
Wristwatches · Wristwatch
Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch Sapphire Back 3572.50, 1996
- Maker / attribution
- Omega (maker)
- Date
- 1996
- Historical period
- Mechanical Renaissance (1990 – 2010)
- Country of origin
- Switzerland
- Object type
- Wristwatch
- Stock no.
- OMSPM96CA863
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, Craft & Tailored (OMSPM96CA863)
- Catalogue title (original)
- 1996 Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch Sapphire Back 3572.50 W/ Box and Hang Tag (English)
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Record summary
Catalogued by Craft & Tailored (dealer), Los Angeles (stock number OMSPM96CA863), this is a wristwatch by Omega, made in Switzerland, dated 1996. The Atlas places it in the Mechanical Renaissance period (1990 – 2010) of its Wristwatches collection. The record is illustrated with 6 photographs.
Assembled from the source record's structured fields. Dates and attributions are given as the source states them; where a field is missing the Atlas leaves it blank rather than estimating.
Catalogue description
Dealer description — Craft & Tailored
(Alan Bean With An Omega Speedmaster Professional On Lunar Surface Of The Moon) The Omega Speedmaster Professional is by far one of our most favorite chronographs. The Speedmaster has an incredible history starting with automotive racing moving into flight and eventually to NASA and the U.S. Space Program. There are many subtle differences within the vintage Omega Speedmaster range of references that make them all slightly unique and different. (Buzz Aldrin Wearing His NASA Issued Omega Speedmaster Professional, Apollo 11) This early execution 3572.50 features the caliber 863 movements that were produced for Omega until 1996, then changing to the more common rhodium plated cal. 1863 from 1997 on. These early executions are loved by collectors for the visibility of the gorgeous brass 863 movements through the exhibition caseback while retaining the classic hesalite crystal of the moon watch. This discontinued model is similar to the ‘standard’ Moonwatch model reference 3570.50 but with a sapphire case back. In the current Omega collection, you can still find the Speedmaster Professional with a sapphire case back, but it also has the sapphire front crystal. This reference 3572.50 has the Hesalite crystal on top and the sapphire crystal on the back which makes it more original to the Moon watch offering but with the exhibition case back. The Omega Caliber 1863 movement was the successor of the Caliber 863 movement. The caliber 863 was based on Lemania’s caliber 1873 and was used by Omega till 1996 but the Omega cal. 1863 has a different finish than the 863 dubbing Cal. 1863 movement as the "fancy" movement due to the sapphire exhibition case back Stock # OMSPM96CA863 Brand Omega Style Speedmaster Professional Model 3572.50 (Cal. 863) Serial 480XXXXX Size Men's Material SS Dial Black Millimeters 42 Bracelet Omega 1479 Stainless Steel W/ 812 End Pieces CASE & BRACELET The stunning case remains unpolished showing almost to wear from use. The bezel remains in perfect condition and is starting to take on a slight fade. The sapphire case back gives you a full view of the gorgeous cal. 863 movement. The Omega 1479/812 bracelet is in excellent condition and exhibits almost no stretch and very little wear. DIAL & HANDS The matte black dial is flawless. The tritium lume has aged to an excellent creamy patina showing no degradation under U.V. light inspection. The original tritium hands have aged slightly lighter than the dial and under U.V. light inspection the hour and minute hands exhibit minor lume degradation. ACCESSORIES Watch comes with original inner and outer boxes and hang tag. Watch is running at COSC Spec and was recently serviced by the previous oner before our acquisition.
Historical context
Mechanical Renaissance (1990 – 2010)
Mechanical watches return as cultural objects; independent watchmaking flourishes.
Mechanical watches returned as cultural and luxury objects. Complications, tourbillons and new materials proliferated; independent watchmakers such as George Daniels, F.P. Journe and Philippe Dufour revived artisanal watchmaking; collecting vintage watches became a major field.
Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Quartz Revolution
Atlas type guide
Wristwatches
Bracelet watches were worn by women from the early nineteenth century — Breguet made one for Caroline Murat, Queen of Naples, in 1810–12 — but the wristwatch only became a man's instrument with military use and aviation in the early twentieth century. Between the World Wars it overtook the pocket watch; the 1920s and 1930s brought rectangular Art Deco cases, water-resistant cases and the first automatic winding systems.
After 1945 the wristwatch became a carrier of identity — dress watches, sports and dive watches, chronographs, calendars — produced by Swiss, American, Japanese, German, Soviet and Chinese industries. The quartz revolution after 1969 and the mechanical renaissance since the 1990s, including the rise of independent watchmakers, complete the story.
What to look for
- The reference number (between the lugs or inside the case back) and serial number, the starting point for dating.
- The calibre: its maker and number are often stamped under the dial or on the bridge.
- Originality of dial, hands and crown — refinished ('redial') dials are common.
- Case material marks: 18K/750, 14K/585, stainless steel, gold-filled, plated.
Dating clues
- Wire-lug cases: before c. 1925.
- Water-resistant screw-down cases: from 1926.
- Quartz movements: from 1969; sapphire crystals widespread after c. 1980.
General guidance written by the Atlas editors about this kind of object. It is not a statement about this particular piece; for that, rely on the source record above and on physical examination.
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