Omega Speedmaster Reduced

I asked about the Omega Speedmaster Reduced on the Speedy thread but was advised to start a separate thread. My mate is on the verge of pulling the trigger. He's skinny wristed and thinks a 42mm Speedy would be too big/look daft on him (hasn't actually tried one on).

I had no awareness of the Reduced but a quick bit of googling and I think I'm right in saying they have an automatic movement (whereas the Speedy is mechanical - is this right?) and are smaller in size. Has anyone any experience of these watches? Are they a good alternative or a bit of a poor man's copy? Don't want to see my mate waste money but I have no experience or knowledge on the subject from to offer advice.

Thing is, its not a copy, a shrunk-down thing, but the same furniture rearranged in a smaller room

https://omegaforums.net/data/attachm...a4a047372f.jpg

Here's a nice article: https://www.fratellowatches.com/spee...nal-moonwatch/

The Speedy reduced came with a Valjoux 7750.
Initially came with a hesalite crystal but were then updated with sapphire crystal & a slightly better clasp.

Owned one roughly 9 years ago, nice watch for someone with small wrists

Here is another (old) article about the standard Sp Reduced: Thoughts on the Speedmaster Reduced.

Generally one thinks of the 3510.50.00 but I'd prefer the 3539.50.00, the version with a sapphire crystal and without numerals from 2007.

There are a variety of other models, bi-colour with gold highlights, different dials (eg panda) etc, many of them made for the Japanese market. I have a white dial version (link). And that's before you get to the Schumacher models.

I looked at both before getting my SP, slightly smaller was appealing but in reality a Moon-watch has to be mechanical in my mind.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Van Diemen

The Speedy reduced came with a Valjoux 7750.

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I thought running seconds at 3 o'clock indicated a chrono module?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Van Diemen

The Speedy reduced came with a Valjoux 7750.
Initially came with a hesalite crystal but were then updated with sapphire crystal & a slightly better clasp.

Owned one roughly 9 years ago, nice watch for someone with small wrists

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I believe the movement is a 2890 ETA with a Dubois Depraz Module top mounted. While they're a bit expensive to have serviced, once working they are an excellent Speedy for those with smaller wrists (like myself). The advantage of the 3510-50 is the hesalite crystal, easy to keep in good nick with a little polywatch and the high rise hesalite mirrors the original Speedmaster. Tres vintage.

The Speedy Reduced is a great watch. I owned one and loved it. That said, I sold it and now have a Speedy Pro (for the second time), which I genuinely like a lot more.

I also have smaller wrists and thought the Reduced would look better. If I'm honest with myself though, I also bought the Reduced because at the time that's all I had the funds to afford. If I had to do over again, I would have waited and saved more money for the Pro.

Here are a few key points to consider:

- The Pro is only 42mm because of the asymmetric case
- The bezel, which is most prominent to the eye, is only 40mm and therefore the Pro wears like a 40mm watch
- Wrist size is relative: the same diameter wrists can look different due to height and width
- Lug length is a very important factor: the Seiko Tuna is a large watch, but its lack of lugs makes it wear much smaller
- It's all relative, but the Reduced is actually a pretty small watch, with a visible diameter (i.e. the bezel) of only 37mm
- The Speedy FOIS is an in between alternative re: size, but its hand aren't nearly as legible, which kills it for me
- Some will argue this, but there is definitely something cool about wearing the actual NASA-spec moon watch
- You'll probably read comments that the auto movement in the Reduced isn't robust compare to the manual in the Pro (I have yet to see any definitive evidence to support that claim)
- Some people complain about having to wind the Pro in the morning, but it actually takes only 20 seconds or less
- Bottom line, your friend should definitely try on the Pro and FOIS (and Reduced if he can find one) - internet pics can never compete with seeing them in real life

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Der Amf

I thought running seconds at 3 o'clock indicated a chrono module?

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Indeed, you are correct. See my earlier post.

I had a reduced as well and it was a great watch and being an automatic was a positive for me because when I had a 42mm Snoopy it kept stopping because I kept forgetting to wind it - my fault totally, but I do tend to stay away from manual winds these days.

There wasn't a lot in it size wise and a third of the price of a moonwatch.

To the best of my knowledge, the early models used the c1140/1143 and the later ones the 3220...all of which are based on the ETA 2892 and have an additional chronograph module by Dubois-Depraz. There is more about these movements in a old thread: link. See also WatchWiki.

I thought about a Speedmaster reduced because I often prefer smaller watches. But once I tried the Moonwatch on my wrist, I knew it had to be that one.

I stand corrected, it is an ETA 2892.

The 3539.50.00 IMO is the better watch, the clasp alone was much better, not seen many for sale though.

I too looked @ the Speedy Pro when I bought my Reduced. But for me the the Pro just did not work, loved the look of it but it sat far too high on my wrist

A Speedmaster reduced was my first nice watch, I bought it when I was 21. I wanted the pro but could not afford it. It was a lovely watch but it was a little small for my wrist in my eyes and I wanted the Pro. So a few years ago I sold it and bought the Pro, reduced prices went a bit mental as soon as I sold it and they were soon selling for twice the price I sold mine for. That said I have never missed the reduced as I much prefer the proportions of the professional.

Would the 324.30.38.50.01.001 be the modern equvalent?

Yes it would. There were also models using the 7750 family of movements known as the Speedmaster Date and Speedmaster Triple Date (Mk40). These were slightly smaller than the Pro but a little deep. Just to complicate matters, there have also been automatic models in the full size Pro case and more recently, even larger 2 register Speedmasters using the in house auto movement. It's complicated!

I think they’re lovely pieces of gear. Too many read into the Reduced vs Pro and try to justify the nuances between them.

To me, (mine is the 3539.50 - call it Mk2 Reduced), it has the all-round convenience of an Auto, a saphire crystal (hate Perspex) and the killer dial clarity of the Pro without the extra 5 minute markers. The bracelet like the one on the Pro is über comfortable.

Ive recently had it serviced by WWM and it would seem to present no difficulty in doing so, no issues in parts or complexity or in pricing.

https://imgur.com/DV9f2hZ

I wouldn’t hesitate in getting one again and if I see a good priced 3539.50 again will probably do so and bastardise it with a panda dial.

Don’t.... too small [emoji844][emoji23]











I’ll get me coat.


(That’s for the longer standing members)

Thanks for the responses, links to other articles etc gents. I'll be sure to share the wisdom with my pal 👍

Speedy Reduced 3510.50 is the only watch I’ve ever had from new, I got mine as a long service award from work in 2004. List price was around £950 in those days.

I find the Speedy pro wears a bit too big for my liking, the Reduced suits me far better at around 38-39 mm depending where you measure from. My only critcism is the small numbers around the dial, makes it look a tad cluttered.

The movement gets criticised, but there’s nothing wrong with it in my view. The horror stories about servicing the chrono module are ill- founded, I’ve stripped one down and it wasn’t too bad to work on. Biggest worry is parts availability .......or lack of......lots of tiny parts in the chrono module so you have to take great care not to lose anything. Not my favourite watch to work on, I’m never enthusiastic about working on chronos, but there’s nothing wrong with it. The basic movement is straightforward to service and the chrono module separates easily, both can be serviced separately. Official Service data is freely available on the internet although the different versions contradict each other in places!

The bracelet isn’t as substantial as the Speedy Pro but it’s OK, I prefer lighter bracelets anyway.

Prices of these watches have risen over the past few years despite the totally undeserved ‘poor mans moonwatch’ tag. I’m happy with mine and I’m definitely happy with the size........I wouldn’t wear a jacket or shirt that’s too big so why would I wear a watch too big?

The Spedy date models, using the valjoux 7750, are a similar size but that’s the only similarity. The cases are slightly deeper, the sub- dial spacing’s different, the crystal’s sapphire and the bracelet’s different. I own a bimetal version that’s rare, a nice watch in it’s own right but a different beast to the 3510.50.

Paul

I have had schumacher reduced with black chequered dial from new, it's been a great watch. It has one of the nicest dials ever to grace a speedmaster and the touch of red really makes it pop.

https://gallery.seloc.org/albums/use...08/image95.jpg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Der Amf

Thing is, its not a copy, a shrunk-down thing, but the same furniture rearranged in a smaller room

https://omegaforums.net/data/attachm...a4a047372f.jpg

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I've tried to like them both, but to my eyes, whether it's an acknowledged classic or not, the sub-dial layout doesn't look quite right on either version. On the full-sized Speedy, they're too close together and on the 'reduced' they're too far apart. (Just my personal opinion).
Do you happen to know the respective distances between their 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock sub-dial centres ?
In a 40mm (+/- 2mm) tri-compax chrono', 15mm always seemed like a 'sweet spot' to me - but then I'm biased.

http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/...3-P1050050.jpg

The reduced is becoming a classic on its own merits if you ask me and prices reflect this.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...28616df09f.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Agreed, it does seem to be held in higher esteem thesedays.

I think of mine as a smaller version of the Speedy Pro, on the wrist the effect's pretty much the same but (for me) a more wearable size.