I own both watches. I first got the Seamaster, but later fell in love with the Speedmaster. I originally wanted the Speedmaster Professional to use as a backup to my Seamaster. But now I have changed my mind. Here is why. Being a diver, I was at first concerned with water resistance. But it has not been an issue. Not because I dive with it, but because I don't dive quite that often. I mostly swim and sail and use the Speedmaster for both. It never comes off unless I have scuba tanks on my back. I shower with it and all, and come to think of it, that is how my grandfather used his. One must remember that in the old days, the Speedy was had very good water resistance so most people did everything with them. Second, I like hesalite crystal more. After wearing it for a few months, I started to appreciate the clean look of hesalite instead of the gooped up look of the saphire unless I clean it constantly. Also, for those in doubt, the hesalite crystal is next to unbreakable even though it scratches. Kind of like lexan. Also, I found that scratches come off easily. Besides, I have broken saphire in the past anyway. To break either, one has to put the watch through some serious abuse like a bike wreck I had once. But the real convincer for me was looking at 30 or 40 year old Speedmasters that still keep great time today, while some have never had maintenance. The Caliber 321 and 861 are workhorses. Also, most Speedys I see that are decades old still have the original crystals in. This is a much stronger watch than people think. Actually, it is problaby the toughest mechanical watch known to man. But the best part is looking at the speedmaster on the wrist. With all the black and white on the dial, there is a seriousness to the look of the Speemaster that really goes hand with its NASA history. Every other watch looks hopelessly decorated by comparison. Even my Seamaster looks a tad so now. I also like the fact that I see Seamasters a lot more often than Speedmasters Pros. Even at shops. I like that kind of rarity. While I love both my watches, the only one I can say for sure will be in the family for generations is the speedmaster. Actually most do get passed down. The Speedmaster is a very special watch. So lately, my Seamaster has become the drawer queen waiting for those times when I free dive or scuba which isn't often.
