The
Speedmaster is without a doubt OMEGA’s most famous model. Launched in 1957, the Speedmaster rose to fame as the watch that made it to the moon on the historic Apollo 11 lunar landing. Since its debut, OMEGA has offered countless versions of the Speedmaster chronograph, including this
Speedmaster Reduced ref. 3534.71.00. Let’s get a closer look at the details.
What is the Speedmaster Reduced?
OMEGA unveiled the Speedmaster Reduced model in 1988 to complement the Speedmaster Professional collection of watches. Compared to the 42mm size of the Professional, the Reduced measures a smaller 39mm. Furthermore, while the Speedmaster Professional is famous for its manual-wound movement, the Reduced line features automatic calibers instead. As a result, the layout of the dial is slightly different, as are the positions of the winding crown and pushers at 2 and 4 o’clock. It’s worth noting that the Speedmaster Reduced is sometimes referred to as the Speedmaster Automatic.
The Omega Speedmaster Mother Of Pearl
The particular OMEGA Speedmaster Reduced watch is the
ref. 3534.71.00 sporting a 39mm stainless steel case with the characteristic tachymeter bezel. Flanking the winding crown on the case are the chronograph pushers. As we mentioned, these are positioned differently to the Professional models. Rather than the straight alignment on the Speedmaster Pro watches, the winding crown of the Speedmaster Reduced is positioned lower than the accompanying pushers. This is due to the movement within, which we’ll discuss in more detail below. Housed within the case is a white mother-of-pearl dial with blue oversized Arabic numerals. Also on the dial are the three registers at 3, 6, and 9 o’clock. Compared to the Professional models, the Speedmaster Reduced watches have the subdials placed further out from the center and closer to the edge. Additionally, the arrangement is slightly different where the registers at 3 and 9 o’clock are reversed, thus placing the small seconds at 3 o’clock. Protecting the face of the watch is sapphire crystal and the Speedmaster Automatic ref. 3534.71.00 can safely plunge down to 330 feet (100 meters) deep underwater. This particular stainless steel model is presented on a matching stainless steel bracelet where the center links are decorated with fine lines for a dressier effect. Super comfortable to wear and great to look at—the perfect combo.
Omega 3220 Caliber
OMEGA introduced an automatic caliber to the Speedmaster line in 1972. That was the Caliber 1040, which was developed in collaboration with Lemania. Driving the Speedmaster Reduced ref. 3534.71.00 however, is the newer and updated Omega 3220 caliber. A self-winding caliber that was introduced in 2000, this particular movement is based on the ETA 2890-A2, along with a Dubois-Dépraz 2020 chronograph module. With 46 jewels and a rhodium-plated finish, the Omega 3220 caliber offers 40 hours of power reserve. Among the wide selection of OMEGA Speedmaster watches, the Reduced ref. 3534.71.00 is a great choice for those looking for a smaller and less expensive model. Plus, thanks to its automatic movement, the Speedmaster Reduced is a practical watch to have on hand. Part sporty, part elegant,
this unisex OMEGA Automatic is undoubtedly a great everyday luxury chronograph.
