The Omega Speedmaster hardly needs an introduction. It is one of the most sought-after luxury watches on the market today, with countless variations to its name. Some models have soared to astronomical heights (figuratively and literally), while others have stayed fairly under the radar. This list includes five underrated Omega Speedmaster models often overlooked by the average collector.
Omega Speedmaster Apollo XI Ref. BA 345.0802
We dug deep for the first watch on our list, but that might be what makes it such an underrated Speedy. Avid collectors might already be familiar with ref. 345.0808, the first stainless steel Speedmaster with a transparent case back, but what about gold? When the Omega ref. 345.0802 hit the market just a few years before the stainless steel model in 1980, it was the first Speedmaster ever to sport an exhibition case back. That history alone makes it worthy of our list. Moreover, this watch is considered quite rare. Even though it was produced for the better part of the 1980s, only approximately 300 watches were made.
Apollo XI pays tribute to various space-exploration milestones in Speedmaster history, including the first watch worn on the Moon during the 1969 Apollo II mission. As far as gold luxury watches go, it is quite exceptional. It has the classic Moon Watch design set, including an asymmetrical case, Hesalite crystal, Tachymeter bezel, and chronograph pushers. If you were to flip the watch over, you would have a nice view of the manual winding caliber 816, which famously replaced the legendary caliber 321 in the late 1960s.
Like many Omega Speedmaster models, the case back is decorated with commemorative engravings, including “Apollo XI 1969” and “First Watch Worn on the Moon.” For now, this watch still trades hands for a relatively reasonable Omega Speedmaster price, all things considered – Sotheby’s sold a ref. 345.0802 in 2023 for around $25,000.
Omega Speedmaster Apollo XI Specs:
Reference: | BA 345.0802 |
Material: | 18k Yellow Gold |
Case Size: | 41mm |
Bracelet: | Integrated/Folding Clasp |
Bezel: | Tachymeter/Acrylic Inlay |
Crystal: | Hesalite/Sapphire Case Back |
Movement: | Caliber 816 Manual-Winding |
Market Price (Feb. 2024): | Approx. $25,000 – $35,000 |
Omega Speedmaster ’57 Ref. 332.10.41.51.03.001
Omega released the Speedmaster ’57 in 2013. It’s a fascinating homage to Omega’s past that still flies under most collectors’ radars and has attractive resell prices. Many iterations that honor Speedy design elements, both old and new, have hit the market since 2013, including ref. 332.10.41.51.03.001, which sports a contemporary blue PVD dial with crisp white luminescent hour markers and hands and a much more streamlined profile than previous editions of the watch. Of course, it still honors its past with charming broad arrow-style hands, straight lugs, pump-style side pushers, and retro brushed stainless steel tachymeter bezel like the original 1957 Omega.
This watch hails from the newly upgraded generation released in 2022, featuring a slimmed-down profile, a more compact 40.5mm case, and a Master Chronometer manual-winding movement instead of automatic. While examples of the modern ’57 model with fauxtina Super-LumiNova have their appeal, the white material on this watch keeps it anchored in the present. One also can’t help but appreciate the symmetry of the bi-compax dial and date centered perfectly at 6 o’clock.
Omega Speedmaster ’57 Specs:
Reference: | 332.10.41.51.03.001 |
Material: | Stainless Steel |
Case Size: | 40.5mm |
Dial: | Blue/White Super-LumiNova |
Bracelet: | Stainless Steel/Foldover Clasp w/ Comfort Setting |
Bezel: | Tachymeter/Stainless Steel |
Crystal: | Sapphire |
Movement: | Caliber 9906 Manual-Winding |
Last MSRP (Discontinued as of 2024): | $9,500 |
Market Price (Feb. 2024): | Approx. $7,600 |
Speedmaster Racing Ref. 329.30.44.51.04.001
There isn’t as much chatter about the Omega Speedmaster Racing within the watch-collecting community as there is for the Moon Watch. These Omega Speedmaster models don’t have the same lunar heritage as the Speedmaster Pro, and the design is more deeply rooted in the collection’s motorsport past, featuring a distinctive checkered minute track. With the modern collection featuring a Master Chronometer automatic movement and some fairly attractive resell prices, it’s worth considering if you’re in the market for something other than a typical variation of the Moon Watch.
The first Speedmaster Racing dials are said to have appeared in very limited production runs during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Omega also produced notable editions for racing legends Michael Andretti and Michael Schumacher in the 1990s. Fast-forward to 2017 and the modern ref. 329.30.44.51.04.004, which is easily one of the best Racing watches in production today. It features the Omega self-winding caliber 9900, complete with a Master Chronometer rating and twin registers for the dial. While older editions of the Racing were quite colorful and polarizing, Omega has kept it classy on the modern lineup, decorating the dial with only a few orange elements.
Speedmaster Racing Specs:
Reference: | 329.30.44.51.04.001 |
Material: | Stainless Steel |
Case Size: | 44.25mm |
Dial: | White/Orange w/ Super-LumiNova |
Bracelet: | Stainless Steel/ Foldover Clasp w/ Comfort Setting |
Bezel: | Tachymeter/Black Ceramic |
Crystal: | Sapphire |
Movement: | Caliber 9900 Self-Winding |
MSRP (Feb. 2024): | $9,600 |
Market Price (Feb. 2024): | Approx. $6,000 |
Speedmaster Moon to Mars Ref. 3577.50.00
This next watch is only borderline underrated because it has gained traction over the years as a collectible numbered-edition Omega watch. Prices climbed steadily, year after year, but have since cooled alongside the rest of the pre-owned market luxury watch market in early 2024. Ref. 3577.50.00 was released twenty years ago, so some inflation is expected, but prices are nearly double the original 2004 retail price of $4,800. It hasn’t always been a collector favorite with its quirky dial and low-res sub-dial images that are prone to fading, but it has slowly gained some attention among other Omega Speedmaster models. We don’t expect it to become as popular as the Omega Snoopy Speedmasters, though.
From the Earth to the Moon, and now from the Moon to Mars. The numbered edition Speedmaster released at Basel World 2004 celebrates a rather ambitious goal to one day build a permanent space station on the Moon, which would act as a pit-stop before heading off into space for the Red Planet. Instead of traditional chronograph registers, ref. 3577.50.00 features realistic images of the Earth, Moon, and Mars, with text reading, “From the Moon to Mars,” symbolically connecting the two celestial bodies. It’s an eccentric and underrated edition of the traditional Omega Moon Watch.
At the same time, ref. 3577.50.00 honors its space exploration roots with a Hesalite crystal and manual-winding movement, specifically the caliber 1861, which replaced the caliber 861 mentioned at the beginning of this guide in the late 1990s. Unique dial aside, this model isn’t too different than the classic Moon Watch ref. 3570.50 produced during the same era.
Speedmaster Moon to Mars Specs:
Reference: | 3577.50.00 |
Material: | Stainless Steel |
Case Size: | 42mm |
Dial: | Black/Photo Realistic Planet Sub-Dials |
Bracelet: | Stainless Steel/Foldover Clasp |
Bezel: | Tachymeter |
Crystal: | Hesalite |
Movement: | Caliber 1861 Manual-Winding |
Market Price (Feb. 2024): | Approx. $11,500 |
Speedmaster “Apollo XVII” 40th Anniversary Limited Edition Ref. 311.30.42.30.99.002
We saved one of the most unorthodox Omega Speedmaster models for last: Omega’s tribute to the final Moon landing in 1972. Not including the dial and special crystal, this Omega is a classic Moon Watch with twisted Lyre lugs, a black Tachymeter bezel, and a manual-winding movement. The polarizing 925 silver dial is decorated with an embossed depiction of the Apollo XVII patch. Although hard to see among the intricate dial design, the trio of chronograph registers usually accompanying a Moon Watch are also present at 3, 6, and 9 o’clock.
This watch was produced in limited quantities of 1,972, which is indicated on the case back alongside other special engravings reading “The Last Man on the Moon December 14, 1972” and “Apollo XVII 40th Anniversary.” Covering the 42mm case is a unique scratch-resistant sapphire crystal with the Omega and Speedmaster logos printed underneath. This watch doesn’t appeal to everyone’s watch tastes, which is probably why it has remained under the radar since 2012. For a limited edition watch with such a unique dial, it can still be had for a relatively affordable price.
Speedmaster “Apollo XVII” 40th Anniversary Specs:
Reference: | 311.30.42.30.99.002 |
Material: | Stainless Steel |
Case Size: | 42mm |
Dial: | 925 Silver Apollo XVII Patch |
Bracelet: | Stainless Steel/Foldover Clasp |
Bezel: | Tachymeter/Aluminum |
Crystal: | Sapphire |
Movement: | Caliber 1861 Manual-Winding |
Market Price (Feb. 2024): | Approx. $9,000 |
There are so many Omega Speedmaster models that it was hard to choose just five for this list. Do you have a favorite oft-overlooked Speedmaster reference that you didn’t see here? Let us know!
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