A little watch review for this weeks Speedy Tuesday topicOnce upon a time, the Speedmaster Reduced enjoyed existence within Omegas collection. Those days are past. In its place is the Speedmaster 38 collection. Omega doesnt feel it necessary to explicitly define this as a gents or a ladies watch, and were just fine with that. For some wrists, this unusual addition to the range will be exactly what theyve been searching forMy wife owns two Speedmaster watches. One of which is a Moonwatch model (42mm) and the other one is this Speedmaster Lady model in 38mm. She got it in 2013, and it was clearly marked as a ladies model. Last year, my mom bought herself a Speedmaster 38 Cappuccino with the oval dials we see in todays subject as well. So I am somewhat familiar with this watch, but todays Speedmaster 38 is in 18-carat gold whereas my mom has the bi-color version.
Speedmaster 38To be honest, it never occurred to me to give my wifes white Speedmaster a try myself nor to try on my moms Speedmaster 38 Cappuccino. It is not so much the size that doesnt appeal to me, but the color schemes of the watches. There is a? Speedmaster 38 that I wouldnt mind trying, which is the 324.30.38.50.01.001. It looks masculine and I think it is a model that would fit men and women.
Besides writing down some thoughts about the gold Speedmaster 38 324.63.38.50.02.004 that I have here, and leaving the specifications in the spec sheet below this article, I also will give you my wifes feedback on this Speedmaster 38. As an owner of both a Speedmaster 38mm and a 42mm Moonwatch, she has a decent insight of the pros and cons of each.
GreenUsing green has a been a thing in watches for a while now. Heck, we even have a green watch in our own webshop as we like it so much. In the case of this new Omega Speedmaster 38 reference 38 324.63.38.50.02.004, you will find green on the bezel, hands and, of course, the strap. It is a great combination and not so common on Speedmasters.
Co-AxialInside this gold Speedmaster 38 is a self-winding chronograph movement with column wheel mechanism and a Co-Axial escapement. I am talking about Omegas caliber 3330, of course. This movements base is the ETA A08.L01 but fitted with George Daniels invention, the Co-Axial escapement. The design of this movement is very close to the Valjoux 7753, on which the ETA A08.L01 is actually based.It has a power reserve of 54 hours, an operating frequency of 28,800vph, and chronometer certification. To be honest, both my mom and wife do not care about these things. They want a watch that worksflawlessly. When my wife unboxed her Speedmaster Moonwatch with caliber 1861, she told me it wasnt running. I dont have to explain to you why.
My wifes take on the Speedmaster 38While the specific stats of a movement are not of much interest to my wife, she wants it to operate without too much manual encouragement. That mens she either chooses quartz or automatic watches for herself. Having to wind the crown herself would result in a deeply furrowed brow. Thats something I (and Omega) would like to avoidYes, dear readers, not everyone knows the Moonwatch is a hand-wound watch. Thats something that should always be kept in mind when youre choosing your own Speedmaster. Luckily, this Speedmaster 38 (and her own white Speedmaster Lady 38mm) has an automatic movement. What I find interesting, is that she doesnt really love gold watches, but this one was one she didnt want to give back immediately. Now, it might be the case that she doesnt like my gold watches, but this watch was the first time she openly expressed an interest in yellow gold.
Proper UseIn the past, she had an issue with her Explorer that was about five minutes off every week, so that had to be regulated. And, I also have to say, that she actually uses her chronographs. More than I do. She uses her Speedmaster(s) when shes cooking, to keep track of things. It goes quite far because if shes wearing one of her three-hand watches, theres always a moment where she indicates I need to get one of her Speedmasters out of the safe. At that point, she really misses the functionality of the Speedmaster.
Looking goodBut in the end, she wants a watch to look good. And I guess that applies to most of us here. She tried on the yellow gold Omega Speedmaster 38 and simply said Can I keep this one?. I had to disappoint her (as always, of course), but it is actually the first time she has been that fond of a watch I bring home for review straight out of the box. It isnt only because of the yellow gold, but she loved its combination with green and (off)white.
Advancing the dateWhat Ive noticed, is that the dates on the Speedmaster of my wife and on the Cappuccino of my mom are never correctly set. Both watches, like this new Speedmaster 38 in gold, have a corrector in the case band. You receive a little tool with the watch, to push the corrector. But the truth is, they just dont do this. It is too much of a hassle, and they dont feel comfortable sticking pointy things into their watch. So either they ask me to do it for them, or they just leave it. In most cases, it is the latter. I hope that Omega will come with a proper solution for this with future chronograph movements for small(er) cases.My take on the Speedmaster 38Youre not here to read my wifes take on the gold Omega Speedmaster 38, I guess, but I just wanted to share that experience with you. How she changed from I dont like gold watches to I dont want to give it back after seeing this specific watch. To be honest, I was not super excited when I saw this specific configuration in the press release earlier this year (May). But, in the metal, things start to look different. I find this to be the case with many watches out there. Watches often look so static on a product page. No reflections, no depth, lack of intensity of the colors, and so on. That was one of the reasons I did not fancy the digital releases at Watches Wonders so much, or basically any other digital-only release this year. More than ever, I realize you definitely need to see a watch in the flesh before giving a verdict.
The version with diamond bezelFor LadiesIn my opinion, the Speedmaster 38 is not a collection for ladies only. If you have small(er) wrists, or just like the looks, more power to youI do feel that the gold Speedmaster 38 ref. 324.63.38.50.02.004 in this review is for ladies though. Omega isnt very outspoken when it comes to this collection, and perhaps it is considered unisex, but I think the real target of these watches is women. I do like the size though, especially if you have small(er) wrists, 38mm has proven to be a great size for a Speedmaster.A successor to the Speedmaster Reduced?The Speedmaster Reduced 3510.10 (that we compared to the Moonwatch here) picked up in demand over the years, so theres room for a smaller Speedmaster. I have a Hodinkee H10 Speedmaster, Speedmaster 57 60th anniversary, and the new Speedmaster Caliber 321, all in 39.7mm, and that also really works for me. On my 19cm wrists, the Speedmaster 38 is just a tad small. But also here, you have to try it yourself.A faithful successor to the Speedmaster Reduced it is not. Neither this gold model nor the Speedmaster 38 with black dial and bezel share much in common with the occasionally missed Reduced. The Speedmaster Reduced is a smaller version, or interpretation, of the Moonwatch, and the Speedmaster 38 models arent that.
Price and AvailabilityThe Omega Speedmaster 38 Co-Axial Chronograph reference 324.63.38.50.02.004 has a retail price of 14,800 and is available in the Omega boutiques and via the brands own e-commerce channel. I think it looks amazing on a womans wrist. The Speedmaster 38 in gold ticks a lot of boxes. The brushed gold always looks stunning on the Speedmaster, the green combines very nicely with gold, and the solid gold case back is simply beautiful. Theres something about solid gold case backs (as opposed to a sapphire crystal to see the movement) that I really like. Also, the watch is water-resistant to 100 meters. I hope that, at some point, all Speedmaster can have this WR rate.More information via Omega online. All our Speedmaster articles can be found here.Watch specificationsBrandOmegaModelSpeedmaster 38 Co-Axial ChronographReference324.63.38.50.02.004DialOpaline silveryCase Material18 carat yellow goldCase DimensionsDiameter: 38mmCrystalSapphireCase Back18-carat yellow gold with Seahorse medallionMovementCaliber 3330, ETA A08.L01 base, self-winding chronograph with column-wheel mechanism, Co-Axial escapement, power reserve: 54 hours, chronometer certified, ticking speed: 28800vphWater Resistance100 meters / 10 barStrapAlligator in green with 18-carat gold folding claspFunctionsTime, Date, Chronograph, TachymeterPrice14800WarrantyFive years of international warranty
Speedmaster 38To be honest, it never occurred to me to give my wifes white Speedmaster a try myself nor to try on my moms Speedmaster 38 Cappuccino. It is not so much the size that doesnt appeal to me, but the color schemes of the watches. There is a? Speedmaster 38 that I wouldnt mind trying, which is the 324.30.38.50.01.001. It looks masculine and I think it is a model that would fit men and women.Besides writing down some thoughts about the gold Speedmaster 38 324.63.38.50.02.004 that I have here, and leaving the specifications in the spec sheet below this article, I also will give you my wifes feedback on this Speedmaster 38. As an owner of both a Speedmaster 38mm and a 42mm Moonwatch, she has a decent insight of the pros and cons of each.GreenUsing green has a been a thing in watches for a while now. Heck, we even have a green watch in our own webshop as we like it so much. In the case of this new Omega Speedmaster 38 reference 38 324.63.38.50.02.004, you will find green on the bezel, hands and, of course, the strap. It is a great combination and not so common on Speedmasters.Co-AxialInside this gold Speedmaster 38 is a self-winding chronograph movement with column wheel mechanism and a Co-Axial escapement. I am talking about Omegas caliber 3330, of course. This movements base is the ETA A08.L01 but fitted with George Daniels invention, the Co-Axial escapement. The design of this movement is very close to the Valjoux 7753, on which the ETA A08.L01 is actually based.It has a power reserve of 54 hours, an operating frequency of 28,800vph, and chronometer certification. To be honest, both my mom and wife do not care about these things. They want a watch that worksflawlessly. When my wife unboxed her Speedmaster Moonwatch with caliber 1861, she told me it wasnt running. I dont have to explain to you why.My wifes take on the Speedmaster 38While the specific stats of a movement are not of much interest to my wife, she wants it to operate without too much manual encouragement. That mens she either chooses quartz or automatic watches for herself. Having to wind the crown herself would result in a deeply furrowed brow. Thats something I (and Omega) would like to avoidYes, dear readers, not everyone knows the Moonwatch is a hand-wound watch. Thats something that should always be kept in mind when youre choosing your own Speedmaster. Luckily, this Speedmaster 38 (and her own white Speedmaster Lady 38mm) has an automatic movement. What I find interesting, is that she doesnt really love gold watches, but this one was one she didnt want to give back immediately. Now, it might be the case that she doesnt like my gold watches, but this watch was the first time she openly expressed an interest in yellow gold.Proper UseIn the past, she had an issue with her Explorer that was about five minutes off every week, so that had to be regulated. And, I also have to say, that she actually uses her chronographs. More than I do. She uses her Speedmaster(s) when shes cooking, to keep track of things. It goes quite far because if shes wearing one of her three-hand watches, theres always a moment where she indicates I need to get one of her Speedmasters out of the safe. At that point, she really misses the functionality of the Speedmaster.Looking goodBut in the end, she wants a watch to look good. And I guess that applies to most of us here. She tried on the yellow gold Omega Speedmaster 38 and simply said Can I keep this one?. I had to disappoint her (as always, of course), but it is actually the first time she has been that fond of a watch I bring home for review straight out of the box. It isnt only because of the yellow gold, but she loved its combination with green and (off)white.Advancing the dateWhat Ive noticed, is that the dates on the Speedmaster of my wife and on the Cappuccino of my mom are never correctly set. Both watches, like this new Speedmaster 38 in gold, have a corrector in the case band. You receive a little tool with the watch, to push the corrector. But the truth is, they just dont do this. It is too much of a hassle, and they dont feel comfortable sticking pointy things into their watch. So either they ask me to do it for them, or they just leave it. In most cases, it is the latter. I hope that Omega will come with a proper solution for this with future chronograph movements for small(er) cases.My take on the Speedmaster 38Youre not here to read my wifes take on the gold Omega Speedmaster 38, I guess, but I just wanted to share that experience with you. How she changed from I dont like gold watches to I dont want to give it back after seeing this specific watch. To be honest, I was not super excited when I saw this specific configuration in the press release earlier this year (May). But, in the metal, things start to look different. I find this to be the case with many watches out there. Watches often look so static on a product page. No reflections, no depth, lack of intensity of the colors, and so on. That was one of the reasons I did not fancy the digital releases at Watches Wonders so much, or basically any other digital-only release this year. More than ever, I realize you definitely need to see a watch in the flesh before giving a verdict.The version with diamond bezelFor LadiesIn my opinion, the Speedmaster 38 is not a collection for ladies only. If you have small(er) wrists, or just like the looks, more power to youI do feel that the gold Speedmaster 38 ref. 324.63.38.50.02.004 in this review is for ladies though. Omega isnt very outspoken when it comes to this collection, and perhaps it is considered unisex, but I think the real target of these watches is women. I do like the size though, especially if you have small(er) wrists, 38mm has proven to be a great size for a Speedmaster.A successor to the Speedmaster Reduced?The Speedmaster Reduced 3510.10 (that we compared to the Moonwatch here) picked up in demand over the years, so theres room for a smaller Speedmaster. I have a Hodinkee H10 Speedmaster, Speedmaster 57 60th anniversary, and the new Speedmaster Caliber 321, all in 39.7mm, and that also really works for me. On my 19cm wrists, the Speedmaster 38 is just a tad small. But also here, you have to try it yourself.A faithful successor to the Speedmaster Reduced it is not. Neither this gold model nor the Speedmaster 38 with black dial and bezel share much in common with the occasionally missed Reduced. The Speedmaster Reduced is a smaller version, or interpretation, of the Moonwatch, and the Speedmaster 38 models arent that.Price and AvailabilityThe Omega Speedmaster 38 Co-Axial Chronograph reference 324.63.38.50.02.004 has a retail price of 14,800 and is available in the Omega boutiques and via the brands own e-commerce channel. I think it looks amazing on a womans wrist. The Speedmaster 38 in gold ticks a lot of boxes. The brushed gold always looks stunning on the Speedmaster, the green combines very nicely with gold, and the solid gold case back is simply beautiful. Theres something about solid gold case backs (as opposed to a sapphire crystal to see the movement) that I really like. Also, the watch is water-resistant to 100 meters. I hope that, at some point, all Speedmaster can have this WR rate.More information via Omega online. All our Speedmaster articles can be found here.Watch specificationsBrandOmegaModelSpeedmaster 38 Co-Axial ChronographReference324.63.38.50.02.004DialOpaline silveryCase Material18 carat yellow goldCase DimensionsDiameter: 38mmCrystalSapphireCase Back18-carat yellow gold with Seahorse medallionMovementCaliber 3330, ETA A08.L01 base, self-winding chronograph with column-wheel mechanism, Co-Axial escapement, power reserve: 54 hours, chronometer certified, ticking speed: 28800vphWater Resistance100 meters / 10 barStrapAlligator in green with 18-carat gold folding claspFunctionsTime, Date, Chronograph, TachymeterPrice14800WarrantyFive years of international warranty