New X-33 Thoughts and Opinions

Introducing – The New Omega Speedmaster X-33 Marstimer

The Speedmaster has long been associated with Space exploration, specifically since 1969 when the watch made it to the surface of the Moon, after NASA qualified it for all manned space missions. Yet, the Moonwatch, also known as the classic Speedmaster Profesional with its hand-wound mechanical movement, isn’t the only watch produced by Omega to […]

monochrome-watches.com

Hello,

Just wondering what is everyone's thoughts on this piece.

Personally, I find it, as James Stacey would say, a deeply cool watch, however, the water resistance on it really makes it never an option for me. I know there is no water in space, but does that mean you can't make it a tool watch you'd want to use on earth? Would be cool to replace my G-Shock with this, but I guess not!

Any other thoughts or opinions?

Reply
·

I love the X-33 series but find them just a bit too large for me personally. I do find something deeply appealing in the 1980's style of ana-digi displays. Time to look again I guess. The entire Speedmaster series has terrific variation in models.

As to the water resistance, I'd need to check what Omega's definition of 30m is - if it's careful swimming I understand the reluctance (swimming in Speedmasters I recall is a major topic for debate). I like the G-Shock comparison, a massive upgrade from my trusty AWG101 (I think I got that right).

·

Aesthetically and from a thematic standpoint, this is a very appealing release to me. I can understand how the price tag for a quartz (especially if comparing to something like a GS 9F) might be a dealbreaker for some, but the rather unique functions of this watch just adds to the charm for me. 

However, the 14.7mm over-engineered thickness of the case (despite it being titanium), just implies "robustness," where I also have trouble wrapping my head around the mere 30m water resistance rating...they couldn't add some additional gaskets to make it at least 100m? Maybe the case just has a bunch of empty air pockets, but I'm more turned off by how the case design doesn't seem to mirror the expected durability. If it was a G-Shock, it'd probably be literally bomb-proof.

·

I picked up a pre-owned X-33 SkyWalker earlier this year, and am very glad I did. When I bought it, I set the time precisely to an atomic time source, then set the PE1 timer so that I could determine how long it had been since the watch was initially set. That PE1 timer now shows 120 days, and the watch has only gained 1 second in that time.

I had initially dismissed the watch as being way too big for my 17cm wrist based on the stated dimensions, but when I actually tried it on I was very pleasantly surprised by how well it wore. It's also my first titanium watch, and the light weight makes it super comfortable.  One of the reasons that it may have such a low WR rating may be the design of the case to allow the alarm to be as loud as it is. Its the loudest alarm I've ever heard on a watch, loud enough to actually use as a wake up alarm.

As with most Omega watches, I feel that it's better to buy pre-owned given the steep depreciation curve. I was able to pick mine up for approx 55% of MSRP. The new Marstimer version appears to be priced approx 20% higher than the SkyWalker version, and likely won't be available pre-owned for a while.

Image
·

Looks awesome 

·
tempus

I picked up a pre-owned X-33 SkyWalker earlier this year, and am very glad I did. When I bought it, I set the time precisely to an atomic time source, then set the PE1 timer so that I could determine how long it had been since the watch was initially set. That PE1 timer now shows 120 days, and the watch has only gained 1 second in that time.

I had initially dismissed the watch as being way too big for my 17cm wrist based on the stated dimensions, but when I actually tried it on I was very pleasantly surprised by how well it wore. It's also my first titanium watch, and the light weight makes it super comfortable.  One of the reasons that it may have such a low WR rating may be the design of the case to allow the alarm to be as loud as it is. Its the loudest alarm I've ever heard on a watch, loud enough to actually use as a wake up alarm.

As with most Omega watches, I feel that it's better to buy pre-owned given the steep depreciation curve. I was able to pick mine up for approx 55% of MSRP. The new Marstimer version appears to be priced approx 20% higher than the SkyWalker version, and likely won't be available pre-owned for a while.

Image

Thanks for the input! Interesting theory about the alarm needing that space, I would guess that functionality is more important than swimming in space. I will need to watch a YouTube video to get an understanding of how loud this is! 

·

By the time any esa  will set foot on Mars, this watch will be be heavily outdated. It is kind of outdated already. It’s a gimmicky luxury watch, created to cashgrab the money from space omega nerds.

these aspects aside…I kind of like it !

·

5900 CHF for an ana-digi wonder. Hell, no.

·

Well, I like it; it completely bucks the trend as Omega have released a late 90s ana-digi whilst everyone else is re-visiting classic references or develop in-house mechanical movements. As other brands begin rehashing models to be slightly smaller, Omega goes studs high and releases a massive diver and a massive space watch in the space of 6 months, and takes on the fashion market in between and breaks the internet with the MoonSwatch. Omega is punk now, who’d have thought?

·

It's a deeply cool watch that I can greatly appreciate, but I would never personally purchase. But I would easily admire those who could.

·

This is probably the first ani-digi watch I’d consider if I had the $$ to burn. Some have commented that the bezel color is too much on the nose. I guess if you dropped it into the Martian dirt it might be hard to find, but if that happens I assume you have bigger problems 😂. 30 meters is just less than 100 feet which seems pretty reasonable to me. That’s a DEEP deep end. Waiting for the YouTube retcon that puts this on Matt Damon’s wrist in The Martian. 

·
  • Hi there. No doubt it’s a fantastic piece of technology and as others have said… very cool. I was considering buying an X-33, but couldn’t decide between the Skywalker and the Marstimer from photos and hadn’t seen it in the metal. When I enquired with my local AD they didn’t have the Skywalker, but did have a Marstimer in stock. As that was the one I was leaning towards anyway (true north compass), off I shot to look at it. Loved the watch, but one glance at the bezel… noooo! I’d thought it ws a sort of red or burgundy from the photos, but to my eye it was actually a sort of brown. That made the decision easy and I ordered the Skywalker. Size is no problem as I have 20cm wrists and the build quality and finish is the usual Omega standard. Just have to wait three or four months for it to arrive. Is it expensive and has more features than I’ll use? Yes indeed. Since when has that been an issue for anyone collecting watches at this level. I’m a self confessed space nerd that’s never going to space. But this watch is actually used by the real astronauts, and I can have one too. How cool is that? I have a Moonwatch too for similar reasons. 👍

·
HectorsDad
  • Hi there. No doubt it’s a fantastic piece of technology and as others have said… very cool. I was considering buying an X-33, but couldn’t decide between the Skywalker and the Marstimer from photos and hadn’t seen it in the metal. When I enquired with my local AD they didn’t have the Skywalker, but did have a Marstimer in stock. As that was the one I was leaning towards anyway (true north compass), off I shot to look at it. Loved the watch, but one glance at the bezel… noooo! I’d thought it ws a sort of red or burgundy from the photos, but to my eye it was actually a sort of brown. That made the decision easy and I ordered the Skywalker. Size is no problem as I have 20cm wrists and the build quality and finish is the usual Omega standard. Just have to wait three or four months for it to arrive. Is it expensive and has more features than I’ll use? Yes indeed. Since when has that been an issue for anyone collecting watches at this level. I’m a self confessed space nerd that’s never going to space. But this watch is actually used by the real astronauts, and I can have one too. How cool is that? I have a Moonwatch too for similar reasons. 👍

Congratulations on the purchase! I would have thought the bezel would be a dark orange, however being a brown tone is definitely less pleasing. Have you already researched how to use the watch? I know it can be quite complex!

·
unseenhero

Congratulations on the purchase! I would have thought the bezel would be a dark orange, however being a brown tone is definitely less pleasing. Have you already researched how to use the watch? I know it can be quite complex!

Hi James. Yes I’ve downloaded the manual and there’s a good iPad app as well. I’ll hold off doing much more than skimming it until the watch arrives. A couple of YouTube contributors have put some excellent ’how to’ videos up. Thanks. Niall

·
HectorsDad

Hi James. Yes I’ve downloaded the manual and there’s a good iPad app as well. I’ll hold off doing much more than skimming it until the watch arrives. A couple of YouTube contributors have put some excellent ’how to’ videos up. Thanks. Niall

Very cool! It will definitely give you some fun as you try to learn how to use it!

·
Chronomaster

By the time any esa  will set foot on Mars, this watch will be be heavily outdated. It is kind of outdated already. It’s a gimmicky luxury watch, created to cashgrab the money from space omega nerds.

these aspects aside…I kind of like it !

I’m a space nerd and I like it 😁