The Function Behind the Fame: What Makes the Speedmaster Great?
Apart from the well-regarded reputation, the Speedmaster holds much more substance than its outward style being designed with optimized ergonomics as a priority.
The Omega Speedmaster’s reputation in the horological industry has been cemented by its timeless legacy and lasting high-performance. However, what is often overlooked in its stellar reviews are its design features that make it not only iconic to its brand but also genuinely great to wear. The “Strap Monster's" exceptional wearability and usability surpass any surface-level fame with true substance behind the style.
Rule of Thirds
The Speedmaster’s proportions were meticulously designed in such a way that the watch would sit comfortably and be visually appealing on any wrist. By evenly layering the Speedmaster with the rule of thirds in mind, its designers created a case that was perfect for its purpose as a professional chronograph.
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With the precise, uniform allocation of literal and visual weight in every layer of the Speedmaster, Omega prevents the watch from being too top-heavy. Such a balance can distinguish a refined and intentionally crafted design from one that is far more bulky and clumsy, and is arguably why so many find the Speedmaster to be an exceptionally wearable timepiece.
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Length in Lugs
In both variations of the Speedmaster’s case—the Pre-Moon “straight lug” and the Professional “twisted” or “lyre lug”—there is a relatively short lug-to-lug length design, ensuring that the watch does not overhang the wrist, creating a more comfortable fit. The Pre-Moon designs are typically 38mm watches, while the Professional designs are typically 42mm watches—the greater diametre an effect of its crown guards. However, the lug-to-lug length of the latter is actually shorter than the former.
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The careful attention to the lug-to-lug length of each watch is the primary component in ensuring the watch’s perfect fit, on top of the aforementioned height and weight proportions. For example, while the lyre lug design is technically a larger watch than the straight lug design due to its larger diameter, many people hold a preference for its case due to its shorter lug-to-lug length.
The Inside Affects The Outside
Perhaps the most important feature that solidifies the Speedmaster’s exceptional quality as not just an accessory, but a tool, is the dial’s high legibility. The iconic black and white design allows for each character to be easily read, and such a maximized-contrast appearance has been carefully curated through decades of Speedmaster iterations and evolutions since its initial release in 1957.
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A lesser celebrated aspect of the Speedmaster is the visual size of the dial, which is comparable to many dive watches. Both the Pre-Moon and Professional dials are around 31mm in diameter, however after being cased, only about 29mm of the dial is still visible. Despite this smaller visual footprint, the Speedmaster maximizes the use of space and legibility through a precise and distinct layout in subdial spacing––which can also be the telltale sign between a real Speedmaster and a fake.
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The Lemania-based 321 movement features subdials that are spaced more closely together than that of other calibers such as the Valjoux 72 or competitors. This tight spacing greatly improves the legibility of the dial, particularly because it allows enough space to use full length arms at the 3, 6, and 9 hours without cutting them off; longer
indices are also more visible at oblique angles due to the crystal's distortion, and this parallax is also counteracted by the downward curving minute and chrono hands. In contrast, competitors like the Rolex Daytona and the Heuer Carrera do not have the same efficient use of space on the dial to implement the long-hour indices. These are then cut off by the subdials, partially restricting the full view of the dial, especially when viewing at an angle.
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