Feature: Why The Omega Speedmaster Beats The Rolex Daytona
The Omega Speedmaster and Rolex Daytona, introduced in 1957 and 1963, respectively, are probably the most famous chronographs ever made. These two stalwarts of the industry emerged in a different world. One in which the space-race rivalry between the Soviets and the USA was heating up, motor-car racing was making a huge comeback after a hiatus during the war years, and Elvis Presley could still fit into his trousers.
Since then they’ve both experienced the peaks and troughs of the watch industry rollercoaster, with the Speedmaster going to the Moon, the Daytona setting the auction world alight thanks to the greatest celebrity endorsement ever, and both battening down the hatches during the long siege of the quartz crisis.
And not only are they still standing, they’re more popular than they’ve ever been, basking in true icon status.
An early manual-wind Omega Speedmaster from 1962. Image: Bonhams
Still, in the current market, a brand-new Daytona in steel sells for more than twice that of an entry-level Speedmaster and it’s generally seen as the more desirable watch, with waiting lists longer than those of a top-of-the-range Ferrari.
In contrast, you can probably pick up a brand-new Speedmaster down your High Street today, while pre-owned Omega Speedmaster Moonwatches are also widely available and start from around £4,000.
But is the Daytona’s dominance over its long-term rival justified? Not in our humble opinion, and this is why…
The Daytona Was A Slow Burner
These days they sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars and send the auction world into raptures, so it’s hard to believe that the Daytona tanked when it first came out.
Aside from the fact that chronographs weren’t yet fashionable for consumers, Rolex was so strongly associated with simple, robust models like the Submariner, GMT and Rolex Datejust that this sporty chronograph was met with a collective shoulder shrug.
Indifferent customers had to be enticed with hefty discounts and other dangling carrots. Imagine walking into a jewellers today and the salesman practically begging you to buy one with the offer of 50 per cent off and a free set of cufflinks.
Believe it or not, the Daytona was once snubbed by watch consumers
The Speedmaster’s association with space travel ensured it was much more popular, plus Omega had previous form with complex timing functions due to its long links with the Olympic games.
Rolex’s NASA Reject
Much like the way England football fans still like to talk about 1966 and Alf Ramsey’s World Cup-winning glory, Omega has never let the industry forget that the Speedmaster was the first watch on the Moon.
And that must be a constant thorn in Rolex's side, because the Daytona wasn’t far off being selected for NASA’s space missions itself.
In 1964 when NASA research boffins were looking for a timepiece to accompany its astronauts in space, they asked ten watch brands to volunteer a model for testing. Only four replied: Omega, Longines-Wittnauer, Hamilton and Rolex—who volunteered their 6238, a pre-Daytona chronograph that would eventually evolve into the Daytona we know today.
A contemporary Daytona, reference 116506, which is hugely sought-after
Inexplicably, perhaps thinking that the NASA mission involved time-travelling back to the 19th century rather than the Moon, Hamilton delivered a pocketwatch, immediately disqualifying them.
The Wittnauer-Longines and Rolex watches at least made it to the starting line, but they failed on an early thermal vacuum test.
This left the Omega to go it alone for the rest of the tests, which it passed with flying colours.
The Movements
Both the Speedmaster and Daytona began life using hand-wound movements, with automatic chronographs not introduced until 1969.
The first Daytonas started off using a Valjoux 72 and relied on movements from this celebrated manufacturer until the 1980s when it went automatic thanks to Zenith’s El Primero movement, which it used for twelve years.
It took until 2000 for the Daytona to finally get an in-house movement, replacing the calibre 4030 with its very own 4130.
In contrast, Omega has used its own movements for the Speedmaster since its inception, beginning with the caliber 321. This was originally made by Lemania— which merged with Omega in the 1930s—before being adapted for the Speedmaster. These days fans have the option of going for a manual-wind or self-winding option.
A more recent development, which has improved not just the Speedmaster but all the Omega models that use it, is the co-axial escapement, invented by the late English horologist, George Daniels.
Now used exclusively by Omega it was designed to reduce friction and the need for lubrication every few years. Amazingly, Daniels himself wore a prototype watch using this escapement for over twenty years without it needing a single service. Beat that, Rolex!
Movies… Or The Moon?
The Daytona and the Speedmaster will forever be associated with two great men—Paul Newman and Buzz Aldrin, respectively. And this will be what sways some people when it comes to choosing between the two—specs and design be damned!
This 2021 model runs on the 1863 manual-wind movement
You could opt for the watch worn by one of Hollywood’s genuine legends, a motor-racing fanatic and philanthropist who devoted much of his life to charitable causes.
Or the watch worn by the second man on the moon—a phenomenal achievement—and currently the last surviving crew member of Apollo 11, the mission that remains arguably the greatest technological achievement of the 20th century.
Ask yourself: can there be any greater endorsement than that?
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