Speedmaster Caliber 321 "Ed White" - A Pictorial

[Goose 104]

Thanks guys

[brandrea]

Thank you to everyone here for their time in composing such beautiful photos and to the OP for his amazing write up.

The education found here in this thread and in general on TRF is second to none.

My long wait is finally over and mine is due to arrive on Speedy Tuesday

[logo]

Originally Posted by brandrea

Thank you to everyone here for their time in composing such beautiful photos and to the OP for his amazing write up.

The education found here in this thread and in general on TRF is second to none.

My long wait is finally over and mine is due to arrive on Speedy Tuesday

Congrats! You will love it. It’s funny how much SS Rolex hype there is when a gem like the 321 exists.

[subtona]

Originally Posted by brandrea

Thank you to everyone here for their time in composing such beautiful photos and to the OP for his amazing write up.

The education found here in this thread and in general on TRF is second to none.
My long wait is finally over and mine is due to arrive on Speedy Tuesday

Perfect day for arrival. My the fedex fairies be with you on Tuesday for a “speedy” delivery

[RolexBHR]

Originally Posted by logo

Congrats! You will love it. It’s funny how much SS Rolex hype there is when a gem like the 321 exists.

I agree completely, but it is easier to get a SS rolex than a 321 it seems. I have been waiting for a snoopy and 321 since the day of there launch, and I was able to purchase two SS rolexes from the OB.

[Onequik135i]

Originally Posted by RolexBHR

I agree completely, but it is easier to get a SS rolex than a 321 it seems. I have been waiting for a snoopy and 321 since the day of there launch, and I was able to purchase two SS rolexes from the OB.

You & I both but would much rather prefer 321, will see if I get a call on it this year. Lol. Probably not.

[logo]

Originally Posted by RolexBHR

I agree completely, but it is easier to get a SS rolex than a 321 it seems. I have been waiting for a snoopy and 321 since the day of there launch, and I was able to purchase two SS rolexes from the OB.

For sure, there’s definitely more SS Rolex than 321. I guess what I meant was more on secondary market pricing. Secondary 321 price is far more reasonable than some of the Rolex SS going for 3-4x MSRP.

[Travelller]

Originally Posted by brandrea

...My long wait is finally over and mine is due to arrive on Speedy Tuesday...

How AWESOME is that
We're all thrilled for you & looking forward to your first wristshot(s)

[Stevec14]

Originally Posted by brandrea

Thank you to everyone here for their time in composing such beautiful photos and to the OP for his amazing write up.

The education found here in this thread and in general on TRF is second to none.

My long wait is finally over and mine is due to arrive on Speedy Tuesday

Awesome - really pleased for you

Can’t wait to see a wrist shot and get your impressions

[Travelller]

Still in with this one







p.s. taken by three different "camera systems" from two different Smartphones. One does not suck, the others...

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by Travelller

Still in with this one …:

Absolutely captures just how fantastic this dial and handset is

[Travelller]

#ElPrimeroDay x #SpeedyTuesday
...talk about a tough* one...











*talk about "1st-world problems"...

[njlam]

The Ed White has an exhibition back, a sapphire crystal, an applied logo on the dial, the 321 movement AND was the model that went to the moon?

Is all this true?

[subtona]

Originally Posted by njlam

The Ed White has an exhibition back, a sapphire crystal, an applied logo on the dial, the 321 movement AND was the model that went to the moon?

Is all this true?

not the typical speedy sapphire crystal. the 321 does not share the milky ring typical of the modern speedys.

the watch was known for Ed White as the first American to walk in space. (Russians did it first) June 3rd 1965, for 23 minutes. gemini IV

Ed died in a fire on the launch pad in 1967. APOLLO I

[njlam]

Originally Posted by subtona

not the typical speedy sapphire crystal. the 321 does not share the milky ring typical of the modern speedys.

the watch was known for Ed White as the first American to walk in space. (Russians did it first) June 3rd 1965, for 23 minutes. gemini IV

Ed died in a fire on the launch pad in 1967. APOLLO I

I thought only the Hesalite went to the moon…


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[omar-rye]

Originally Posted by subtona

not the typical speedy sapphire crystal. the 321 does not share the milky ring typical of the modern speedys.

It does have a milky ring with certain lighting. Maybe it’s not as much as the 3861 Saphire but to say it doesn’t is not correct





https://youtu.be/00IvDOmO78Q


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[njlam]

I thought all speedys that went to the moon/space had to be Hesalite due to how it behaved if it shattered/broke….is that just marketing BS?


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[texasmade]

Originally Posted by njlam

I thought all speedys that went to the moon/space had to be Hesalite due to how it behaved if it shattered/broke….is that just marketing BS?


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This particular model never went to space. This is a reissue of the original that did go to space.

[Travelller]

Originally Posted by omar-rye

It does have a milky ring with certain lighting. Maybe it’s not as much as the 3861 Saphire but to say it doesn’t is not correct ...

It's NO WHERE NEAR as glaring as the sapphire crystals on the Speedmaster Professional produced now as well as those from the prior 1861 series. All "boxed" crystals, regardless of brand, exhibit a minor ring when viewed at specifc angles, but only the Speedmaster's is associated with the term "milk ring". I own a 3572.50 so that I can enjoy an exhibition caseback as well as the warmth of Hesalite. While I'd love to have seen the 321EW also fitted with Hesalite, Omega couldn't have designed / selected a better sapphire crystal then the one it has

Originally Posted by njlam

I thought all speedys that went to the moon/space had to be Hesalite due to how it behaved if it shattered/broke….is that just marketing BS?

so you just looked at the pictures... no worries, for sure it's the best part of my post See below for the "Executive Summary"

"...Of course the Caliber 321 "Ed White" is not a 1-1 re-production of the 105.003. The most obvious differences are a display caseback, ceramic bezel and sapphire crystal..."

Originally Posted by texasmade

This particular model never went to space. This is a reissue of the original that did go to space.

[omar-rye]

Does anyone have both 3861 & 321 on hand? I’d love to see close ups, side by side photos of both crystals in the same lighting condition taken from a few different angles

[Stevec14]

I haven’t got a few different angles but here’s one I took some time ago. The 321 crystal shows very little ring - and in most lighting never does. If you just go by pictures you’ll clearly always be able to see something. In real life, there’s no real comparison between them.




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[ratty]

Originally Posted by ratty

Thanks for this Steve.

I have to say that so far it's been very positive.

I've been thinking about why my thoughts on this watch have changed so much. I was first offered one in November or December 2020, just after they came out. I had bought a hesalite Moonwatch the day before so this was very fresh in my mind and I was directly comparing the two against each other. I have to say that there have been a few posts about the 321 recently and these have made me think about the watch again, but more on a stand alone basis as opposed to a comparison with the Moonwatch.

My first thoughts are that the 321 is very comfortable. I don't have any problems with getting the watch over my hand when putting it on or taking it off. I wish there was a bit more adjustment in the clasp, there are just two adjustment holes, but this isn't the end of the world. The beautifully brushed clasp marks easily, the first scratch has a few friends now already! I don't mind the design of the bracelet, but to my eyes it's not the nicest one I've seen. It is very thin, but it certainly doesn't feel as flimsy as I remembered it. I was a bit concerned about the lug to lug measurement but on the wrist this is no problem for me at all. I think the watch being narrower than the professional Speedies I'm used to makes it look longer but, as I say, no problems. I really like the dial and colour and length of the hour markers. I think that this makes the watch look a bit older rather than it being brand new. I also really like the seconds hand used for the chrono on the watch. When the 321 came out I thought it should have been made with a hesalite 'glass' and an aluminium bezel like the original had, but again having worn the watch I no longer see these things as problems. Mine is currently running at about minus 3 seconds per day which is way better that the Moonwatch I mentioned above which runs at about plus 10 or 11 seconds per day, so I'm comfortable with this as well.

I do not see my 321 as a replacement for my professional moonwatches, I see it as an addition rather than a replacement. To me they wear different enough to justify having both. I have said it before and I say it again though, I would really like to see a 321 version with the professional case. If this 321 is the Ed White version, I would like to see a new 321 equipped version of the Buzz Aldrin watch, the first watch on the moon. I know there are not many 321 movements made but I suspect that it wouldn't be too hard to make a few more and I think the 'Aldrin' watch's case is very similar to the case used for the Snoopy 3 so is also available. (I think the Ed White watch used the 3rd generation ST 105.003 Speedmaster case and the Aldrin watch was the 4th generation ST 105.012 but if this is wrong, please correct me on this) I think a version of Aldrin's watch could also be made as a limited supply version the same as the current 321 and would sell well to enthusiasts. I would be interested to hear what others on here think of this idea!

Well these are my initial thoughts on the 321. I'm sure that I will have more to come, but overall I'm very positive about this watch. I would encourage anyone who has the chance to have a look at it.

I suppose the price has to be mentioned! As I have said, to me, having experienced it first hand, this watch is more than just a modified standard Speedmaster, it is a stand alone watch which Omega appears to see as a 'Halo' watch in the Speedmaster range and as such it will be priced accordingly. At the moment in the UK a Moonwatch is priced at about £5500 to £6500 depending on the version and the 321 is about £12600. If you think of the 321 as a version of the Moonwatch range the same as the other versions, it certainly appears to be expensive. If you think of it as a stand alone 'halo' version, maybe not quite so expensive? (I hope that this makes sense!) I do not see the 321 as a competitor to the standard SS Moonwatch range, I see it as something different.

Do I regret buying the 321? Not at all.

Do I think it was worth the cost? Yes I do.

Do I think everyone will agree with me on these points? No I certainly don't.

If a 321 version of the 'Aldrin' watch come out would I consider it? Definitely!

I hope that my thoughts on my 321 are interesting and helpful to some people in the same way as some other posts have been to me. If anyone has any questions please fire away.

So, about 6 months after I posted the above, what are my thoughts on the 321 now!

Well I have to say that any thoughts I have about this watch are very positive.

I have found that I wear it a lot. Since I bought it I have turned into a regular Speedmaster wearer who sometimes wears other watches, as opposed to being a very regular Daytona wearer who occasionally wore other watches.

My watch has settled down to loosing maybe about half a second a day, if that, which I find very acceptable.

I think I posted a few months ago about a problem I had with the clasp which resulted in me wearing the watch on a black leather strap. The clasp was replaced by Omega, but it took a lot longer than I had expected it would for this to happen which was disappointing. However during this time I got used to wearing the watch on the strap and I have left it on the strap after getting the bracelet back. I think the watch looks very understated and classy on the strap.

I really like the watch’s dial. The hour markers are slightly longer than on the normal moonwatch and are a different colour. When I wear my moonwatch the markings look very bright and a bit stark to me now. I don’t think about the crystal not being made of hesalite or the bezel not being aluminium, I just wear it with absolutely no negative thoughts at all. The watch is also very easy to read during the nigh, as are all of the Speedmasters I have tried.

So, to sum up, I still really like mine. I am still please I bought it and, knowing what I know now, I would have no hesitation in buying it again.

I am curious if Omega will release another limited production of the Speedmaster next year, again maybe with the 321 movement in it, maybe a version with the professional case perhaps, who knows?

[subtona]

Originally Posted by Travelller

It's NO WHERE NEAR as glaring as the sapphire crystals on the Speedmaster Professional produced now as well as those from the prior 1861 series. All "boxed" crystals, regardless of brand, exhibit a minor ring when viewed at specifc angles, but only the Speedmaster's is associated with the term "milk ring". I own a 3572.50 so that I can enjoy an exhibition caseback as well as the warmth of Hesalite. While I'd love to have seen the 321EW also fitted with Hesalite, Omega couldn't have designed / selected a better sapphire crystal then the one it has

so you just looked at the pictures... no worries, for sure it's the best part of my post See below for the "Executive Summary"

"...Of course the Caliber 321 "Ed White" is not a 1-1 re-production of the 105.003. The most obvious differences are a display caseback, ceramic bezel and sapphire crystal..."

All well said

[njlam]

Originally Posted by omar-rye

It does have a milky ring with certain lighting. Maybe it’s not as much as the 3861 Saphire but to say it doesn’t is not correct

Side by side, these look very different. Like two completely different watches.

[njlam]

the modern dial is much more legible...the old bezel looks nicer...

[Travelller]

Glad to see our 321EW on Omega's 2022 Speedmaster poster

FYI, pictured here is the lower section of the poster. Although I didn't try to compare, I'm pretty sure the upper section matches the contents of their 2017 60th Anniversary poster.

[Pacha]

A very informative and fabulous read. Thank You!

[Travelller]

Originally Posted by Pacha

A very informative and fabulous read. Thank You!

Glad you enjoyed & thx for the positive comment, much appreciated

[subtona]

Choices

This oem bracelet arrived today.

[Travelller]

Originally Posted by subtona

...This oem bracelet arrived today.

Sweet combo / oldskool vibe

T4S