Speedy Tuesday – Speedmaster Automatic 3513.53.00 For The Japanese Market In 1996

October 01, 2013

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It’s Speedy Tuesday! A few months ago, I wrote about the differences between the Speedmaster Professional (regarded as the Moonwatch) and the Speedmaster Reduced. We now have a similar watch to the Reduced, a 39mm automatic Speedmaster watch, especially for the Japanese market. However, where the original Speedmaster Reduced was equipped with a piggy back movement Omega caliber 3320, this Japanese Speedmaster reference 3513.53.00 has an Omega caliber 1152 movement, based on the ETA/Valjoux 7750.

Where the Omega caliber 3220 movement is a piggy back movement (Dubois-Dépraz 2020 chronograph add-on module on top of the ETA base movement), the caliber 1152 or ETA/Valjoux 7750 in this Japanese market Speedmaster is a dedicated chronograph movement. What does that mean? It means that the Omega caliber 1152 is designed and constructed to be a pure chronograph movement whereas the caliber 3220 consists of a ‘regular’ time-only movement which received an add-on movement especially for the chronograph functions. Quality wise, I don’t feel there’s anything wrong with that, or vice versa, that it is better than a pure chronograph movement. The only thing that ‘bothers’ me with regards to the piggy back movement is that the winding crown and chronograph pushers are not aligned if you look at them from the side.

A piggy back movement is not solely for Omega watches of course, a lot of other brands used – and still do – these constructions. Even +15K Euro watches. We also see these add-on modules for moon phase complications for example. It is not a bad thing.

Cool thing about this Japanese Speedmaster are the red accents on the dial and the motif on the dial. The dial is more ‘bold’ than the regular Speedmaster Pro or Speedmaster Reduced from that time period. I am very tempted to call this a ‘Racing’ dial as well, but this would become confusing as we already defined some other Speedmasters as ‘Racing’ editions (here and here).

The caseback of this Speedmaster has the famous Seahorse embossed in stainless steel, no further text has been engraved. There are also no optical signs that it concerns a limited edition or special edition for the Japanese market here.

Originally. this watch came on a leather strap (as pictured above) although we’ve also seen this exact watch on a stainless steel bracelet (polished small links between the center link and outer links). Just like the Speedmaster Reduced, this Speedmaster 3513.53 also has a sapphire crystal (instead of a plexi Hesalite crystal as the ‘Moonwatch’).

Thanks to our friend Andreas Gregoriades who sent us the pictures of this special Speedmaster watch.

P.S. Don’t forget to sign up for the most exciting Speedmaster event ever, hosted by Fratellowatches and Omega SA in the Space Expo, ESA-ESTEC’s official visitor’s center. More information and registration here. Only limited availability, so act quick!