The top pick for most buyers is a reference-matched replica built on a mechanical chronograph movement, and the criteria that decide whether it is worth owning are case dimensions, dial and subdial layout, chronograph behavior, and how openly the seller labels the watch as a replica. Nothing described here is a genuine Omega, and no replica should ever be sold or represented as one.
What the phrase usually means
Two different products get called the same thing. A counterfeit is built to be passed off as a real Omega, usually to a buyer or reseller who is meant to believe it is genuine. A replica is sold as a replica, at a replica price, with the seller admitting what it is. Those are different transactions with different legal exposure, and the checks below apply to the second one.
- Counterfeit: priced near genuine, packaged to deceive, generally illegal to traffic.
- Replica: openly labeled, judged on its own build quality.
Identify the exact edition being copied
Apollo 17 was the December 1972 mission that closed out the crewed lunar landings, and Omega has marked that anniversary with more than one Speedmaster over the years. Each edition carries its own reference number, dial treatment, bezel, and caseback detail. Before comparing a replica to anything, confirm which edition it claims to copy and pull the genuine specification for that reference. A replica built from the wrong source photos will be wrong in ways you can spot from across a table.
Criterion: case size and profile
Measurements come first because they are the hardest thing to fix later. The classic Moonwatch case is roughly 42 mm across, in the region of 13 to 14 mm thick, with a lug-to-lug near 47 mm. Replicas often run a millimeter or two off in one direction, and the lugs are where it shows: soft edges, a missing bevel, or a caseback that does not sit flush against the wrist. Ask for caliper photos of width, thickness, and lug-to-lug before you pay.
- Good sign: dimensions within a fraction of a millimeter, sharp lug bevels, even brushing.
- Red flag: a thick case sold as thin, or crown guards that were never on the genuine watch.
Criterion: dial, hands, and subdials
The standard layout is running seconds at 9 o'clock, a 30-minute counter at 3, and a 12-hour counter at 6, with the crown at 3 and the pushers flanking it. On a good replica the subdial hands sit centered in their tracks, printing stays crisp under magnification, and applied markers catch light the way metal should. Typical faults include subdials spaced too wide, a date window on a watch that never had one, and markers that look flat because they are painted rather than applied.
Criterion: chronograph movement
This is where a replica either feels like a watch or does not. A mechanical chronograph advances its central seconds hand in several small steps per second and resets with a snap. A quartz copy ticks once per second and feels dead on the wrist. Time the hand for five seconds and watch how it lands on zero after a reset. Common hand-wound chronograph movements in this category are widely used and serviceable, so ask which one is inside and whether it is hand-wound or quartz.
- Pros of a mechanical movement: correct sweep, usable pushers, something a watchmaker will service.
- Cons: higher cost, no water resistance guarantee, and parts that are not standardized.
Criterion: bezel, crystal, and caseback
Check that the bezel insert sits flush and that any tachymeter scale is legible with even spacing. Note whether the crystal is domed or flat and whether an anti-reflective coating shows a blue or purple tint at an angle. Caseback engraving should be crisp, and any mission medallion should match the edition it claims to represent. Shallow laser etching and faded text are the most common giveaway at arm's length.
Pros and cons of buying one
Pros
- You get the Apollo 17 look on the wrist without chasing a limited-run collectible.
- Wear it daily without the anxiety that comes with a five-figure vintage piece.
- A mechanical version handles and feels close to a real Speedmaster.
Cons
- No resale value and no manufacturer service network.
- Water resistance claims are optimistic; do not swim in one.
- A failed pusher or stripped crown can mean a dead watch with no parts source.
- Reselling it as genuine is illegal and turns a hobby into a legal problem.
Which buyer should pick what
- Want the look for casual wear: a quartz replica is the cheap entry, but it will never feel like a Speedmaster.
- Care about the chronograph: choose a hand-wound mechanical version and wait for the right one.
- Planning to keep it for years: line up a watchmaker who will service a generic movement first.
- Want the real thing: buy a genuine Apollo 17 Speedmaster from a dealer and verify the reference. No replica replaces that.
Legal and honesty notes
In the United States, trafficking in goods bearing a counterfeit mark is a federal offense, and customs officers can seize counterfeit imports. Trademark law exists so a buyer can trust the name on the dial. A replica sold as a replica avoids that problem only because nobody is misled. The moment it is resold, gifted, or traded as genuine, that protection disappears.
Inspection checklist before you pay
- Confirm the edition and reference number the replica is copying.
- Request caliper photos of width, thickness, and lug-to-lug.
- Ask which movement is inside and whether it is hand-wound or quartz.
- Get a video of the chronograph starting, stopping, and resetting to zero.
- Study dial and caseback photos under magnification.
- Confirm in writing that the seller describes the watch as a replica.
- Assume no meaningful water resistance and treat it as a dry-weather watch.