The Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch is the most historically significant watch in the brand's catalog. It was qualified by NASA for all crewed space missions in 1965, worn on the Moon during Apollo 11 in 1969, and has been on every subsequent US crewed space mission since. It is also the most historically significant watch available as a super clone — a piece with genuine provenance that you can wear daily without spending $7,000.
Why the Speedmaster Clone Is Worth Serious Consideration
The Moonwatch is not a flashy watch. The 42mm case is conservative by modern standards, the black dial is simple, and the stainless steel bracelet does not have the visual complexity of a Submariner or Royal Oak. What the Speedmaster has is character — a story that makes wearing it feel like participating in something larger than watch collecting.
The super clone captures everything the Moonwatch is visually and mechanically. The result is a watch that wears on the wrist exactly as the genuine does, with the same size, weight, and tactile feedback.
The Speedmaster Reference Landscape
**Moonwatch Professional Co-Axial Master Chronometer (310.30.42.50.01.001)**: The current standard Moonwatch reference with a hesalite (acrylic) crystal on the dial side, a sapphire exhibition case back, and the manual-wind Caliber 3861. This is the reference most people mean when they say "Speedmaster Moonwatch."
**Moonwatch with sapphire crystal**: A variant that replaces the hesalite front crystal with sapphire. Less historically accurate (the original used hesalite) but more scratch-resistant for daily wear.
**Speedmaster '57**: A 38.6mm variant with a more vintage-proportioned case, automatic movement, and bracelet that tapers more aggressively than the professional. The smaller case size appeals to buyers who find the 42mm Professional too large.
The super clone market focuses primarily on the Professional (42mm, hesalite crystal, manual wind) because it is the most recognized and most historically significant reference.
The Manual Wind Movement in the Speedmaster Clone
This is the most important detail about the Speedmaster clone. The genuine Moonwatch Professional uses a manual-wind movement — the Caliber 3861 — that requires daily winding by turning the crown. It is one of very few current luxury watches that does not offer an automatic option in the standard Moonwatch configuration.
Top-tier Speedmaster super clones use a manual-wind clone movement that replicates this correctly. This means you need to wind the watch every one to two days, which some buyers find inconvenient and others find is part of the ritual appeal of the reference.
If you order a Speedmaster super clone and expect to never wind it, you will be disappointed. The manual-wind experience is part of what the Moonwatch is. If you want an automatic-only watch, choose a Seamaster 300M or Submariner instead.
The clone manual-wind movement provides approximately 48 hours of power reserve. Regulated accuracy: plus or minus eight seconds per day.
The chronograph complication is fully functional: start, stop, and reset work correctly. The column wheel mechanism operates as intended.
Dial Details: The Hesalite Crystal
The standard Moonwatch uses a hesalite (acrylic) crystal rather than sapphire. Hesalite was NASA's requirement in 1965 because it does not shatter into sharp fragments under pressure differential — a significant advantage in a spacecraft environment. Omega has maintained hesalite on the standard Moonwatch as a historical specification.
Hesalite scratches more easily than sapphire. This is a genuine trade-off, not a quality issue. It is also polishable — minor scratches can be buffed out with a jeweler's polishing cloth, something sapphire cannot claim.
The super clone Moonwatch uses a hesalite crystal on the standard configuration, correctly matching the genuine specification. This is a detail that separates quality Speedmaster clones from lesser copies, which often substitute cheaper acrylic that does not have the correct optical clarity of hesalite.
The Tachymeter Bezel
The Speedmaster's stainless steel bezel with tachymeter engraving is one of the most distinctive elements of the reference. The tachymeter scale allows you to measure speed over a fixed distance using the chronograph. The engraving should have clean, sharp edges with consistent depth.
On a quality Speedmaster super clone, the tachymeter engraving is laser-applied rather than painted, giving it durability that color-filled variants lack. Check the QC photos specifically on the bezel engraving — it is a detail that separates quality clones from lesser copies.
The Bracelet: Bracelet vs NATO Strap
The Moonwatch is commonly worn on two configurations:
**Steel bracelet**: The current Speedmaster bracelet is an H-link bracelet that matches the style Omega introduced in the 2000s. The clasp should have the Omega butterfly logo engraved.
**NATO strap**: A significant portion of Speedmaster buyers and enthusiasts wear it on a grey NATO strap, which is both the most comfortable configuration and the most historically appropriate for the space mission context. NATO straps are inexpensive and easy to swap.
The super clone Speedmaster comes standard with the steel bracelet. A NATO strap swap is a $15 to $30 aftermarket purchase that dramatically changes the watch's character.
Speedmaster vs Seamaster: Which Omega Clone to Choose
Both are excellent. The decision is about what you want the watch to communicate.
The Seamaster 300M is a diver — water-resistant, ceramic bezel, wave-pattern dial. It reads as a sport watch. The color options (blue, black) are more varied and the overall aesthetic is more modern.
The Speedmaster Moonwatch is a chronograph with historical significance. It reads as a serious watch person's choice. The black-on-black-on-stainless palette is restrained. The manual-wind movement requires engagement.
If you want: modern sport watch with color options → Seamaster.
If you want: chronograph function, historical provenance, manual-wind ritual → Speedmaster.
Pricing
Moonwatch Professional (hesalite, steel bracelet): $420 to $520
Moonwatch Professional (sapphire crystal variant): $450 to $550
Speedmaster '57 (38.6mm): $380 to $460
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