zOwie Omega Discussion Forum

: Hi all

: I'm relatively new to the world of watches, and
: am considering an Omega Speedmaster Date
: (3513.50.00) as a first purchase.

: Can anyone give me personal impressions on the
: watch and its merits? I've tried it on, and
: it seems the correct size for my (small)
: wrists. Also, do you think I will have any
: issues with durability? I am a medical
: student and will be wearing it in the
: hospital/operating room a fair amount so I
: need it to be relatively hardy with respect
: to occasional spills and splatters.
: (appetizing eh?)

: Finally, an AD recommendation would be much
: appreciated. Doesn't need to be local, but a
: Baltimore/DC/northern Virginia dealer would
: be ideal. Thanks in advance

: Raghu

The Speedy Date is a good value for the money in my opinion. At $2200 MSRP, it has a modified ETA/Valjoux 7750 chronograph movement in it. This movement is used or has been used by nearly all high-end watch manufacturers at some point, and it has an excellent track record regarding reliability.

My only concern is what you said about spills. This watch has a 30 meter water resistance rating, which is the lowest rating for Omega watches. For all practical purposes, this is a watch that can handle an occasional rainstorm, but not much else when it comes to water. If you have spills that are so severe that you need to run the watch under water, you definitely run the risk of water damage. If you can clean the spills by cleaning the watch with just a wet towel, then you should be okay.

The Seamaster Professional models (full and mid-size) are in the same price range, but they have screw-down crowns and 300 meters of water resistance. If you anticipate having to run the watch under water quite frequently, you may want to look at these models.

Just my 2 cents....

-John