In the mid-nineties, the Speedmaster Automatic (Reduced) pushed the Speedmaster into uncharted waters with the brightly-colored yellow, blue and red “racing” dials.
However, the Speedmaster Reduced is free to push boundaries. Even so, the designers over at Omega are trapped. Omega has resorted to pricy limited editions in order to make any design changes. The Moonwatch is so iconic that little room is left for any freedom in the design. Rather than criticize the Reduced over the minutia that makes it different from the Moonwatch, we need to celebrate it.
Many consider the Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch the perfect chronograph dial.
The dial is one of the more striking differences between the Speedmaster Reduced and the Moonwatch. I’ve never felt that they have been too tall or hang-up on a shirt sleeve. The FOIS (First Omega in Space) and the CK2998 also share a chunky and tall case. This is another misinterpreted knock against the Reduced. This results in a subtle departure from the original design that can be difficult to capture with caliper measurements. The proportions of the diameter do not follow in height. It’s similar to the reduced proportions of the Seiko SKX013 compared the SKX007. This can make the Reduced seem squat at times. The Speedmaster Reduced has case height/thickness of 12mm, which is similar to the wider Moonwatch. The reason they sit offset is due to the stacked movement. It’s a small detail, but purists find it sloppy. The chronograph pushers sit high and the crown sits low.
One of the other more notable differences in the Reduced is the design of the flanks. The shorter lugs on the Speedy Reduced are not as sharp and defined as the lugs on the Speedy Moonwatch. Speedmaster collectors obsess over the way that the lugs curve (or don’t). The shapes are very similar at a glance but with subtle changes. This makes the Speedmaster Reduced more wearable for a variety of medium to small wrist sizes. It’s the reduction down to 44mm lug to lug. The real story isn’t in the case diameter. The Speedmaster Automatic has the moniker “Speedmaster Reduced” because it’s… well… reduced. The Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch has a 42mm diameter case. “Guilty!” as soon as you hear the crime in the headline. They have the same inferences in the titles. The Speedmaster Reduced review videos are no different. The other common titles (such as this one) will contain some sort of negative suggestion. The titles usually claim that the Speedmaster Reduced should be compared to the Professional with some type of “Vs”. The titles of articles you will find imply its inferiority before you’ve had a chance to digest the information for yourself. Using Google search directs us to Speedmaster Professional “Moonwatch” comparisons. With the Speedmaster Reduced, this normal process breaks down and leads us in a strange direction. Instagram – sanity check to make sure others share your enthusiasm.YouTube search – watch some hands-on reviews and comparisons.Google search – check specs and read some reviews.The horological seed gets planted somehow and the research begins. It’s easy to see why it has an unfavorable reputation, but not for the reasons that you’d think. Horological social media has a love-hate relationship with the Speedmaster Reduced. Photo Credits: Jake Witkin ( Omega Speedmaster Automatic, reference 3510.50.00, more commonly called the “Speedmaster Reduced” is a controversial timepiece.