The Omega Speedmaster 57 Chronograph was launched in 2013 and has been updated this year. The upgrade is mainly in two aspects, one is to reduce the size, and the other is to replace it with a manual movement. Now the question is, should I buy a manual 57 or an automatic 57?
Before deciding whether to buy an automatic or a manual, we must first solve a problem. There are so many chronographs from Omega, why buy a Speedmaster 57? The reason I gave is that the automatic and manual Speedmaster 57 is currently the only regular-sized chronograph in Omega’s most advanced chronograph movement. The diameter of the replica watch is 41.5 mm for automatic and 40.5 mm for manual.
The so-called Omega’s most advanced chronograph movement is the 9-series chronograph movement used by both. The 9300 chronograph movement used by the automatic 57 was launched by Omega in 2011. A new generation of automatic chronograph movement developed exclusively on the basis of Omega’s exclusive coaxial escapement. It uses a silicon hairspring, adopts a vertical clutch and column wheel chronograph structure, and has a unique binocular chronograph dial, which integrates the 12-hour chronograph and 60-minute chronograph into the 3-point chronograph dial. In terms of aesthetics, it is decorated with arabesque Geneva stripes and black-plated screws.
The movement used by the manual 57 is called 9906, which is the manual version of the 9900 movement without the automatic rotor. The 9900 caliber is an upgraded version of the 9300 caliber, which meets the high-level Master Chronometer standard. The anti-magnetic field reaches 15,000 gauss, and the travel time error is also increased to 0 to 5 seconds per day. The biggest advantage of 9906 after removing the automatic rotor is that the replica watch becomes thinner. Although the effect is not particularly obvious, it is not harmful to be thinner. In addition, since the power storage of both replica watches is 60 hours, there is no need to worry about choosing automatic and manual movements, because there is no obvious difference in performance between the two movements.
In addition to Omega’s latest movement technology, the Speedmaster 57 is infinitely close to the appearance of the original Speedmaster. The Speedmaster 57 is named after 1957, the birth year of the first Speedmaster in history. In addition, two professional series, the Ironmaster and the Seamaster, were born together with it. They are the veritable three brothers of land, sea and air. The appearance of the original Speedmaster has three very obvious features, namely the broadsword hands; the crown and chronograph buttons have no shoulder guards, straight lugs and no twisted polished surfaces. Speedmaster 57 not only fully inherits these three features, but also its yellowed hour markers, luminous coating, dial text and box-shaped mirror, and the use of sandwich dials enhances the sense of age of this replica watch. Compared with the automatic 57, the biggest difference of the new manual 57 is that the graininess of the dial is more obvious, which makes the whole replica watch look more textured. In addition, the two 57 bracelets not only inherit the three-section shape of the original Speedmaster, but also have belts with different color dials to choose from.
Since the appearance and movement of these two replica watches are not much different, which one should you choose? I think the manual 57 was downsized and removed the automatic rotor. If you take the black disc version as an example, the most intuitive feeling is that the weight of the manual 57 is only 134 grams, which is 32 grams lighter than the automatic 57. Don’t underestimate the weight. For a replica watch that is not thin at all, lightness plays a key role in wearing it comfortably for a long time. Although it is more comfortable, the water resistance is half that of the 100-meter automatic 57. Therefore, friends who pay attention to daily wear are right to choose manual 57. If you have thick wrists and pay more attention to the comprehensiveness of the replica watch, choose automatic 57.
Why is it said that the Chrono Chime is Omega’s “masterpiece”?
Because among all the current famous watch brands and all complex watches, Omega Chrono Chime is unique in chiming the time.
Why people say that only Audemars Piguet, Lange & Söhne, and Vacheron Constantin can be “on par” with Omega Chrono Chime? Because it is currently on sale (note that it is on sale, excluding historical antique models), only Audemars Piguet, Lange, and Vacheron Constantin have launched large and complex replica watches including chasing hands and minute repeaters. Although it is only a conventional split-chatter and a regular minute repeater, it cannot report the time of the rattrapante like Omega, but at least it combines the rattrapante needle and the minute repeater. None of the other famous watch brands has complex watches that combine rattrapante and minute repeaters, and neither does Patek Philippe.
Why is Omega Chrono Chime unique?
At the end of October (2022), Omega released the most complicated replica watch ever made by the brand, Chrono Chime. The movement model is 1932, which has two appearances: Olympic 1932 rattrapante timekeeping and Speedmaster rattrapante timekeeping. That is to say, the same movement, two styles are launched. Among them, the Olympic 1932 chasing needle timekeeping is a retro style, and the Speedmaster chasing needle timekeeping is a modern style.
Omega Chrono Chime is unique in that it starts the timing first, and after the timing stops, press the minute repeater button. At this time, the replica watch spring (hammer strikes the gong) will report just time clocked. For example, if the time is accumulated to 4 minutes and 38 seconds, OK, the watch will report 4 minutes and 38 seconds when it strikes the spring.
Taking a step back, even if the chasing needle and minute repeater are taken out separately, they are the top functions of complex watches. Just one chronograph, the single chronographs currently in production on the market are mainly Patek Philippe 5370 and Lange 1815 (excluding those modified by general-purpose movements), and nothing else. Omega’s chasing hands and timekeeping are unique.
Technical Details of the Omega Chrono Chime
Since Omega Chrono Chime timekeeping, it reports the timing time, so Omega uses a new timekeeping system. Change the 3 timekeeping cams in the conventional minute repeater to one to control the minutes, one to control the 10 seconds, and one to control the seconds. When the chasing needle timing stops, press the timekeeping button, and the 2 timekeeping racks will push the 2 hammers to start timekeeping according to the positions of the 3 timekeeping cams.
On the front of the movement, in addition to the two hammers, we can also see the “speed flywheel” of the minute repeater, which is used to control the “speed and rhythm” of the timekeeping. It is reported that minutes/10 seconds/seconds, the interval of time reporting is 1.5 seconds, and the rhythm is coherent and compact.
On the back of the movement, you can see the split-second timing parts. Omega also uses Omega’s unique coaxial escapement on this Chrono Chime, and increases the swing frequency to 36,000 times per hour, which is also the first time.
The splint of the entire movement, including the minute repeater gong, is made of Omega 18K Sedna gold (that is, Omega’s exclusive ratio of 18K rose gold). The decoration of the movement matches this large and complex watch. And in the two models of Olympic 1932 chasing needle timekeeping and Speedmaster chasing needle timekeeping, enamel plates and guilloche carvings are used, and the details of the replica watch are in place from the inside to the outside.
