New Speedmaster Date Review!

[whitestripes]

So I just received my black-dialed Speedmaster Date. I have a gen Speedy Pro, but it's a little big for my wrists and I hate how worried I am about it all the time, i.e. taking it off before a night at the bars, worrying about scratches, all the special care you give to a watch that cost thousands. Now don't get me wrong, I love the tool-ish nature of the dial and its history, which is why I got it in the first place. I love the hesalite dial, the way it gives a "soft," vintage look to the dial. I like looking at it from different angles and seeing the light play with the recessed subdials... Well, enough of the Pro, on to its little forgery of a brother, the Speedmaster Date.

When I first unwrapped it from the plastic wrap, I couldn't believe me eyes. The chrome hands and hour indices caught the light, a little bit of flash that the Pro lacks. The case is replicated perfectly, based on my trip to the AD--the twisty lugs are flawlessly done and the solid endlinks fit perfectly. The crystal has a light AR coating, seen as slightly purple.

I have found that 40mm is the ideal size for my wrist. I define ideal as the watch being centered on the flat part of my wrist, with a link or two of the bracelet being visible on the top and the bottom. I know the general consensus is "if the lugs don't hang off the sides, the watch is not too big," but I disagree with part of it-- if the lugs hang off the sides, then it's ridiculously big. Even if they don't hang off the sides, it might still be too big. My Speedy Pro, while I can see a link on the top and bottom is very near the border of too big for me. However, it's lack of flashy looks is ideal for a large watch. Here's a wrist shot, I apologize for the poor quality of the photo.

The gorgeous case back was a big selling point for me to get the rep. I absolutely LOVE the giant, polished seahorse. It is done very well and looks very gen. It was an excellent move on Omega's part to incorporate a larger version on all their new watches. I know display backs are all the rage these days, but a well done solid case back is always a beauty to behold. It has the anti-counterfeit Omega "globe", and a laser-etched serial on the lug, looks exactly like on my gen.

The bracelet is also of the newer, curved style (a la the Planet Ocean). It is very attractive, with a little bit of bling but not too busy like the Bond SMP. Unlike other reviews, I find all the links to fit well, and the sizing system is identical to the gen, using pins and collars. The clasp, however, is not as nice as the genuine. The engraving on the clasp is a little smaller than on the real one, but it is well done and does not betray its rep identity without a side-by-side, because a non-WIS, when looking at watch, is looking for quality as a sign of a real luxury watch, not the rehaut thickness or other nit picky things. The push buttons used to release the clasp are nowhere near as smooth as my gen, so I might oil the clasp a little to get that feeling. It locks very securely, though, which is the most important thing.

The movement is your typical Asian 7750, beating at 28,800 bph, so the chrono hand has that nice, gen sweep, smoother than my Pro, which runs at a leisurely 21,600 bph. The dial's printing is very crisp, and the small details all scream GEN! The date is perfectly aligned in the window. We all know the flaw with the writing being too close to the date window, and it is a little close, but definitely not touching and doesn't bother me at all. The logo has the incorrect "clown" feet, and is a little higher above the writing than in the gen. However, without being side by side with the gen you couldn't tell. If a gen dial becomes available, I will jump all over it. Hell, I might just try to source a flat feet Omega logo from Silix or something. The dial is good enough for me.

Lumewise, the hands have semi-decent lume for a rep, and the hour markers are abysmal. It's a rep, so no surprise here. The lume dots are so small on the gen that it wouldn't glow strongly anyway.

All in all, I am extremely satisfied with this replica. I have no problems wearing it out, and I highly doubt anyone will call me out. The quality of this rep has gotten me thinking about selling my Pro. Honestly, if this came out last year (when I was itching for the Pro or a good Date rep), I would have gotten this and never would have gotten the Pro. Now that I've had the Pro for a year, I've grown attached to it. It's a classic, and it's a gen. Yet one servicing, which I will be doing soon, will cost more than the Date rep. Sigh, the costs of a gen. I'm quite torn between selling it and keeping it. However, as By-Tor has said, "never sell a gen for a rep."

I can always decide later. The Speedy Pro will hold its value. I love the Speedmaster Date. I feel that it's overlooked in the rep world, with UPOs, IWC 3717s, the whole rash of super rep Breitlings, mostly, I feel, due to its small size.

Here's the gen. This is a beautiful watch. Omega certainly knows what a good watch should look like, without any leopard print or jewels everywhere.

[Greystash]

Thanks for posting whitestripes. Good read.

[coolfire]

Wonderful review dude...

Wear it in good health!

[capice]

tnx for sharing m8, great review, stunning watch