The Omega Speedmaster Professional is an icon in its own right, remaining virtually unchanged since it became the first watch worn on the moon in 1969. That, however, does not mean there have been deviations from the formula. Omega, in fact, has made an almost notorious amount of limited edition and spin-off Speedmasters over the years, often to the chagrin of collectors claiming it dilutes the chronograph’s legacy.
Whether or not you believe that’s true, it does leave us with a lot of oddball variations on the Speedmaster, some bad, but some with enthusiastic followings. Even in the case of the latter, it’s rare to see these models sell for very much money despite being deemed desirable and being made in such few numbers. To illustrate that point, we found three rare models that you can pick up right now for less than the price of a brand new Speedmaster Professional: $5,250. Who knows, they might even be worth more than that someday.
Omega Speedmaster Reduced “Marui”
What we like: Billed as a smaller, more affordable alternative to the Professional, the Speedmaster Reduced was never likely to catch on with collectors. Still, it’s an excellent timepiece for its relatively low cost — especially considering it boasts the same handsome looks as the Professional in a smaller case size (39mm). This particular example is a Japan-only, limited edition made for Marui department stores and it’s one of the more desirable Reduced model thanks to its attractive panda dial design and the fact that fewer than 2,000 were made.
From the seller: Mint condition. No box or papers.
