【F】 The Best Affordable Omega Speedmasters Under €5,000

As we all know, the ever-increasing retail prices of watches have bumped some of our very favorite models to new heights. This also applies to the Omega Speedmaster (Professional). The new Speedmaster Professional “Reverse Panda” will set you back over €10k, the white-dial Speedmaster “Craig White” is €9k, and the standard version with the Hesalite crystal is rapidly approaching €8k.

What if your budget doesn’t allow you to go new?

No worries if you can’t or don’t want to spend nearly €8k on a Speedmaster. There are plenty of alternatives out there on the secondary market, sometimes even for much less than the €5,000 stated. Just make sure you are aware of additional costs, such as customs/VAT or a possible service intervention.

1. Omega Speedmaster Broad Arrow 3594.50

One of my favorite Speedmaster references is the 3594.40, which was originally introduced as “Replica.” Use this name in a YouTube video or IG post about this watch, and you’ll get a ban (truth!). Though it wasn’t for that reason, a few years ago, Omega renamed this watch “Re-edition” in hindsight. That’s all fine; it’s just a name. What’s most important is that it’s simply a 42mm Speedmaster Professional made to look like a CK2915.

The CK2915 was the very first Speedmaster in 1957, and it featured Broad Arrow hands and a steel bezel with a tachymeter scale. As the case had straight lugs, it was a few millimeters smaller than the 42mm Professional case with crown guards, and inside was Omega’s caliber 321. In 1997, Omega introduced the 3594.50 as a homage to the original Speedmaster CK2915 Broad Arrow, by making a few cosmetic changes to a Professional model. This Omega Speedmaster 3495.50 was available with a stainless steel bracelet (identical to those on the 3570.50) and a tan leather strap.

It wouldn’t work in 2026, but it did in 1997

Omega wouldn’t get away with this today, but back then, the world was different. It resulted in this quirky but fun Speedmaster with an asymmetrical case, hand-wound caliber 1861, and shiny Broad Arrow hands with a matching, applied Omega logo on the grey-ish dial. Compared to the standard Speedmaster Professional of that time, reference 3570.50, this Speedmaster 3594.50 plays a bit more with the light, especially at certain angles. Several of us Fratello writers own this watch and love it dearly.

What are the known issues for the Speedmaster Replica?

You might encounter a few that have moisture issues inside. Such issues are easy to detect by looking at the condition of the applied Omega logo and Broad Arrow hands. If they show corrosion, keep looking for the next one.

On Chrono24, you can find them listed by sellers in Japan for roughly €2,750–3,000. In the European Union, expect to pay between €3,000 and €4,000. Complete sets or recently serviced ones go over €4,000.

2. Omega Speedmaster “Mk40” 3820.53

Advertised in the mid-1990s as “Michael Schumacher’s Choice,” this very colorful Speedmaster ref. 3820.53 features day, date, and month complications, as well as a day/night indicator (24-hour hand). It’s a boldly designed watch with large printed Arabic numerals and red, yellow, and blue accents.

This 39mm Speedmaster is a bit thick for today’s standards (14mm), but that has never been a huge issue for most wearers, I guess. Inside is a Valjoux 7751-based self-winding chronograph movement featuring a triple calendar and the aforementioned 24-hour indicator. Omega dubbed this back then as its caliber 1151. It makes this a busy but playful watch!

What are the known issues for the Speedmaster Mk40?

On the left side of the case, you see a little corrector for the calendar. Pushing it advances the day disc. Though very easy to use, it’s also prone to collecting dust or gunk, which can cause it to stop functioning properly. If you’re lucky, a soft toothbrush will help you to clean it, but some won’t escape a proper disassembly and cleaning by a watchmaker.

Prices for the Speedmaster 3820.53, or “Mk40” (the nickname for this watch, referring to the older Speedmaster Mark series), are typically between €2,800 and €3,500, depending on condition and completeness (box and papers). Some sellers mix up the reference number 3820.53 with the reference for the case (which is 175.0084), so that might result in a few more finds. Change the reference number to 3520.53, and you will find it on a bracelet, increasing the price accordingly.

3. Omega Speedmaster Reduced 3510.50

Within the last decade, Omega has recreated the models or concepts mentioned above. Examples include the 2017 Speedmaster 60th Anniversary, a nearly exact homage to the original CK2915, and the Speedmaster H10 Hodinkee edition based on the Speedmaster 3820.53. It still baffles me, though, that the brand hasn’t released a new or modern version of the Speedmaster Reduced ref. 3510.50. This model debuted in the 1980s and stayed in Omega’s catalog for many years. It was the preferred Speedmaster for anyone who found the Professional too large/expensive or who wanted an automatic movement.

There’s a large selection of Speedmaster 38 models in today’s catalog, but those are not the same as the Reduced.

What are the known issues for the Speedmaster Reduced?

The movement is an ETA 2890 base with a Dubois-Depraz chronograph module. This is not an “issue” as such, but keep in mind that service costs can be slightly higher than what you’re used to for a hand-wound caliber 1861 or automatic 7750-based movement.

Also here, the Japanese secondary market comes to the rescue with very interesting prices for an Omega Speedmaster Reduced 3510.50. They start well below €2,000 and creep up to €2,500 for examples in good condition. In the European Union, they tend to sell for just under €3,000. That is still quite a bit more affordable than the Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch 3570.50, especially when looking for a good-condition, full-set, or recently serviced one.

4. Omega Speedmaster Professional 3570.50

As this watch needs no real introduction anymore, I will keep it short and simple. The classic Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch ref. 3570.50 was in production for such a long time (from 1996 until 2020). You will be able to find one under €5,000, even with a box, papers, etc. For many years, it was my daily watch, and I cherish it as it accompanied me for so many (life-changing) events. During its lifespan, Omega has used different bracelets for the 3570.50. All these bracelets look very similar, but they have minor differences (different tapering, slight changes in engraving, etc.). One of the most visible differences was the 1999 upgrade to a clasp with release buttons (bracelet reference 1498 to 1998).

The Speedmaster Professional 3570.50 might not have the finesse of the current Speedmaster when it comes to the dial and hands or the fancy-pants Master Chronometer-certified movement, but it can surely stand the test of time. Since the early 2000s, there has always been a Speedmaster 3570.50 in my collection. The last one I bought was in 2013, and that has been with me ever since. Although I also have the current version, the Calibre 321, and a bunch of other similar references, the 3570.50 still gets its time on my wrist.

What are the known issues for the Speedmaster Professional?

Unlike the current Speedmaster Professional, the older references should not be used in the water, so please don’t. Even though some people might have done so without problems, just don’t. An issue with the 3570.50 (and some later references) when it was new often involved stiff winding. It needed time to break in, apparently.

You can find the Speedmaster Professional 3570.50 on the secondary market starting under €3,000 from sellers in Japan and starting at around €4,000 in the European Union and the United States, depending on condition, etc. You can probably find a BNIB example for more than the budget we’ve set for this article, but you can surely find a great one for less.

5. Omega Speedmaster X-33 3290.50 or 3291.50

Are you looking for something quirkier? Meet the ana-digi Speedmaster X-33, introduced in 1998 as “The Mars Watch.” This model was developed in collaboration with legendary Apollo astronaut General Thomas P. Stafford. It’s a neat digital watch with several functions that are useful for astronauts on board a spacecraft to time certain tasks and events they need to perform according to their tight schedules and scripts. And then there’s the alarm. It’s so incredibly loud that the stewardesses on a flight panicked when my X-33’s alarm went off (I apologized).

Will you use it to its full potential? Probably not!

This Grade 2 titanium watch, with its 42.25mm case, is slightly larger than a regular Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch. It has a ton of functions you will probably never use, although the countdown timer is especially handy in the kitchen, I’d say. On top of that, there are three alarms, a regular chronograph function, a day and date, an extra time zone (GMT), mission elapsed time, and more. By using the four buttons and the crown (which also functions as a pusher), the wearer can easily access all the functions.

Omega also introduced a second version of the X-33, known as the Gen 2 model. This is actually still the one being delivered to NASA astronauts today, and it will be used on board the Artemis II mission. The differences with the first generation mainly involve the finish of the pushers and bezel (satin finished instead of polished) and the different crown design. The Gen 2 is a bit more difficult to find on the secondary market than the first iteration, but it’s not impossible.

What are the known issues for the Speedmaster X-33?

Most of the first-generation Speedmaster X-33 (3290.50) watches that have been serviced have received a newer movement (as introduced in the second-generation reference 3291.50). Though basically the same caliber (1666), it features an upgraded, more reliable integrated circuit. To my knowledge, there’s no way to tell which movement is an update and which is from the first generation.

On Chrono24, Japanese sellers are offering the Speedmaster X-33 ref. 3290.50 for as low as €1,400, but a complete set in good condition will cost somewhere between €2,000 and €2,500. Part of the fun of owning this watch is the original instruction manual and the white cloth box that resembles the material of a NASA space suit. The X-33 was available with a titanium bracelet (reference 1998Ti) and with a kevlar strap (in different colors).

What’s your favorite Speedmaster under €5,000? Is it one of the Speedmasters listed above, or do you prefer the colorful Speedmaster Reduced “Schumacher” editions or something else? Let us know in the comments.