides of the links could "tighten" up the feel and look of the bracelet? Just an idea...

[JuiceMaker]

For #7...perhaps some light tapping with a rubber mallet on sides of the links could "tighten" up the feel and look of the bracelet? Just an idea...

thanks for the advice, but I don't think it will work.

here is a pic of the issue I'm talking about in #7:

I think the issue is with the pins holding the individual links together.

although the pins are solid thick pins (not like the split pins that can easily break), & there's a hollow tube that sits nicely inside the middle section of the links, the bracelet is still "flimsy".

I don't know how the gen bracelets are made to give it that "tight & strong" feeling when you hold the gen bracelet in your hands & wiggle the links.

the gen bracelet just feels so "solid".

[Rolexman]

Nice review. I like the black dial as well! This watch is one of my favorites. You could always oil the bracelet (lay it in some silicone oil over night and remove the abundant oil with a clean cloth. Do not use water and soap). This way it will feel less 'flimsy' as you call it. IMO the bracelet feels pretty much spot on with the gen. I held them both.

PS: If you grease all the seals it's also waterproof. Already swam with it... no problems. Great watch!

Edited March 26, 2008 by Rolexman

[capice]

tnx for sharing, very nice review. I got mine in just today, great watch

[lanikai]

Great Review and congrats on your new toy

LIVE STRONG AND WEAR IT WELL

[JuiceMaker]

Nice review. I like the black dial as well! This watch is one of my favorites. You could always oil the bracelet (lay it in some silicone oil over night and remove the abundant oil with a clean cloth. Do not use water and soap). This way it will feel less 'flimsy' as you call it. IMO the bracelet feels pretty much spot on with the gen. I held them both.

PS: If you grease all the seals it's also waterproof. Already swam with it... no problems. Great watch!

It was after reading your review on this same rep [panda version] that made me fall in love with this rep.

I have to thank you

you got me addicted!

[JuiceMaker]

Great Review and congrats on your new toy

LIVE STRONG AND WEAR IT WELL

& I also have to thank you too.

I recall you got all the 4 different dial face of this very rep.

you must be very addicted to this rep

I was thinking of going with the panda version [white sub-dials on black face & the red sub-dial hands], it looked really nice, but I decided to go more conservative.

[f5mando]

thanks for the advice, but I don't think it will work.

here is a pic of the issue I'm talking about in #7:

I think the issue is with the pins holding the individual links together.

although the pins are solid thick pins (not like the split pins that can easily break), & there's a hollow tube that sits nicely inside the middle section of the links, the bracelet is still "flimsy".

I don't know how the gen bracelets are made to give it that "tight & strong" feeling when you hold the gen bracelet in your hands & wiggle the links.

the gen bracelet just feels so "solid".

Very good review, there, thanks! To quote Kyle and/or Stan, "I learned something here today".

As for your bracelet pins issue - if the SM links are like the SMP, the solid pins are sheathed in a collar that sits inside the middle part of the link, in the form of a tube of similar length. This makes for a snug fit. Maybe try adding a collar to one to see if it makes a difference.

*WARNING: Omega parts are notoriously rip-off expensive, though.

Congrats on the purchase, and try to lower your expectations of its timekeeping tolerances to within single digits of seconds lost/gained. I have a gen SMP, and even its chronometer rating is listed as, "within -4 to +6 seconds per day (99.99% accuracy)..". Without fiddling with it, out of the box it gains only 2 - 2.45 seconds per day, but I consider myself lucky. It's a good thing I don't live/run my calendar to such tight tolerances! If you really want the tightest "fit" in this area, fit it with a quartz movement.

Edited April 29, 2008 by f5mando

[stj007]

Hello JuiceMaker,

I am also looking for this watch but AR and especially pictures I have seen at the pages of dealers are confusing me.

Dial looks blue-ish on pictures and I worry If its only because of camera shots or if it looks blue-ish in real life also.

I would love watches but I would like to wear them with black bracelet so all-in-black look is important for me.

Also - what do you think about quality of the rep after some time ?

Thaks a lot for your reply, and If you could post some more detailed pictures I would be very greatfull.

best regards

Edited May 13, 2008 by stj007

[JuiceMaker]

@ stj007,

I don't have any more pics of this rep.

after a couple of months wearing the same watch everyday, you kind of get "numb", it's not a novelty anymore & the excitement that once experienced at the very beginning seems to have diminished.

having said that, it's still a very high quality rep.

I don't get sick of the watch, just get accustomed to it.

sort of like the feeling between "dating" & "marriage" really, that's how I can best put it.

regarding the AR, this version has only 1-sided AR on the inside of the crystal, it's quite light, doesn't really do a good job like the gen of course, but it's just there to show the bluish reflection on certain angles.

believe me, this dial is purely "black" & the printing is crisp & sharp.

I'm also thinking of getting a genuine allagator/croc leather strap in the near future.

it would look really good & dressy with a nice suit.

[Toadtorrent]

after a couple of months wearing the same watch everyday, you kind of get "numb", it's not a novelty anymore & the excitement that once experienced at the very beginning seems to have diminished.

...

I don't get sick of the watch, just get accustomed to it.

sort of like the feeling between "dating" & "marriage" really, that's how I can best put it.

Unlike marriage...the best solution to this feeling is to get another rep!!

[stj007]

@ JuiceMaker - thanks for your reply

[Rolexman]

regarding the AR, this version has only 1-sided AR on the inside of the crystal, it's quite light, doesn't really do a good job like the gen of course, but it's just there to show the bluish reflection on certain angles.

The gen also has single sided AR and it's even less noticeable as the rep's. The gen's AR is more pink/plum.

[JuiceMaker]

Unlike marriage...the best solution to this feeling is to get another rep!!

well, you could always "divorce"???

& go through that exciting roller-coaster of initial infactuation of dating

The gen also has single sided AR and it's even less noticeable as the rep's. The gen's AR is more pink/plum.

it's a rep, it just doesn't "hide" the crystal that's all I meant.