Subexplorer[Moderator - WristScan]
29993
Hello Alex! Thank you so much for your kind comments. I have the watch since last Tuesday but I will try to do my best to answer you.
Jun 11, 2021,23:35 PM
1) In my personal view the feeling and noise at winding is very similar. But it is possible your feel is different because brand new Speedmasters winding stem is usually very tight due to the gaskets being new. Sometimes they are Very tight as it was the case with my brown dial version (same you own) which was so tight it was not pleasurable at all to wind it. In my experience with the constant use and winding of the watch the gaskets get a little worn and they are easier and pleasurable to wind.
To answer these questions I went to my watch box to retrieve my old Moonwatch (well not so old as it is only five years old) to check it against my new Moonwatch Master Chronometer.
Well after five years the crown/winding stem of the old watch feels easier to wind as the new watch is rather tight, but the feeling of the teeth/gear working and its sound is the same to me. So I think that you (and me) will be feeling the exactly the same after some months of use.
2) There are several differences in the dial (step is one of course) and in the printing. The seconds outer track had four marks the new only two. Actually the change is a correction of the dial because it is made to exactly follow the markings to the vibrations per hour of the movement. Both the old and new movement have 21.600 VPH that is 3 HZ so the seconds hand can show a more exact reading. This change was already made in previous models of Speedmaster, for example in the Speedy Tuesday model and Snoopy.
Visually, it makes no difference to me but the seconds track seems more "solid" or "tight" in the old model due to having more markings together in same space.
Other differences in the new step dial are the new sub dials, which now have an angle where the numbers and markings are printed instead of the step of the previous dial. Also the markings at "12" are very different between older and new dial.
3) Black color and surface are the same to me ... but... when viewed at certain angle the new step dial looks more like charcoal. If you examine it under a loupe you see that matt surface have the same very little tight grain and black is identical in both dials. I think that the flat surface of the step dial catches light differently and makes look it charcoal.
4) Truth is I had not tried it because I own the watch since just a few days. But one well known source in internet says: Yes. Also that it will fit the new Snoopy as well.
In the case of the old Moonwatch the new bracelet will fit but leave a very small gap in the end link. It is possible to make it fit exactly and tight if you file just a bit in a small lip on the end link, but the same source says it is not necessary unless you are very picky with details.
The chocolate sandwich is one of my favorite variants of Speedmaster as you know. I feel it would look wonderful with any of these bracelets you mention.
I feel you should try the comfort of the new bracelet and which one you like better: all brushed standard or the deluxe version with polished central links vs the Apollo 11 50th before deciding.
I hope these answers will help you.
Best cordial regards, Abel.