Overview
The Speedmaster is a watch that needs no introduction, first produced in 1957 and worn by numerous astronauts including Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin during their lunar surface in 1969. There have been many Speedmaster references throughout the years, and these 3590.50s from the 1990s are the last of the tritium dials with the caliber 861 movement. They also represent some of the best value in vintage Speedmasters in today’s market. This particular watch was part of the early batch of this reference that retained the long S/R dial from the previous generation 145.022. It also includes the Omega 1479 bracelet which was Omega’s most intricate design yet and the inspiration for the modern 3861 bracelet.
Specifications
Brand:
Omega
Model:
Speedmaster
Reference:
3590.50
Year:
1991
Case Number:
48267279
Case Material:
Stainless steel
Diameter:
42 mm
Lug Width:
20 mm
Thickness:
14.4 mm
Lug-to-Lug:
47.9 mm
Dial:
Black
Lume:
Tritium
Crystal:
Acrylic
Movement:
Hand-wound
Caliber:
Omega 861
Bracelet/Strap:
Omega 1479 stainless steel bracelet with 812 end links
Max Wrist Size:
7.75in (23 links)
Hand model has a wrist size of 6.2 in
Condition
Case: The case shows minimal signs of wear with a few lighter hairlines on the case front and a couple minor scratches on the case back. The case retains good definition between brushed and polished surfaces and has likely seen a light polish at some point. The engravings on the case back remain deep and legible with the black filling still intact. The bezel shows no flaking and has only a few very small, but normal, nicks around the outer edges.
Dial, Hands, & Crystal: The dial is in great condition with nice, evenly-yellowed tritium hour markers. The tritium hands match and show a few small holes and cracks, the most notable of which is on the chronograph seconds hand. When exposed to UV light, both dial and hands glow the same color and then quickly fade. The crystal is in great condition with a lot of life left to give.
Bracelet/Strap: The bracelet condition is consistent with the rest of the watch. It has minimal stretch overall, but there is a little play with the first link on the 6 o’clock side that can be observed in the photo of the full bracelet.
Performance
Functions: All functions including the crown-winding, time-setting, and chronograph start/stop/reset are working as expected.
Service History: Unknown.