Long-Term Review: Five Years Owning The Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch And Omega Seamaster 300
Inspired by RJ’s recent article on five years of owning the Omega’s current Moonwatch, today, I’ll reflect on my experience. Indeed, 2021 was a barnstorming year for Omega. On the first Tuesday of 2021, the brand released an updated Moonwatch with many design and quality improvements. Then, in March, came a slew of new references, including the new Seamaster 300. In part, the refresh aimed to bring most of the catalog up to Master Chronometer status. But it was also an opportunity to revise styles and streamline functions. I bought both the Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch with a sapphire crystal and the Seamaster 300 in 2021, the same year these watches came out. Now five years on with many life experiences, it’s time to look back on these meaningful timepieces.
Globally, 2021 was a curious year. Practically every country was still recovering from the fallout of the you-know-what-virus. However, the return of sporting events, such as the Tokyo Summer Olympics and the European Football Championship, after a year’s delay brought renewed optimism. Travel began to resume, and life was becoming more normal with fewer restrictions. Still, the shellshock of the year prior kept many precautions in place. For me, the encouraged isolation made my wife and me realize we needed a bigger space, so we set the wheels in motion to buy a new house. At the same time, these exciting Omega launches tempted me like a devil on my shoulder. Because of this, I imposed some guidelines to control my spending. The most crucial was that I would only purchase a new watch from a physical retailer.
Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch ref. 310.30.42.50.01.002 — five years on
In early 2021, only essential stores were open to cater to necessities. Before you say it, mechanical watches don’t count as a necessity. This restriction ensured I didn’t buy online and jump the gun too soon. But as spring arrived, the doors of non-essential shops opened. With that, I got the luxury-retail buzz when I bought my Moonwatch. My other limitation was that I couldn’t release too many funds while going through a house purchase. Therefore, the only choice was to sell some of my existing collection, which included my beloved Speedmaster First Omega in Space. It was tough to let it go, but if I was serious about getting the new Speedmaster, I had to make sacrifices. This also included selling my Longines Heritage Classic, Oris Artelier Calibre 112, Oris Divers Sixty-Five, and, finally, a Zelos Swordfish.
You can probably work out that these sales gave me a bit more than the £6,600 (2021 recommended retail price) needed for the Moonwatch purchase. Well, I’ll get to what some of the leftover change went toward shortly. Also, it’s painful to note the difference in RRP from 2021 to now. In 2026, the sapphire-equipped Moonwatch retails for £7,500. Loyal customers may receive discounts, and there is always the pre-owned market, but for consistency, I only quote the RRP. It’s a significant price increase over the past five years. But the Moonwatch is still a solid, dependable manually wound chronograph. Similar to RJ, I’ve had no issues with Omega’s caliber 3861. For whatever reason, the winding click in my 50th-anniversary Silver Snoopy is slightly more satisfying than in this Moonwatch, but operationally, it’s the same.
Quality-of-life improvements
I cannot say the same for the caliber 1861 in my old First Omega in Space. That watch was too easy to overwind, with no resistance to indicate when the mainspring barrel was full. On two occasions, the FOIS went back to Omega for service. But the 3861 is rock solid in both my Moonwatch and my Silver Snoopy. The new Speedy is still one of the best-looking and most iconic designs in watch history. But the subtle tweaks, such as the stepped dial, moon-crater subdials, the pointed counterweight, and the applied logo, are gorgeous. For me, the latest Moonwatch is a far more dynamic and attractive than the previous generation’s flatter appearance. Another, nerdier detail is that the latest Speedmaster has a chronograph seconds track calibrated to 3 Hz.
Current (left) and previous (right) Moonwatch models
Previous references had a historical mismatch, with five divisions per second. This works well for 5Hz movements, but caliber 1861 has a 3Hz frequency, as does the newest caliber 3861. The latest Moonwatch corrects this to three divisions between each second. Another noticeable quality improvement is the shorter 47.5mm lug-to-lug measurement, marking a 0.7mm reduction from the previous model. Combined with the female end link, the lug drop is much more contoured to the wrist. This has led many to believe the Moonwatch is much smaller than the specified 42mm diameter suggests. In some way, it is, as that 42mm measurement includes the asymmetrical crown/pusher guards. In terms of visual weight, the bezel has a 40mm diameter, so if you’re unsure about the Speedmaster Moonwatch’s size, try it on. It’s surprisingly compact.
Timing special moments
My Moonwatch also holds some special significance. It was the watch I was wearing when my daughter was born. I actually used the chronograph to time my wife’s contractions and the intervals between as delivery approached. While not quite the same as the Apollo 13 crew’s timing intervals between engine burns, the chronograph came in handy. It was also the watch of choice for her christening a year later.
One thing I had to upgrade, though, was the clasp. When the current Moonwatch launched, it had a simple clasp with two holes that required a pin tool to adjust. Toolless micro-adjustable clasps were available in other Omega collections, so it was a shame not to include them here. Later in 2021, however, Omega launched the Speedmaster Chronoscope with a similar bracelet and micro-adjustable clasp. As my wrist tends to swell when I’m active (and sometimes on planes), on-the-fly extension is necessary.
Therefore, I bought a Chronoscope clasp separately for £162.62 to swap out the stock buckle on my Moonwatch. I reported my handiwork in the article “Does The Omega Speedmaster Chronoscope Clasp Fit The Regular Moonwatch?” The short answer is “no.” Yes, it fits, but the swing arms on the buckle sit on top of the push button rather than on either side. While the clasp still closes, it doesn’t do so reliably and needs some extra force. It also wasn’t nice having the folding element brush against the push button while on the wrist. When Omega offered the conversion kit, reference 117Z017553, I had to fork out another £220 to have the correct clasp fitted. It was a frustrating lesson in “haste makes waste.” But I now have the appropriate clasp for my Speedmaster Moonwatch and was able to sell the Chronoscope buckle on eBay to claw back some of the overspend.
Omega Seamaster 300 ref. 234.30.41.21.01.001— five years on
Going back to my earlier watch sales, I had a little left over after buying the Speedmaster. After the March 2021 announcement of the new Seamaster 300, I kept trying it on throughout the year. The Seamaster 300 is the continuation of the 1957 Seamaster CK2913 design with modern manufacturing techniques and materials. Among the new details are the sandwich dial construction, anodized aluminum bezel with a luminescent scale, and a lollipop seconds hand. Overall, what attracts me to this watch is its pure design — 12 shark-tooth indexes, a Broad Arrow hour hand, numerals at each quarter, straight lugs, no crown guards, and no date window. The Seamaster 300 may not boast the capability of the Diver 300M or the Planet Ocean, but it retains supreme quality in a stylish package.
Five years on, the Seamaster 300 has become my most well-worn watch by far. My recently purchased Planet Ocean may overtake it this year, but over the long term, it’s untouchable. Many peers associate me with this watch because I wear it so much. Being such a grab-and-go timepiece, the Seamaster 300 can withstand anything. The watch can also be stealthy, blending into any attire yet still captivating with its recessed vintage-looking lume. Yes, the watch has aged lume on the hands, indexes, and bezel scale. This choice bothers some, as it can be perceived as skipping the aging process to appear vintage. Well, that might have been the sentiment around the time of the launch. I feel there’s a softening in the watch community toward faux-aged accents on modern timepieces. Perhaps many are now seeing this purely as a color choice.
Warm tones for warm climates
I appreciate how the Seamaster 300 aims for an earthy aesthetic with less stark contrast. The same watch in the Summer Blue guise is beautiful, even if it’s perhaps too clinical. What the golden heritage tones also inspire are visions of sumptuous sunsets. Indeed, the Seamaster 300 is my go-to holiday watch for summer getaways. The automatic caliber 8912’s independently adjustable hour hand is also handy. With the Master Chronometer status and antimagnetism up to 15,000 gauss, the Seamaster has no problem passing through airport scanners. The same cannot be said for my brother-in-law’s older Speedmaster Racing, which stopped because the hairspring seized at security. While it only took a quick trip to the airport watch boutique to get it demagnetized, if he hadn’t noticed, it could’ve been a long journey with a broken watch. This is a reminder that our modern world is full of powerful electrical equipment giving off strong magnetic fields.
For Omega, updating its collection to combat magnetic stresses on mechanical calibers is a worthy pursuit. Using METAS to verify and certify each timepiece’s properties independently only adds to the reliability. Also, the Seamaster 300’s namesake 300m depth rating is impressive in a neat 41mm package. While I don’t test its limits, being able to wear this watch while doing anything is freeing. Moreover, it withstands the constant application of sunscreen and mosquito repellent and washes off easily in the shower. The Omega Seamaster 300 has been a wonderful companion and a comfortable everyday watch, especially with the included micro-adjustable clasp. The RRP in 2021 was £5,560 but is now £6,700 for 2026. I’d buy it again and even consider the Summer Blue version. But with all its scratches and signs of wear, the Seamaster 300 is irreplaceable in reflecting my life experiences.
Final thoughts after five years of ownership
These are my feelings on two highly significant Omega watches after owning them for five years. But there will be many more years and experiences with these timepieces to come.
If you are reaching the five-year mark with some of your watches, let us know in the comments. Which watches are they, and what life experiences have you shared with them?
