Omega Speedmaster World Cup: Third Place Play-Off — Tintin Vs. Snoopy III

Well, we finally made it to the last weekend of the Omega Speedmaster World Cup. What a ride it’s been. We’ve seen surprise winners, remarkable comebacks, our fair share of voter fraud, and worthy watches left languishing in the group stages. The two watches that fell one step short, the Tintin and Snoopy III, now duke it out for your approval.

We’ve seen brutal character assassinations, indulged in well-worded arguments, and recoiled in disbelief as Mike failed three consecutive dope tests. Still, despite running the most sophisticated doping program since Lance Armstrong’s USP team, Mikey couldn’t propel his mighty Tintin into the Final. Instead, that pesky pooch from 2015 has marched on to face off against Balazs’ 321 Ed White. RJ will be championing the Snoopy 2015 against one of his most-worn watches of 2020. That should make for an interesting showdown tomorrow…

…”column no one reads”…

But first, Magic Mike and I have the unenviable task of pleading for your support to snare third place. Mike was ticked-off that he had to write the “column no one reads” until he learned he’d be going against a watch that he genuinely dislikes. I, on the other hand, have my order for the new Snoopy III locked and loaded, so prepare for a heartfelt battle of one man going for the jugular while the other aims to protect the neck at all costs…

Mike Stockton believes in the magic of Tintin

Well, here we are at the end of the World Cup and, like most sporting events, the Tintin has arrived weathered and a bit injured. You see, in the last round, it was bitten by a dog and it looks like this final round will be another dogfight. When we started this whole thing, most of us had some say in the watches we’d discuss. I picked the Tintin because it was my first Speedmaster and because I love the whole story behind its existence. As I’ve mentioned numerous times, the fact that it was in normal production also appeals to the oddball collector in me. Most importantly, though, I just think that it’s a classic that will outlive the multitude of special and limited watches that lined this World Cup.

Dogs and watches

Today, the Tintin battles the latest Snoopy model. If I’m being honest, the Tintin could go down in a ball of flames. I say that because the Snoopy is the latest special Speedmaster and, as humans, we like what’s new and what is also not on the shelves. Additionally, it seems that there is an exorbitant number of people with bad taste who enjoy dogs on their watches.

Perhaps, I could interest folks in the watch above, which is available immediately on Amazon.com for $27.95 plus $12.95 shipping and handling. There’s no doubt that the seller is price gouging when it comes to postal fees, but everyone deserves a little cheddar. And besides, this watch has bling, a white dial, and a tough-looking dog  — a step up because beagles are anything but bold.

Automation for a price…a low one

Now, wait just one darn stinkin’ minute! The dog watch I suggest has no automation aside from its ticking quartz hand, does it? I can help you solve that for roughly $10. Snoopy might roll around in a spaceship, but that pales in comparison to the Chairman and his salutatory gestures. Plus, this Mao watch is also hand winding. So, folks, I’ve put up two watches that are arguably just as attractive as the new Snoopy and will ensure you still have plenty of money left over to do what you should do and that’s to buy a real watch like the Tintin.

New watches are always exciting to me, but I read our report on the new Snoopy and moved on to other things. There is no doubt in my mind that this watch is beautifully detailed and full of quality. I even like the colors! You’d simply never find me wearing a watch with such a ridiculous dial or Toys R Us case back. It’s one of the few times where — brace yourselves — I’d rather have a Daytona on my wrist. Ouch.

Bobsled Bobby and wildlife dials

Now, Bobsled Bobby will do his best to convince that you that he’s over the moon about the newest poop there is to scoop. However, he lives in Dresden where I don’t think that the sun has shone itself in months. So, he gets excited about things such as Manta Rays on dials and even 3G cell phone reception. Due to his love of all animals on watches, it’s not a surprise that he loves this so. So Bobby, if Daniel Wellington drops three-toed sloth dial watches, are you in?

Rob: Yes. Take my money.

Mike: Folks, the Tintin would like your vote, but it doesn’t need it. There will never be thousands of them running around like in the case of the Snoopy, but that’s ok. Owners who have them know how good this watch is and those who sold it early, regret it. Take our friend Eugene for example. He cries into his pillow in Switzerland nightly because he foolishly let go of his Tintin. Bad Eugene! See, I am scolding him like a, umm, puppy! The Tintin has left the pitch for its house in the hills. It’s a nice place — far nicer than any kennel you could hope to find.

Rob Nudds thinks the Snoopy III is the perfect moonshot

Rob: They say if you shoot for the moon and miss you’ll land among the stars. This is true, I guess, but not really desirable. Look what almost happened to the crew of Apollo 13? Thank goodness they made it home safely. And thank the star-studded heavens that their adventure gave us the Silver Snoopy Speedmasters, because, unlike the mission itself, each of the three has been a progressively more succesful moonshot than the last.

The first Snoopy was cute. It was a nice nod to everything the award represents. But it is a very basic commemoration. The 2015 version that will step up to the plate in tomorrow’s final was a huge leap forward in terms of creativity and execution. But even that clearly fancied model fails to hold a torch to its recently-released successor.

Is it tough to gauge considering so few have made their way into the hands of journalists and would-be customers? Yes, it is. But how many of you have seen the 2015 Snoopy in the metal? Precious few Fratello readers have had that chance. Trust us when we say, it is truly awesome.

Sulky Stockton

And don’t listen to that frustrated Floridian. He’s just sour his Tintin didn’t make it to the big game. It’s a damn shame too. I was pulling for it to go all the way. But as much as I love the Tintin for personal reasons (I am a huge Hergé fan), it is nowhere near as impressive a timepiece as the Omega Speedmaster Silver Snoopy 50th Anniversary model.

The rest of his rambling was…well, disturbing.

Really, it’s not even close. Not even the old sourpuss could avoid mentioning how “beautifully detailed and full of quality” it is. And he’s right. Well, for that one sentence he was bang on. The rest of his rambling was…well, disturbing.

I won’t try and side-step his accusations, though. I guess, as surprising as I find it myself to admit, I do like animals on the dial. In the past, I would’ve thought such a suggestion ludicrous, but my track record is starting to speak for itself. There’s my Seiko SRPE33 “Manta Ray”, my favorite Breitling Aerospace model is probably the “Flying Monsters” limited with a dragon on the dial, I have a lot of time and respect for those old Panerai watches with safari animals engraved in the gun-butt style, and I even go ga-ga over the tessellated enamel dials of Vacheron Constantin. So yeah, I have previous. And so what? All of those watches are awesome. But the Snoopy III? Well, that’s just…uh…awesomer.

The Chairman and the Staffie

Those suggestions were bonkers. But more bonkers still were the maths behind the suggestion that you could buy these watches and have enough left over to buy the Tintin. Newsflash: the Tintin, the unloved, unratified celebration of Hergé’s masterpiece, now tends to sell for north of five figures. Sure, you’ll find the odd bargain, but mostly, this watch will cost you more than my delightful Snoop Snoop.

Trust me, come New Year’s Eve, you’ll be thanking me.

Better still, Swatch actually made an official Tintin watch which can still be had on the preowned market for less than €200. So grab one of those and the new Snoopy. Hell, buy the Chairman and the Staffie too. Buy the god damn Manta-Ray and put a down-payment on the Daniel Wellington Sloth watch (sounds amazing, by the way).

You could have all that for about the same as the Tintin these days and just imagine the versatility of your new collection, and how many friends you’ll be able to make at this year’s Christmas party by double, triple, or quadruple wristing it with your new menagerie. Trust me, come New Year’s Eve, you’ll be thanking me. But I don’t need your praise. I need your votes. So please, let’s finish off this contest with a bang and with the Omega Speedmaster Silver Snoopy 50th Anniversary model on the podium where it belongs.

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