Okay, here is my story about how I copied the OMEGA Ω Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch Sapphire.
So, I’ve always been a huge fan of the Omega Speedmaster. You know, the whole “Moonwatch” thing really gets me. But let’s be real, those things are expensive! I wanted that look, that feel, without, you know, having to sell my car.
I started digging around online. Forums, watch blogs, you name it. I was looking for anyone who had tried to make a decent replica or homage to the Speedmaster. There’s a whole world of watch enthusiasts out there, some doing some really cool stuff. I was consuming a lot of online information, watching videos, learning about movements, cases, crystals – all that stuff. It felt like information overload!
After a ton of research, I decided to go the “build your own” route. I figured that way, I could control the quality and the cost. Plus, it sounded like a fun project. The first thing I did was to find parts. Oh boy, that was an adventure. There are so many online stores selling watch parts. It was hard to know who to trust, which is quite annoying.
I finally settled on a few suppliers. They seemed reputable, and their prices were reasonable. I ordered a case that looked a lot like the Speedmaster, a dial, some hands, and a sapphire crystal, ’cause I wanted that scratch resistance. For the movement, I went with a Seagull ST1901. It’s a manual wind chronograph movement. You see them in a lot of these replica watches, cause they’re solid and not too expensive.
Once the parts arrived, I was super excited. I got a whole set of watch tools for this very specific task! Then the real work started. Putting a watch together is not easy. Tiny screws, delicate hands, and a movement that has more parts than I could count. I watched a bunch of YouTube videos on how to assemble a watch with this movement, made some mistakes, and had to redo a few things. You know, those small screws are slippery devils. But eventually, I got it all together. I took my time with it. There were a few times when I thought I had messed it up.
When I finally finished, I was pretty proud of myself. It wasn’t perfect, but it looked a lot like a Speedmaster. It had that classic black dial, the tachymeter bezel, and the overall vibe of the Moonwatch. And the best part? It kept pretty good time!
Here’s what I used:
- Case: A stainless steel case, about 42mm, with a display case back from a random online store.
- Dial: Black, with the classic Speedmaster layout.
- Hands: White, just like the original.
- Crystal: Sapphire. I wanted that scratch-resistant goodness.
- Movement: Seagull ST1901. A good, reliable manual wind chronograph.
- Strap: I found a decent black leather strap online. It looked fine, felt fine, and didn’t break the bank.
So, there you have it. My adventure in building a Speedmaster-ish watch. It was a fun project, and I learned a lot about watches in the process. Would I do it again? Maybe. It was definitely cheaper than buying a real Speedmaster, but it took a lot of time and effort. But, hey, now I have a unique watch, it is quite something to me. And when someone asks me about it, I have a pretty cool story to tell.
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