Omega Speedmaster World Cup: The Final — Snoopy 2015 Vs. Ed White 321

Woohoo! The Speedmaster World Cup grand final is here! The Speedmaster Calibre 321 “Ed White” versus the Speedmaster Silver Snoopy Award 45th Anniversary edition. Limited production versus limited edition, an interesting battle, for sure.

Here we are, the two major players in this Speedmaster World Cup! Before we go head-to-head with the finalists, we would like to express our THANKS to all of you who voted. It has been a fantastic cup, full of surprises, controversy, and glorious victories.

Speedmaster World Cup Finals

In the left corner: The Omega Speedmaster Silver Snoopy Award 45th anniversary that was introduced in 2015 as a limited edition of only 1,970 pieces. A watch that made its mark in the entire watch industry and became known as the Omega Speedmaster that changed the game when it comes to limited editions.

It sold out within just a few moments on that first morning of Baselworld 2015. Of the Fratelli, only RJ managed to get a hold of one, and no, it is not a safe queen nor being babied. That watch is for wearing and has even been signed by an Apollo astronaut.

In the right corner: A relative newcomer to the Speedmaster collection. The Speedmaster Calibre 321 “Ed White” could also have been called “Gene Cernan”, as it was the watch of that particular astronaut (Apollo 17, last man on the Moon) that served as the blueprint for the new “105.003” with caliber 321. It is not a limited edition, but it will be limited in production. Omega has indicated that it intends to make between 1,000 and 2,000 caliber 321 movements per year.

RJ — Silver Snoopy Award 2015

First of all, I am very happy that the finals consist of these two watches. They are well-deserved spots, although, from a personal standpoint, I wouldn’t have minded seeing the Speedy Tuesday “Tribute to Alaska III” or the Speedy Tuesday “Ultraman” in the finals. Anyway, it is the Speedmaster Silver Snoopy Award that was introduced in 2015. I am not surprised it is the Speedmaster ending up in the finals of this Speedmaster World Cup.

Let’s not talk about the connection between Snoopy and NASA again. If you’re unfamiliar with that, click here to catch up. I am getting a little bit tired of people who complain about this beagle on the dial of a Speedmaster. They’re either trolling or they don’t know about the history between NASA and this particular watchdog. Anyway, so far these complainers have been in the minority, so I am happy that common sense prevails.

Celebration of success

Sure, the Speedmaster Calibre 321 “Ed White” is an amazing piece, and I am happy to own one, but it is a fairly normal Speedmaster. So far, the Calibre 321 has been even more unobtainable than the Snoopy ever was. That may sound strange, but Omega squeezed out 1,970 of these beautiful Snoopies with hand-made case backs in roughly 12 months, whereas the non-limited edition Calibre 321 is almost harder to get than a steel Daytona. Let’s all agree both Speedmasters here are nicer than any Daytona though.

While the €14,000 Speedmaster Calibre 321 is a beautiful re-creation of an existing reference from the past, the Speedmaster Silver Snoopy Award is a watch created from an almost blank canvas. To celebrate the success of the safe return of Apollo 13 and the prestigious NASA award Omega received for its role during that mission, Omega designed an amazing tribute!

I feel lucky that I’ve met with the designer of the Speedmaster Silver Snoopy Award and I love the exquisite details she has put into this watch. Although the dog and text are a bit gimmicky on the dial, it is good fun and a sign you shouldn’t take yourself too seriously. Serious business is the case back though, amazing craftsmanship demonstrated with a sterling silver replica of the Snoopy lapel pin on a starry sky. This dark blue sky has been created from enamel with silver powder used for the stars.

What’s not to like here?

Sure, you “need” a regular Moonwatch as well. A Speedmaster Professional with Hesalite crystal or even the new Speedmaster Calibre 321 “Ed White” will fit any collection and especially for that regular Speedmaster, there’s no excuse not to buy one. But this white dialed Snoopy, is a tribute version to the best chronograph ever made in combination with its successful role during Apollo 13. What’s not to like here?

This Speedmaster Silver Snoopy Award has also been the starting point for many to become interested in collecting Speedmasters and its limited editions. For me, it has been good fun ever since and I am more than proud of my modest collection of Moonwatch models. This Silver Snoopy Award takes an important spot in my collection, not in the least place because it is so different from those black dialed Moonwatch variations. I know about the high resale value of this watch, but that shouldn’t play a role in choosing this watch as a winner of the Speedmaster World Cup. It is about the design, the background story of this watch, and its importance for the brand and Speedmaster collection in general.

Balazs — 321 Ed White

I honestly did not see this coming. When I received my initial four Speedies at the beginning of the Fratello Speedmaster World Cup, I clearly saw the most potential in the 321 Ed White. However, I was also prepared for a surprise. But, this is a relatively new watch, and the list had many other iconic contenders. Just think of the recently fallen ST1, for example.

Or perhaps the Apollo XI 45th I went against in the semi-finals. Not to mention my personal favorite from my opening Group E article: the Japanese Racing. As RJ said, it would’ve been nice to see one of Fratello’s watches in the final, but hey, you guys decided otherwise. What strikes me the most is how different the Snoopy and the 321 Ed White are. They are night and day. Or better yet, black and white, just like their dials.

Less is more

I could get into bashing the Snoopy, telling you why the Ed White is better, nicer, more awesome watch is, but why should I do it? I mean, both watches got here because you guys love them so much. This also tells me another thing: you love odd, white-dialed Speedies as much as you love the ones that look pretty much like any regular Speedmaster Pro. So now let me talk to the guys who voted the Snoopy into the finals. I’m sure you have your reason why you chose the little white dog but I also know that its previous opponents were not on the level of the 321 Ed White.

I mean the First Omega in Space is cute but come on. Or the Tintin, a watch I deeply love, is no Snoopy indeed… Much less can it hold a candle to the Ed White. There can only be one winner. Should it really be a white dial Speedmaster with Snoopy on the dial? The winner of the Speedmaster World Cup? Or should it be a beautiful, clean Speedmaster that has both the iconic look and a legendary movement? You tell me.

Availability

Throughout this competition, I’ve been telling people not to compare prices. I want the watches to be compared as objects. This is what I’m telling you now. Let’s not look at how much a Silver Snoopy Award 2015 is compared to the 321 Ed White (we all know the answer). Rather, think about which watch you would rather own.

Can you walk into an Omega Boutique and buy or put your name down for a Silver Snoopy Award? I don’t think so. You can go to the usual suspects and pay a crazy premium. Nor can you walk into said Boutique, have a nice chat, try on some other models, drink a coffee, snag a Lifetime Magazine, and leave with an Ed White but definitely put your name down for one.

Iconic

If the Silver Snoopy Award 2015 is a significant watch as RJ says, then what is the 321 Ed White? In case you have seen my previous articles about this amazing timepiece please stop reading now. Scroll a bit down and choose wisely. If, for whatever reason, you have missed those pieces here is a bit of a recap for you.

The 321 Ed White got its nickname from a legendary Astronaut. Ed White was the first American to perform an EVA (Extra-Vehicular Activity). He took part in two missions (Gemini 4 and Apollo 1) respectively. Why does the watch bear his name? Because he used the predecessor of this model on his missions. That was a watch he purchased himself. The new 321 movement inside the watch, however, is connected to none other than Gene Cernan, the last man to walk on the Moon.

It was Cernan’s watch that Omega used as the blueprint to recreate this historic caliber, the very movement that “stepped” on the Moon in 1969. Read, think, consider, and make the best decision by listening to your heart. As long as a Speedmaster wins, we all win. Thank you for your vote in advance.

Dear Speedmaster friends and voters, the ball is now in your court. Vote wisely!

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