Reply With QuoteI like the steel one the most! Presents good value as well... as compared to snoopy / other limited edition Speedies. The blue side of the moon seems very blue... (the case as well) but I've never seen one in person so it might look good that way?
Here is something slightly different for you. Following on from the Moonphase watches thread and to some degree the Omega Speedmaster Snoopy thread, I thought I would seek some opinions on which of these three watches is the more viable contender.
Let's start by saying there will be haters, purists struggle to accept any moon watch that hasn't got a standard black dial. That is fair enough and we all know that Omega will milk the model for all it's worth, hence the current Snoopy frenzy with dealers asking £22k for an £8k watch that is due to hit the shops soon.
Back to this, the Omega Speedmaster Moonphase originally released late 2016 in various colours and materials. For the sake of this thread let's stick to the Blue dial and start with the standard steel version.
The watch has a lovely sunburst Blue dial and the NASA picture of the moon featuring the famous footprint.
A few years back I had the choice between the Blue and Black dial in a trade with Watchfinder and chose the Black dial purely because it came on a bracelet rather than the blue leather strap and deployant that comes with the Blue.
The bracelet was stunning by Omega standards with screw pins, half links and easy clasp sliding adjustments. Anyway, me being me the watch got traded on.
The yearning for the Blue dial has never left me hence this ramble.
The second choice was released a few years later and is the Blue side of the moon with a Blue Ceramic case.
This also comes on the same Blue strap, but also features a Blue Ceramic and titanium deployant. This is probably my least favourite of the three, but it would be unfair to describe it as dull, but there is certainly a lot of Blue going on there. Too much perhaps, maybe...
The killer here was the removal of the NASA moon and replacing it with a silver disc. Personally, and it's just my opinion, I think Omega made a mistake doing this, but it was in line with what they did to the more expensive PM versions of the watch.
The third version will really divide opinion. This is like a firework display on a watch face, lots going on.
For those who like detail:
"The dial is perhaps the most eye-catching detail of this watch as it is made from blue aventurine glass and includes 18K Sedna™ gold indexes and hands as well as a date hand with red tips. At 6 o’clock, you can find the Moonphase indication, which features a blue enamel aventurine glass Moonphase disc (patent pending) with near and far sides of the moon in Sedna™ gold."
I appreciate to some, this watch is on a par with putting a diamond dot dial on a Submariner, but boy it works.
I think this version manages to break up the Blue a bit more than the previous watch does and the gold moon is somehow more acceptable.
Having owned the steel Black dial it was the only watch that I have owned (out of several hundred) that I felt the need to buy a watch winder for. If you wear the watch in rotation with others, resetting everything is a bit of a faff. However, if buying one of these as a final one watch solution, that wouldn't be an issue at all.
RRP on these is steel £8k+, Blue side of the moon £10k+ and another grand (£11k+) for the aventurine dial, but all are easily sourced with discount.
Decisions, decisions or do I forget about the above and wait for the Snoopy to hit the shops, which by strange coincidence is also Blue.
I haven't reached any conclusion yet, but in a head verses heart type situation the head would probably advise me to buy the steel version and order a bracelet at the same time, whilst my heart would say ignore all that guff and go for aventurine dial.
Last edited by Wallasey Runner; 17th February 2021 at 13:46.
I like the steel one the most! Presents good value as well... as compared to snoopy / other limited edition Speedies. The blue side of the moon seems very blue... (the case as well) but I've never seen one in person so it might look good that way?
A few years back I did try on one of the 'Side of the Moon' watches on in Goldsmiths and I couldn't believe how light it was with the Ceramic case. Back then that was an issue to me, but now it is probably a tick in the box as overall weight has become more important to me. Maybe I'm getting old and no longer enjoy wearing something that weighs the same as half a house brick.
I agree - tried on the meteorite dark side of the moon a while back, it's unbelievably light and built very wellOriginally Posted by Wallasey Runner
I tried on the steel version and was surprised it didn't feel like it wore as large as the diameter would suggest. Even having a small wrist, I almost felt I could get away with it. It was fairly chunky though.
This is the trouble the actual model I would like doesn’t exist and that would be the aventurine dial with the gold accents but with the NASA moon with footprint in a steel case!
I just find that the blue ceramic case looks a bit cheap in certain lights with the blue being very bright. I also find the watch very thick which was a killer for me.
But if I need to provide a preference Oder then it would be
Watch 3, then 1 then 2!
Notwithstanding the size the thing, the first one is by far the nicest.
Just wait...you know you want this one.
Totally agree, but I would add both a bracelet and the blue leather strap in the package.
For about £15k you could buy both watches 1 & 3 and get a watch guy to create the perfect watch.
I remember a Steinhart collector doing something similar. Buying a limited edition and a bog standard GMT and came up with a stunning watch by changing the dial and hands. Unfortunately all the rejected parts put together for the second watch did look a bit like a dogs dinner, but I don't he was bothered about that.
On the steel front, watches.co.uk have a Blue (Dec 2020) which is brand new and is about £1.8k below list, which isn't bad. Problem is few people buy them and even fewer end up on the second hand market. From my experience Omega main dealers tend to pass them onto the greys in order to achieve sales figures. My Black dial from Watchfinder was three weeks old when I got it and was still covered in stickers etc.
The chances of finding Number 3 second hand is virtually nil.
I think you are probably right. Be nice if Omega could release a few though and hopefully those dealers asking £22k might be forced to have a rethink...
Based on those images it would be the all blue version for me, however if the ceramic case is the same shade as the Planet Ocean ‘Irn Bru’ it looks a bit plasticky in real life. If that’s the case I would go steel, although the snoopy would be my first choice, just for the case back.
The blue ceramic is horrific. The first one easily the nicest imho
Thanks guys,
I think steel is the way to go. I thought I would throw in a picture of the Black on a bracelet and I'm guessing most would suggest that is better than all three of the Blue watches?
From tasteful to ghastly in two steps.
Don't just do something, sit there. - TNH
Steel one for me, but (while I usually like a blue dial) I prefer the black dial one.
The moonphase Speedmaster Pro, though, is about the only non-bog-standard model I really like.
M
Breitling Cosmonaute 809 - What's not to like?
Yep that’s a cracker. Would like to see it with an aventurine dial.Thanks guys,
I think steel is the way to go. I thought I would throw in a picture of the Black on a bracelet and I'm guessing most would suggest that is better than all three of the Blue watches?
Certainly steel for me and the black works best for my eye.
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God I've done some stupid deals in the past, but this has to be one of my worst.
https://omegaforums.net/threads/omeg...tomatic.79145/
Offered for £5.1k inc £500 worth of Omega Cordura strap, Omega deployant and a watch winder and no takers.
As I recall the watch went back to Watchfinder.
The steel case version is a lovely watch.
that is a little painful indeed Ken... surprising that no one from the omegaforum (even) took it...
Last edited by tommyzzj; 17th February 2021 at 20:44.
For me - the adventurine - I really like the dial on it and it is something extra - I bet the bezel markers glow in the dark?
(fratello site)
Last edited by MartynJC (UK); 17th February 2021 at 20:47.
I don't think they do Martyn, just gold liquid metal cased within the Ceramic bezel. Shame really, would have made it look much better in low light. I have seen some stunning photos of this watch.
Without hesitation the steel model for me....
I have the steel version on the bracelet. It's my favourite watch. I have handled both of the ceramic versions. The only positive, with either of them, was the reduced weight but this didn't offset the downsides, too blue and to my eye a less interesting dial and moon phase disc.
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Stunning!For me - the adventurine - I really like the dial on it and it is something extra - I bet the bezel markers glow in the dark?
(fratello site)
I tried on the Blue ceramic version and was very disappointed, the Blue ceramic looked plastic and the moon looked like a 70’s disco ball so I consequently went with the much nicer IMHO steel version with Blue dial and your right about the bracelet, it’s worth having so I bought that as well, I absolutely love this watch, I nearly sold it a few times but ultimately just couldn’t part with it as I believe this is one of the best Moonphase watches out there.
The NASA photo realistic image of the moon looks spectacular, when you consider the stunning Blue lacquered Dial, Liquid Metal bezel and the excellence of the METAS movement it’s hard to understand why it isn’t more popular especially when you think about the Speedmaster being synonymous with the Moon.
Normally Moonphase watches are quite delicate with poor water resistance due to the usual Moonphase adjusters on the side of the case whereas with this model you adjust the Moonphase with the crown therefore it still has a very reasonable 100m water resistance so makes an ideal daily wearer or even holiday watch.
I think this guy sums up this watch perfectly; https://youtu.be/-RgAVEBdsfs
Last edited by shalako; 19th February 2021 at 00:06.
Steel by a mile.
Thanks for the input guys, especially from those current owners. Always good to hear what people who have owned the watch for a while actually think about it.
I was looking for a special watch as a 60th birthday present to myself for later this year, but as we know with these watches the list price is high and we then have to go through the ritual of securing the best discount to make the purchase worthwhile, which isn't easy at present with everywhere being shut. Haggling face to face is always easier in my opinion.
Anyway, to cut a long story short I have ordered a Grand Seiko for the birthday present, but will keep an eye out for a steel Blue or Black dial Moonphase. If any of the current owners suddenly decide to sell, do please let me know and I will also wait for those times of the year when the dealer sites have sales or offers on. The good thing here that as a 4/5 year old watch now there is a better chance that one may appear in a sale than something a lot newer to the market.
I am still fascinated by that aventurine dial and would love to see one of those in the flesh when the stores reopen.
Anyway, if anyone sees anything on a dealers website heavily discounted, please shout
Great choice, can’t go wrong with Grand Seiko either, which one did you order?Thanks for the input guys, especially from those current owners. Always good to hear what people who have owned the watch for a while actually think about it.
I was looking for a special watch as a 60th birthday present to myself for later this year, but as we know with these watches the list price is high and we then have to go through the ritual of securing the best discount to make the purchase worthwhile, which isn't easy at present with everywhere being shut. Haggling face to face is always easier in my opinion.
Anyway, to cut a long story short I have ordered a Grand Seiko for the birthday present, but will keep an eye out for a steel Blue or Black dial Moonphase. If any of the current owners suddenly decide to sell, do please let me know and I will also wait for those times of the year when the dealer sites have sales or offers on. The good thing here that as a 4/5 year old watch now there is a better chance that one may appear in a sale than something a lot newer to the market.
I am still fascinated by that aventurine dial and would love to see one of those in the flesh when the stores reopen.
Anyway, if anyone sees anything on a dealers website heavily discounted, please shout
I ordered the White Birch, formally released on 1st March (photos borrowed from the web):
That dial looks incredible, I used to have the GS Snowflake but that looks even more beautiful, look forward to seeing some pictures when it arrives.
Just seen this thread, Ken. As with others I think the steel is far and away the nicest of the three and the one I would buy without hesitation.
As a former owner of a blue dial blue bezel Speedmaster Pro Gemini 4 which I sold because it was too small even though I loved it, that blue moonphase really speaks to me.
Simon
I’m loving the new GS white birch. That and the Snowflakes ( winter ?? included )
Congratulations on the 60th Burfday Present. I hope you love it.
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That aventurine model looks like something the protagonist of Uncut Gems would wear.
The relief makes the moon resemble a gilded chocolate chip cookie.
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