Overview
In the late 1990s Omega partnered with the Marui department store in Japan to produce what some might consider to be the most beautiful iteration of the Speedmaster Reduced ever made. The creamy panda dial of the reference 3510.21 "Marui" exhibits just the right amount of warmth and wonderful proportions that harken back to the vintage panda dials of the Rolex Daytona and the Universal Geneve Compax. It is speculated that some 2,000 examples were made and sold in Marui stores for a limited period throughout the early 2000s.
Additional dials and handsets were also produced, presumably to cover the need for replacement at service. The extra supply allowed for those with Omega parts accounts to source them and sell them independently to collectors who could then fit them on a standard 3510.50 Speedmaster Reduced. Consequently, modded examples are common on the market outside of Japan and one must be diligent to confirm that any watch sold without the original box and papers is indeed a true factory "Marui". Reassuringly, the example for sale here comes with the original boxes, instructions, and guarantee card stamped by the Marui Mito store.
Specifications
Brand:
Omega
Model:
Speedmaster Reduced 'Marui' LE
Reference:
3510.21
Year:
1999
Case Number:
58408575
Case Material:
Stainless steel
Diameter:
39 mm
Lug Width:
18 mm
Thickness:
12.1 mm
Lug-to-Lug:
44.5 mm
Dial:
Cream
Lume:
LumiNova
Crystal:
Acrylic
Movement:
Automatic
Caliber:
Omega 3220
Bracelet/Strap:
Omega 1469 stainless steel bracelet with 811 end links
Max Wrist Size:
7.75in (24 links)
Hand model has a wrist size of 6.2 in
Condition
Case: The case shows minimal signs of wear with nice definition between brushed and polished surfaces. The lugs show only a few hairlines and the bezel edge shows a couple of micro nicks at 6 and 9 o’clock. The black tachymeter ring is in near-mint condition with no scratches or flaking of the paint. The caseback condition is consistent with the rest of the watch, exhibiting hairlines mainly to the polished surfaces. The hippocampus engraving is sharp and detailed. The back of the endlinks and lugs show the most notable wear with a few small scratches and one longer scratch on the back of the lug at 4:30, presumably from bracelet removal.
Dial, Hands, & Crystal: The subtly textured cream dial is in perfect condition. The LumiNova hands and hour markers are fully functioning and exhibit a nice even glow. The acrylic crystal shows a few hairline scratches that should be easily removable with PolyWatch. The etched Omega logo is visible at the center.
Bracelet/Strap: The Omega stainless steel bracelet is in fantastic condition with little-to-no stretch. Outside of a few small hairlines and micro scuffs there are no imperfections to note. The “Speedmaster” engraving on the clasp is sharp and fully filled in.
Performance
Functions: All functions including the crown-winding, time-setting, and chronograph start/stop/reset are working as expected.
Service History: Unknown.
