A Rose Gold Omega Speedmaster Day-Date 3623.33.01 Under 6K
It is not rocket science: everyone is after the same type of watches. For whatever reason, whether that’s a genuine interest, lack of confidence, or the fear of missing out on things. It doesn’t matter, in all honesty. I am happy to notice a small shift in things, at least in some of the watch collecting circles out there. People buy (again) what they truly enjoy and like. This 18 carat rose gold Omega Speedmaster Day-Date reference 3623.33.01 is one of those watches that only a few people will care about.
And that’s also fine, it means that those who do enjoy it, will be able to pick one up for a fair price. I won’t say cheap, as €5,650 is a lot of money to many. But compared to the more favored watches out there, it is. Less than the retail price of a steel Speedmaster Professional, for example. And, on top of the typical Speedmaster complication, it has a day, date, month, and day/night indicator. Although the Speedmaster Professional is an entirely different watch, I also realize that this classic Moonwatch is not for everyone. There’s a small group out there that dislikes the classic Moonwatch (I know, it’s hard to believe), but they might be into the lyre lugs design and wish for some more colorful elements. Or Arabic numerals. That’s where an alternative like this Speedmaster Day-Date 3623.33.01 comes in.
Speedmaster Day-Date ref. 3623.33.01
This 18 carat rose gold Omega Speedmaster Day-Date we have here is basically the same watch as the watch we got to know as Speedmaster Mk40, or reference 3520.53.00. The watch that inspired Ben Clymer of Hodinkee to recreate as the Speedmaster H10. But this one is in rose gold, an alloy of 75% gold added with copper and silver to get that reddish hue.
Smaller case
The case diameter of the Speedmaster Day-Date ref. 3623.33.01 is 39mm, without the crown. A little bit smaller than the classic Moonwatch, but about the same size as the straight-lug versions like the Ed White, CK2998 editions and the H10, for example. 39mm is definitely not a bad size, and it still has quite a bit of presence because of the thickness of 14mm. A substantial gold watch, you could say. What I like about this red gold Speedmaster Day-Date, as opposed to the steel versions of this model, is that the bezel is also made of red gold. Instead of a black aluminum inlay. You’re probably going to get some scratches on it sooner than later, but it looks cool. And scratches add character, as one of the Royal Oak designers once told me. The case back is also solid gold, with no sapphire crystal to show the movement. I have to say I rather have the solid case back anyway because of the movement it uses.
A panda dial, sort of…
As you can see in the pictures, the dial of the Speedmaster Day-Date shows a lot of depth. There’s a beautiful motif in the center part of the silver dial, and then there’s the black subdials and a half-black subdial for the day/night indicator. There are 8(!) hands on the dial, which can be a bit overwhelming at first. The large white central hand with a black “airplane” pointer is for the date. Then, there are three hands for the hours, minutes, and chronograph seconds. They’re all a mixture of black and white colors and filled with tritium.
If you think the date printing on the dial of the Speedmaster Day-Date 3623.33.01 is big, have a look at the luminous Arabic markers. The 12, 6, and 9 markers are missing because of the subdials, of course. The subdial at 12 o’clock indicates the chronograph minutes and had two apertures for the day and month. The subdial at 6 o’clock takes care of the chronograph hours and the subdial at 9 o’clock has two functions. One hand is for the running seconds, and the arrow-shaped hand is for the 24-hour indicator.
Caliber 1151
Inside, underneath the gold case back, is Omega’s caliber 1151 movement. This movement is based on the Valjoux 7751 (ETA), which is based on the famous 7750. As you read earlier on, this chronograph movement features a day, date, month, and day/night indicator, where the 7750 only has a day and date. This movement ticks at 28,800vph and has a power reserve of approximately 42 hours. In the case band, you’ll find the corrector for the date of the Speedmaster Day-Date.
Unfortunately, based on my own experience, this is also a bit of a weak point, as these correctors are prone to be (or get) stuck. In general, it is a very solid chronograph movement, though. This Omega Caliber 1151 version has also received some decoration, like Côtes de Genève on the rotor and perlage on the main plate. The inside of the case back has gold hallmarks and shows the case number (175.0084). Some sellers confuse this with the reference number, but it is merely the identification number for the case.
Speedmaster Day-Date on strap or bracelet
This Speedmaster Day-Date comes with a double ridged strap, with a tan buckle in 18 ct gold. The width between the lugs is 18mm, so you can basically use any strap with that size. Or even a NATO strap, if you must insist. However, Omega also had this watch in the collection with a rose gold bracelet. Officially, that would make it a Speedmaster Day-Date with reference 3123.33.00. But those are quite hard to find.
The watch I have here comes from ZeitAuktion, a dealer in pre-owned watches in Germany, and it is on the original double ridged strap with tan buckle. I remember that these straps were very popular in the late 1990s, I even bought one in 20mm for my Speedmaster Professional 145.012. The fact that the watch is not on a gold bracelet also keeps the price very sane at €5,650.
Some thoughts on this gold Speedmaster Day-Date
I am certain that this rose gold Speedmaster Day-Date will not lure in people that are actually craving for a Speedmaster Professional. It is a different watch, although it has the same name on the dial. Now, I consider myself a Moonwatch collector, but I wouldn’t mind owning this gold watch. Not at all, even. I think the combination of the silver dial with the dark subdials, and of course the rose gold case and bezel, make it a very attractive-looking watch. I feel that this gold Speedmaster Day-Date ref. 3623.33.01 could be that perfect companion for a formal event. It is not a dress watch for sure, but if you’re not into those, and still want to wear something nice with a classic touch, this is one to consider. But hey, I would be totally fine wearing it with a polo or t-shirt as well. In the end, as always, you should buy what you like and don’t listen to what’s being hyped or talked about so much. It will create a much more interesting landscape in the watch community.
A big thank you to our friends over at ZeitAuktion that provided this watch to us for a review. Make sure to check them out.
