A replica Omega Speedmaster Apollo 13 is a copy of Omega's limited anniversary Speedmasters that honor the 1970 Apollo 13 mission. The best Chinese-made examples use a hand-wound Seagull ST19 chronograph movement and sell for roughly $150 to $400. None of them match the genuine watch, because the Lemania-based caliber 1861 layout, the deep caseback engraving and the limited-edition numbering are the three hardest details to reproduce.
What Is the Omega Speedmaster Apollo 13 Edition?
Omega has issued several Speedmaster Professional tributes to Apollo 13, including a 2005 35th anniversary model and the 2015 Silver Snoopy Award piece. Both were capped at 1,970 pieces, a number that marks the year of the mission and the year Omega received NASA's Silver Snoopy Award. Each is a 42 mm hand-wound chronograph with mission-specific dial text, a patch or Snoopy motif, and a commemorative caseback.
Why Apollo 13 Matters to the Speedmaster
During the aborted lunar landing, the crew used their chronographs to time a 14-second mid-course correction burn that put the spacecraft back on a safe return path. NASA recognized Omega the following year with the Silver Snoopy Award, its highest honor for flight safety contributions. That history is the reason Apollo 13 and Snoopy editions command such strong prices on the secondary market.
What Replica Apollo 13 Speedmasters Get Right
- Case diameter and thickness are close, since the 42 mm Speedmaster profile is easy to copy.
- Dial printing, stepped subdial rings and the tachymeter bezel look convincing in photos.
- Domed hesalite or sapphire crystal and the twisted-lug case shape are usually reproduced well.
- Steel bracelets with a stamped clasp and the correct end-link fit are widely available.
Where Replica Apollo 13 Speedmasters Fail
- Subdial spacing. Genuine Speedmasters place the 30-minute counter at 3, the 12-hour counter at 6 and running seconds at 9, with wide spacing from the center pinion.
- Movement. The ST19 derives from the Venus 175, a column-wheel design, while the Omega caliber 1861 descends from the Lemania 1873. Pusher feel and reset snap differ.
- Caseback engraving. Mission patches and limited-edition text are stamped or laser-etched, so relief depth and edge sharpness look flat next to the real thing.
- Lume, crown logo and dial fonts. These are the tell-tale details most buyers spot first under a loupe.
Can a Chinese replica use the correct movement?
No. The Lemania 1873 and its Omega descendants were never licensed for third-party production, and no Chinese factory makes a functional clone. Every hand-wound replica Speedmaster you will find uses an ST19, a Seagull derivative or a quartz module. That single fact decides how the chronograph pushers feel and how the subdials are arranged.
How Much Do These Replicas Cost?
- Quartz versions: about $40 to $90. They keep time but the sweep hand ticks and the pushers feel hollow.
- ST19 hand-wound versions: about $130 to $300. This is the tier most enthusiasts buy.
- Higher-priced sapphire and cloned-engraving builds: about $300 to $500. Price rises faster than accuracy.
Is Buying a Replica Speedmaster Legal in the US?
Personal possession of a counterfeit watch is generally not prosecuted, but importing, shipping or reselling one is a different matter. U.S. Customs and Border Protection can seize counterfeit goods at the border, and trademark counterfeiting carries criminal penalties for sellers. Buyers carry little risk, sellers and importers carry most of it.
How to Spot an Apollo 13 Speedmaster Replica
- Check subdial spacing against a reference photo of the genuine limited edition.
- Magnify the caseback and look for shallow engraving and soft patch edges.
- Ask for a movement photo through an open caseback and confirm the balance and bridge shape.
- Press the pushers. A crisp column-wheel reset with no lag points to a genuine caliber.
- Weigh the watch. Genuine Speedmasters on a full bracelet sit around 130 grams.
Bottom Line
A replica Apollo 13 Speedmaster can look convincing on the wrist and costs a fraction of the $8,000 and up that genuine limited editions fetch. It will never survive the checks that matter most, namely movement architecture and caseback engraving. Buy one as a novelty, not as an investment.