The Omega Speedmaster ’57 is the Speedmaster family’s best-kept secret: a 40.5mm hand-wound chronograph with a sandwich dial, broad-arrow hands, and a METAS-certified movement — all in a case thinner than the Moonwatch and a design rooted in 1959 rather than 1969.
In 1957, Omega released the reference CK2998 — the first Speedmaster and a watch built for motorsport timing. It had an aluminium bezel ring with a stamped tachymeter scale, a matte black dial with luminous bevelled indices, and broad-arrow hands that nobody else was using. NASA would not certify the Speedmaster for human spaceflight until 1965. In 1957, it was a very good, very purposeful tool watch.
The Speedmaster ’57 is Omega’s effort to capture that original spirit without nostalgia being the entire point. Introduced in a significant 2022 update that swapped the automatic calibre 9300 for a thinner, hand-wound calibre 9906, it sits at 40.5mm — noticeably more wearable than the 42mm Professional Moonwatch — and offers something the standard Speedy does not: a choice of coloured dials in metallic blue, forest green, and rich burgundy alongside the classic black sandwich option. At $10,700 USD on a steel bracelet (as of October 2026), it costs more than the Moonwatch, which makes the purchase case interesting enough to deserve a proper look.
Prices and specifications as at October 2026. Always verify with authorised dealers before purchase.
TL;DR — Omega Speedmaster ’57
The Speedmaster ’57 is a 40.5mm hand-wound chronograph inspired by Omega’s 1959 CK2998 reference, priced from $10,700 USD on a steel bracelet (October 2026). Calibre 9906 — a METAS-certified, co-axial chronograph with 60 hours of power reserve — fits inside a case just 12.99mm thick. Buy it if you want a wearable Speedmaster with genuine vintage character and four distinct dial personalities. Skip it if you need the Moonwatch’s NASA provenance, prefer automatic winding, or cannot justify paying more than the Professional. Best suited to collectors who know exactly why they want the ’57 specifically.
What Is the Omega Speedmaster ’57?
The name ’57 is a date, not a model code. It refers to the year Omega created the first Speedmaster — the CK2998 — designed primarily for car racing drivers who needed a precise, readable chronograph that could attach to a leather strap on a thin wrist. That watch had 38.5mm of polished steel, a pebble-textured bezel with a stamped aluminium tachymeter ring, and an asymmetric case designed to protect the crown and pushers during competition.
What Omega launched in 2022 as the updated Speedmaster ’57 is not a replica of that watch. It is a reinterpretation: 40.5mm where the original was 38.5mm, sapphire crystal where there was Plexiglas, and a movement that the 1959 engineers could only have dreamed about. The 2022 revision made one critical change over its predecessor: it replaced the calibre 9300 automatic movement with the manual-winding calibre 9906, trimming thickness from roughly 14.6mm to 12.99mm and giving the watch a more appropriate, period-correct character for something inspired by a hand-wound original.
The current lineup comprises four dial executions — black, blue, green and burgundy — each available on either a flat-link steel bracelet or a leather strap. The steel bracelet references are the most popular. This review focuses on the black dial reference (332.10.41.51.01.001) as the most direct expression of what the ’57 is about, though the coloured dials each deserve consideration in their own right. You can explore all of Omega’s current offerings on our Omega brand hub.
Design, Dial and Case
The first thing that strikes you about the Speedmaster ’57 in person is that the case proportions are simply right. At 40.5mm with a 49.64mm lug-to-lug span, this watch sits flat on a 7-inch wrist without gap or overhang. The straight lugs are period-correct — the modern Moonwatch uses stepped lugs — and they create a clean profile when the bracelet flows from case to wrist. The bracelet itself is a flat-link design that matches the polished and brushed surfaces of the case.
The black dial is a sandwich construction, meaning the top dial plate has apertures cut through it so the luminous material applied to the base plate glows through each index rather than sitting atop it. Run your fingernail across a sandwich dial and you can feel the relief. It is a detail that costs money to produce and shows the difference between a dial that exists to display time and one that exists because someone cared about the result. The hands are the broad-arrow style from the CK2998 — an inverted triangle at the entry into the shaft, tapering to a narrower end — rendered in polished steel with SuperLumiNova fills.
The tachymeter scale is applied to an aluminium bezel ring rather than printed on an outer chapter ring, and it is stamped and lacquered in a way that ages deliberately differently from the stainless steel case. This was an authentic restoration of the original technique. The case mixes brushed and polished surfaces thoughtfully: the middle case is brushed, the bevels are polished, and the flat bezel surface is polished. Nothing fights for attention.
The coloured dial references use a sunburst metallic finish rather than the matte sandwich construction of the black. The blue is deep and directional — it shifts between midnight and cobalt in different light. The green is forest-dark and serious. The burgundy walks the edge between dressy and sporty in a way that depends on what you pair it with. All three use applied indices rather than printed, and all three use the same broad-arrow hands in polished steel.
Calibre 9906 — Movement and Specifications
The calibre 9906 is one of the few genuinely exciting chronograph movements in production today. It is a column-wheel chronograph with a vertical clutch, which describes half the good movements in the segment. What makes it exceptional is the combination of a silicon balance spring, a two-barrel series-coupled power train, and METAS Master Chronometer certification.
Master Chronometer certification from METAS — Switzerland’s Federal Institute of Metrology — is a meaningful standard. A watch earns it only after passing eight tests measuring accuracy in six positions, accuracy in a magnetic field of 15,000 gauss (a figure that renders most movements completely inoperative), water resistance verification, and power-reserve accuracy at both full and depleted states. The ’57 passes all of them. The silicon hairspring is the component that makes magnetic resistance possible at this level: silicon is non-magnetic and dimensionally stable, so the movement continues to run accurately in environments that would stop a conventional steel hairspring.
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Reference (black/bracelet) | 332.10.41.51.01.001 |
| Reference (blue/bracelet) | 332.10.41.51.03.001 |
| Reference (green/bracelet) | 332.10.41.51.10.001 |
| Case diameter | 40.5 mm |
| Case thickness | 12.99 mm |
| Lug-to-lug | 49.64 mm |
| Lug width | 20 mm |
| Crystal | Sapphire, AR both sides |
| Water resistance | 50 m / 5 bar |
| Calibre | 9906 (hand-wound co-axial) |
| Power reserve | 60 hours |
| Frequency | 28,800 vph / 4 Hz |
| Jewels | 44 |
| Magnetic resistance | 15,000 gauss (METAS certified) |
| Price (bracelet, Oct 2026) | $10,700 USD |
The two-barrel series configuration is worth noting. Most chronograph movements use a single barrel; two barrels allow Omega to provide 60 hours of power reserve from a hand-wound movement without making the case deeper. The co-axial escapement reduces the friction at the critical pivot point that drains power most rapidly in conventional lever escapements. The movement is visible through a sapphire caseback and is decorated with côtes de Genève patterning, a blued chronograph reset hammer, and bevelled bridges.
On the Wrist
Wearing the Speedmaster ’57 after time with the Professional Moonwatch is a small revelation. The 40.5mm case and 49.64mm lug-to-lug are genuinely different propositions — not just smaller but proportionally better balanced on a medium wrist. The straight lugs hug closer to the curve of the wrist than the stepped lugs of the Moonwatch. At 12.99mm thick, it slides under a shirt cuff without resistance.
The pushers are firm and decisive. There is no travel before engagement — the column wheel responds immediately. Chronograph start and stop are crisp; reset produces a slight resistance that confirms the hammers are doing their job against the heart cams. This is normal and correct, and it is worth mentioning because some buyers compare the pusher feel unfavourably to the snappier feel of the Moonwatch’s pushers, which use a slightly different geometry. Both are good; they are different.
Legibility in daylight is excellent for a three-register chronograph. The running seconds subdial sits at six o’clock, the 30-minute counter at three, and the 12-hour counter at nine — the same layout as the Moonwatch. The sandwich dial makes a particularly meaningful difference at dusk: the lume wells glow a uniform, even green that outlasts most competitors’ lume applications. On a leather strap the watch is lighter than you expect. On the bracelet, the flat-link construction keeps weight close to the wrist and prevents the rolling sensation that can affect heavier, looser bracelets.
Speedmaster ’57 vs Alternatives
The ’57 occupies a specific position: a modern Swiss chronograph that leans vintage without being a replica, priced at or above the Moonwatch it nominally draws inspiration from. Understanding who else competes for the same buyer matters before committing $10,700. We cover the full family context in our Omega Speedmaster buying guide.
| Watch | Price (Oct 2026) | Size | Movement | One-line Take |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omega Speedmaster ’57 (black bracelet) | $10,700 | 40.5 mm | Cal. 9906 hand-wound, METAS | The benchmark — thinner, more colourful, hand-wound |
| Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch | ~$8,000 | 42 mm | Cal. 3861 hand-wound, METAS | The NASA classic; larger case, lower price, iconic provenance |
| TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph (42 mm) | ~$7,500 | 42 mm | Calibre Heuer 02, automatic | Swiss sport chrono at a lower price; automatic winding |
| Breitling Top Time B01 (41 mm) | ~$8,750 | 41 mm | Cal. B01 hand-wound, COSC | Equally retro, hand-wound; Breitling’s racing heritage |
| Tudor Black Bay Chrono (41 mm) | ~$4,150 | 41 mm | Cal. MT5813, automatic | Excellent entry-level sport chrono at a fraction of the price |
The most direct challenge comes from the Moonwatch itself. At roughly $2,700 less, the Professional gives you the NASA lineage, the hesalite crystal option, the same hand-wound tradition, and a 42mm case if that suits your wrist better. The ’57 counters with a thinner profile, coloured dial choices, an exhibition caseback, and a case size that fits more wrists cleanly. Neither is objectively better; they serve different priorities.
The Breitling Top Time B01 is the most interesting comparison for buyers who want a hand-wound heritage chronograph without Omega brand loyalty. It uses Breitling’s in-house calibre B01, which is COSC-certified and excellent, in a case referencing 1960s Breitling racing chronographs. The B01 is COSC rather than METAS — a meaningful difference in testing rigour and magnetic resistance specification. The Top Time typically comes in at slightly lower retail, offering the bold Breitling aesthetic versus the ’57’s more restrained tool-watch character.
The Tudor Black Bay Chrono deserves mention as the buy-on-value alternative. At roughly $4,150, it delivers a 41mm sport chronograph with genuine in-house character. It is an automatic winder rather than hand-wound, and the movement does not approach the calibre 9906 in magnetic resistance or horological specification. But for buyers whose priority is a great chronograph at a fair price, Tudor’s offering is hard to dismiss. Our full Black Bay Chrono vs Speedmaster comparison covers this in detail.
Price, Availability and Resale
The Omega Speedmaster ’57 retails at $10,700 USD for the steel bracelet references (black, blue, green) and approximately $10,200 USD for the leather strap equivalents, as of October 2026. These prices place the ’57 at the top of the steel Speedmaster range without reaching the astronomical prices of the Dark Side of the Moon or Chronoscope editions. Read our Dark Side of the Moon review if the ceramic Speedmaster interests you as an alternative.
Authorised dealer availability is generally healthy in the United States and Europe. The ’57 does not face the wait lists associated with Rolex or the allocation pressures that affect the most limited Omega references. Buyers can typically secure an example through their nearest AD within a reasonable timeframe, and the full range of coloured dials is usually accessible. The black sandwich dial reference is most frequently in stock; the green and burgundy versions generate higher initial interest and can occasionally require a short wait.
On the secondary market, the Speedmaster ’57 trades broadly at a discount to its retail price — typically 15 to 25 percent below MSRP for lightly worn examples in complete set. Grey market prices are further discounted, typically to the $8,000–9,000 range. Unlike the Moonwatch, the ’57 has not developed a price floor near retail on the secondary market, which means patient buyers can find well-priced examples. Buyers purchasing primarily for value retention should note this clearly: the watch rewards ownership and daily wear; it is not a store of value in the same sense that limited references from other houses are.
The Speedmaster ’57 is 40.5mm versus 42mm for the Moonwatch, 12.99mm thick versus approximately 14.1mm, and uses the hand-wound Calibre 9906 with a sapphire exhibition caseback. The Moonwatch uses Calibre 3861 with a solid caseback and a hesalite crystal option. Both are METAS-certified Master Chronometers. The ’57 is thinner, slightly smaller, offers coloured dial options, and costs roughly $2,700 more at retail. The Moonwatch carries the NASA Apollo heritage story.
It depends on what you value. If you want the most wearable Speedmaster, the thinner profile and smaller case of the ’57 justify serious consideration. If you want the NASA history and the hesalite crystal option, the Moonwatch is the correct watch and costs less. The ’57 is not a better Moonwatch — it is a different kind of Speedmaster. Buyers who specifically want what it offers will find the premium reasonable; buyers who want a Speedmaster generically should start with the Professional.
A sandwich dial uses two layers: a base plate coated with SuperLumiNova and a top dial plate with apertures cut through it at each index position. The lume glows through the apertures rather than being applied on top, creating greater depth and a more uniform glow at night. The technique is visible in daylight as a slight three-dimensional relief around each index. Only the black dial variant uses sandwich construction; the coloured dials use applied indices on a single sunburst plate.
Not as strongly as the Moonwatch. Secondary market prices for the ’57 typically run 15–25 percent below retail for complete, lightly worn sets. Grey market examples trade lower still. The watch does not face the allocation pressure that drives resale premiums for some references. The ’57 is a watch to wear and enjoy, not a short-term investment vehicle.
Omega recommends service intervals of up to eight years for modern co-axial movements under normal use conditions. The silicon balance spring and reduced friction at the escapement contribute to longer lubricant stability compared to conventional lever escapements. Actual service timing depends on use patterns, environmental exposure, and chronograph usage frequency. Omega authorised service centres can assess the movement condition and advise accordingly.
The black sandwich dial is the most historically accurate and the most versatile — it works with almost any outfit and is the most direct descendant of the original CK2998. The blue is the most popular coloured option and the easiest to recommend for buyers who want something different from the Moonwatch. The green is more niche and more rewarding once you commit to it. The burgundy is genuinely unusual for a sport chronograph and suits buyers who want character above all else. All four use the same movement and bracelet quality.
Its 50-metre water resistance rating handles rain, hand-washing and accidental splashes without concern, but Omega does not recommend sustained swimming or water sports. For a water sports watch, the Seamaster Diver 300M is Omega’s dedicated option. The ’57 is a sport-inspired tool watch, not a dive watch.
Final Verdict
The Omega Speedmaster ’57 is a watch that rewards buyers who choose it deliberately. If you arrive at it because you love the Speedmaster design language but find the 42mm Moonwatch slightly too large, or because you want a coloured dial, or because you appreciate the calibre 9906’s hand-wound discipline, you will not be disappointed. The execution is excellent: the sandwich dial, the broad-arrow hands, the tachymeter bezel, the thin case, and the movement all reflect genuine thought about what this watch should be.
The case against is straightforward. At $10,700, it costs more than the Moonwatch that has actually been to the moon. The secondary market trades below retail. It offers a thinner case and smaller size but not the gravitational pull of the Professional’s story. Buyers who want a Speedmaster should assess whether they want the ’57 specifically or a Speedmaster generically — the answer determines the correct watch in this range.
Buy it if: you want a 40.5mm hand-wound Speedmaster, a coloured dial option, an exhibition caseback, or a more understated take on the Speedmaster tradition. Skip it if: the Moonwatch’s NASA history is the reason you want a Speedmaster, you prefer automatic winding, or the budget needs to stay closer to $8,000. For the full Omega family picture, start with our Speedmaster history guide and then our Aqua Terra review if you are open to a dresser Omega alternative.
