The new Cal. 321 “Ed White” is Omega’s ...

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by VogelPhoenix

Picked up my Cal.321 today (proof below). I think the OP absolutely nailed it with his comparison to the RO Jumbo. Not necessarily in the sense of creating a Jumbo-like hype, but as a modern recreation of a classic piece, with a combination of modern touches and a somewhat delicate vintage feel, and a role as a halo piece for a whole family of watches. Like the Jumbo it also sits in a near perfect spot size-wise. It's probably not for everyone (and the ambitious price alone will see to that), but it's pretty much perfect for what it is meant to be.

Congratulations, it’s beautiful

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by Darlinboy

I only wish for another adjustment slot or two. Otherwise it’s a fantastic execution and true to the original reference.

Congratulations

Do you have more wrist shots you can share from a bit of a distance? Also, how large is your wrist?

I’m supposed to go and see one today, but we just got dumped on with snow, so I have to postpone

[illiguy]

I had the opportunity to handle the 321 today. It’s beautiful, well finished, but definitely felt delicate.

[illiguy]

Originally Posted by VogelPhoenix

Picked up my Cal.321 today (proof below). I think the OP absolutely nailed it with his comparison to the RO Jumbo. Not necessarily in the sense of creating a Jumbo-like hype, but as a modern recreation of a classic piece, with a combination of modern touches and a somewhat delicate vintage feel, and a role as a halo piece for a whole family of watches. Like the Jumbo it also sits in a near perfect spot size-wise. It's probably not for everyone (and the ambitious price alone will see to that), but it's pretty much perfect for what it is meant to be.

Nice! Did your Cal. 321 come with this booklet? My friend just gone one (United States-based), and did not receive it. We were looking forward to flipping through it.

Seems like some, but not all owners in Europe, have this “Calibre 321” booklet.





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[SSGMT]

I picked up my 321 recently in the U.S. and I received the Calibre 321 booklet.

[illiguy]

Originally Posted by SSGMT

I picked up my 321 recently in the U.S. and I received the Calibre 321 booklet.

Thanks. Buddy phoned the boutique and sourced his booklet. It is going to be sent this week. His was one of the first Ed Whites produced, and Omega had not yet finished printing the Calibre 321 brochure collateral, so wasn’t with his original kit.

[VogelPhoenix]

Originally Posted by illiguy

Nice! Did your Cal. 321 come with this booklet? My friend just gone one (United States-based), and did not receive it. We were looking forward to flipping through it.

Checked my box - no 321 booklet!? Need to check with the SA next time I visit the boutique.

[ratty]

Originally Posted by illiguy

I had the opportunity to handle the 321 today. It’s beautiful, well finished, but definitely felt delicate.


[/IMG]

This is what I found, it felt too delicate to give me much confidence in the bracelet.

[SSGMT]

Originally Posted by illiguy

Thanks. Buddy phoned the boutique and sourced his booklet. It is going to be sent this week. His was one of the first Ed Whites produced, and Omega had not yet finished printing the Calibre 321 brochure collateral, so wasn’t with his original kit.

Excellent, hope he gets it soon, it's a nice addition to the package.

[SSGMT]

Originally Posted by ratty

This is what I found, it felt too delicate to give me much confidence in the bracelet.

I like how flat the bracelet is, I have a couple of older Speedy's on the 1450 and 1479 bracelet's, they seem more delicate than the newer ones, and I wear them carefully. I am hoping that this bracelet with newer manufacturing techniques, will be robust and long lasting.

[Lew Archer]

It's a beauty, definitely a reference for the serious Moonwatch enthusiast.

I'm intrigued by the fact that the movement for each watch is assembled by a single watchmaker.

I think they threw in the ceramic bezel in light of the asking price, to give it something no other Moonwatch reference had, but, if the goal was recreation, right down to the "vintage" lume, I'd have been quite content with the aluminum bezel. Logically, the more modern ceramic material is best suited to the most modern (or, rather, latest) incarnation of the Speedmaster Professional. Perhaps they didn't to keep the price point down? Not sure how much the ceramic adds to the production costs and so on.

If I had an extra 14K lying around and the opportunity arose, I'd buy it, for the sheer pleasure of owning such a mechanical work of art, with an out of this world backstory.

I've got the First Omega in Space, as well as my father's 1970s Moonwatch, and for my wrist, the FOIS case is a better fit, thanks to the absence of crown guards and the lug design. The FOIS has become one of my favorite and most worn watches. So, I particularly like that aspect of the "Ed White".

[Lew Archer]

Ed White’s watch, or one of them, which now resides at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, where I took this photograph a few years ago. It looks like a Speedmaster Professional, though.

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[logo]

Originally Posted by Lew Archer

It's a beauty, definitely a reference for the serious Moonwatch enthusiast.

I'm intrigued by the fact that the movement for each watch is assembled by a single watchmaker.

I think they threw in the ceramic bezel in light of the asking price, to give it something no other Moonwatch reference had, but, if the goal was recreation, right down to the "vintage" lume, I'd have been quite content with the aluminum bezel. Logically, the more modern ceramic material is best suited to the most modern (or, rather, latest) incarnation of the Speedmaster Professional. Perhaps they didn't to keep the price point down? Not sure how much the ceramic adds to the production costs and so on.

If I had an extra 14K lying around and the opportunity arose, I'd buy it, for the sheer pleasure of owning such a mechanical work of art, with an out of this world backstory.

I've got the First Omega in Space, as well as my father's 1970s Moonwatch, and for my wrist, the FOIS case is a better fit, thanks to the absence of crown guards and the lug design. The FOIS has become one of my favorite and most worn watches. So, I particularly like that aspect of the "Ed White".

To me that’s the perplexing part about this watch though. It is not a moonwatch - Ed White was the first American to do an EVA (not first human in space, also not the first to do an EVA), and other references with crown guards and twisted lugs accompanied the first humans to the moon. The watch has history, but not the pinnacle of space history that I would be looking for in a premium speedmaster. I agree with you, the bezel should be aluminum.

[Stevec14]

Originally Posted by ratty

This is what I found, it felt too delicate to give me much confidence in the bracelet.

Yeah, it’s the same bracelet as on the Apollo 11 (20mm vs 19mm). I agree, it does feel delicate but it’s as strong as anything. Really well made and the clasp is very solid.

[subtona]

Originally Posted by Stevec14

Yeah, it’s the same bracelet as on the Apollo 11 (20mm vs 19mm). I agree, it does feel delicate but it’s as strong as anything. Really well made and the clasp is very solid.

It is made of steel how delicate could it be.

[VogelPhoenix]

Originally Posted by Stevec14

Yeah, it’s the same bracelet as on the Apollo 11 (20mm vs 19mm). I agree, it does feel delicate but it’s as strong as anything. Really well made and the clasp is very solid.

It has a vintage-y delicate feel to it, but doesn't feel rickety/ready to disintegrate as 50+ year-old watches sometimes (usually?) do.

[whiteibex]

Delicate is probably not the most appropriate word, but it is true that it has a different presence on the wrist compared to a regular speedmaster. Next to each other, I find the slimmer/symmetrical straight-lugs case of the Ed White more elegant and refined - especially on a leather strap - than the more bulky twisted-lugs case.

Nice article by the way, worth reading: https://monochrome-watches.com/omega...-review-price/

[Stevec14]

Originally Posted by subtona

It is made of steel how delicate could it be.

That is indeed true. It does feel more ‘delicate’ If you handle the 1861 bracelet and then this.

Maybe refined or elegant as above is a better description. Either way, it’s as strong as any other bracelet I have...

[Stevec14]

Originally Posted by VogelPhoenix

It has a vintage-y delicate feel to it, but doesn't feel rickety/ready to disintegrate as 50+ year-old watches sometimes (usually?) do.

Agreed. It’s a terrific bracelet.

[illiguy]

Originally Posted by Stevec14

Agreed. It’s a terrific bracelet.

This.

For reference, the 5-digit submariner bracelet is tough as nails even though it does not feel luxurious, especially compared to the latest gets 6-digit.

The new Cal. 321 Ed White bracelet is amazing in the flesh, and though it felt “delicate”, I have no doubt about its durability.

Another analog might be the bracelets on stainless steel AP Royal Oaks. Beautiful, well-finished, almost so elegant that they feel delicate. I own a 39 mm ROC, and the bracelet is durable in the sense I do not feel the need to baby the watch.

Ultimately, folks just need to handle this watch in the metal (pun intended) to truly appreciate it and understand the nuances that make it a cracker of a timepiece.

[SS Oyster]

It's Omega's 37mm Royal Oak. I understand why Omega made it little (to match the Ed White original size), but come on ... why make it too small for today, but sacrifice on things like sapphire crystal and sapphire caseback?

[ratty]

Originally Posted by logo

To me that’s the perplexing part about this watch though. It is not a moonwatch - Ed White was the first American to do an EVA (not first human in space, also not the first to do an EVA), and other references with crown guards and twisted lugs accompanied the first humans to the moon. The watch has history, but not the pinnacle of space history that I would be looking for in a premium speedmaster. I agree with you, the bezel should be aluminum.

I suspect that it was made using the EW case to make it look obviously different to the Speedy Pro. A totally separate product.

To me, if history was the main driving force, it would have been made using a later case with a Hesalite crystal, a solid case back and aluminium bezel. It would be very difficult to justify a large price difference between this spec and a Pro though.

Personally, I would have preferred the historically correct version I have described above, possibly with a display case back option to help justify the much higher price.

[ratty]

I wish they did a version of the 321 on a strap.

[whiteibex]

Originally Posted by ratty

I wish they did a version of the 321 on a strap.

Why? Rule #1, always buy the bracelet version when the watch exists in both bracelet and strap versions, especially when the bracelet is unique to this model. The price difference is usually small, at least much smaller than getting a bracelet aftermarket. So even if you are not interested in the bracelet, it is always safer to buy the bracelet version and get an additional strap (not to mention this can be part of the negociation). You never know, 10 years from now or if you ever sell the watch you may need the bracelet, and it could be impossible to source or very expensive.

Speaking of which, I have put my Ed White on a brown vintage strap. Need to take a picture.

[subtona]

Originally Posted by ratty

I wish they did a version of the 321 on a strap.

Comes w strap?

[ratty]

Originally Posted by whiteibex

Why? Rule #1, always buy the bracelet version when the watch exists in both bracelet and strap versions, especially when the bracelet is unique to this model. The price difference is usually small, at least much smaller than getting a bracelet aftermarket. So even if you are not interested in the bracelet, it is always safer to buy the bracelet version and get an additional strap (not to mention this can be part of the negociation). You never know, 10 years from now or if you ever sell the watch you may need the bracelet, and it could be impossible to source or very expensive.

Speaking of which, I have put my Ed White on a brown vintage strap. Need to take a picture.

Why?, because I think it looks better on a strap but I haven’t seen many photos of it on straps. When I was offered one I couldn’t really say “Can you take the bracelet off and put a leather strap on for me to see please?”. Maybe I will next time.

Rule 1 for me is buy what I want. I fully understand the points you make above, but I don’t buy things if I’m not sure about them to start with.

Why have you put yours on a strap?

[ratty]

Originally Posted by subtona

Comes w strap?

I didn’t know that!

As I knew I wasn’t going to buy the watch, we didn’t discuss the extras in the box.

Maybe next time I see one I’ll try lying the strap on top of the bracelet to try and get an idea of how it would look.



I’ve just had a look on the Omega website and it shows the watch on various straps. I haven’t seen this facility before, but I probably haven’t really looked for it before! I can’t find anything saying that the watch comes with a strap though, but again I’m probably not looking in the right place. I think it looks good on a black leather strap.

Can anyone who has bought a 321 confirm that it comes with a strap and, if so, which one?

Thanks.

[VogelPhoenix]

Originally Posted by SS Oyster

It's Omega's 37mm Royal Oak. I understand why Omega made it little (to match the Ed White original size), but come on ...

Uhm, not sure how to put this politely, but this is ill-informed. I have tried the 37mm RO (15450) a few times (and have one on my waitlist as gift for my wife). The cal 321 wears nothing like the 15450 and much more like the 6-digit SS Rolex. If that's too small, well, tough (and there are many men with narrower wrists for who the 15450 is an excellent fit).

Main gripe about the 15450 is the small dial, and that's definitely not something the 321 suffers from. Only similarity I can see is the relatively strong taper of the bracelet.

[whiteibex]

Originally Posted by ratty

Why have you put yours on a strap?

I wear my watches on straps in winter and either nato or bracelet during warmer months.

[whiteibex]

Originally Posted by ratty

Can anyone who has bought a 321 confirm that it comes with a strap and, if so, which one?

Same black box the 1861 used to come with: black nato, extra long nasa strap.