Start With the Seller, Not the Dial
The fastest way to avoid a bad Apollo 13 style Speedmaster copy is to judge the listing before you judge the watch. A seller who names the movement, gives measured case dimensions, and posts sharp photos of the actual piece in hand is telling you what you are buying. A seller who shows only catalog renders and borrowed images is not. Ask for a photo of the caseback and a short video of the chronograph starting, stopping, and resetting to zero. If the pushers do nothing, you are looking at a decorative chronograph, not a working one.
Second rule: know what you are buying. Omega built its Silver Snoopy Award editions to mark the Speedmaster's role in the Apollo 13 mission, and those watches carry Omega trademarks. Copies of them are sold as 'first copy' or 'high tier' pieces, which are marketing labels rather than official grades. Importing a watch that carries a counterfeit trademark into the United States is a customs matter, so read the legal section below before you order.
The Movement Is Where the Money Goes
Ask one question and you have sorted most of the market: what moves the watch? A manual wind chronograph is the closest match in feel, because the reference Moonwatch is manual wind. An automatic chronograph adds a rotor, which pushes case thickness up and often changes the subdial functions. A quartz chronograph keeps the look and drops the mechanical character entirely.
Get the answer in writing. The word 'chronograph' alone means nothing. A watch can show three counters and still run on a quartz module with hands that reset by motor.
What to Check, in Order
- Case diameter: 42 mm matches the reference. Copies run from 39 mm to 44 mm, so measure your wrist first.
- Case thickness: 13 mm to 14 mm suits a manual wind build. Past 15 mm, expect an automatic movement hiding inside.
- Lug width: 20 mm, which decides every strap you can fit later.
- Subdial layout: three counters at 3, 6, and 9, with running seconds at 9. A date window at 3 or 4:30 is a red flag on this design.
- Crystal: acrylic in the hesalite style or sapphire. Mineral glass scratches and is common at the entry level.
- Dial printing: check the weight and spacing of the text, and whether the small hands reach their tracks.
- Caseback: the Snoopy motif is the hardest element to copy. Soft engraving or a printed sticker instead of relief work signals a low tier build.
- Lume: weak, patchy glow is normal on cheap copies.
Pitfalls That Cost You
- Stolen photos. Run a reverse image search on the listing shots.
- Water resistance claims. A 30 m rating on a copy is not a promise. Keep it out of water.
- Wrong subdial function. A 24 hour hand or an odd totalizer standing in for a real counter.
- No return window. Without one, you own every problem the watch arrives with.
- 'Swiss made' on a budget listing. It is printed text, not a certificate.
- Service. Independent watchmakers can decline replica calibers, and parts for off brand movements can be hard to source.
- Pressure selling. Countdown timers and limited stock claims are sales tools, not evidence of quality.
Legal Reality in the US
Watches that carry a counterfeit registered trademark sit in different territory from an unbranded homage. US Customs and Border Protection can seize counterfeit goods at the border, and importing them is prohibited. Selling counterfeit trademarked goods carries more exposure than owning one. If you want the look without that risk, an unbranded homage from a small brand gives you the 42 mm case, the three register layout, and a real manual wind chronograph without the trademark problem.
FAQ
Is a 'first copy' the same as a fake?
In practice the terms overlap. 'First copy' is a seller's phrase for a replica built to a higher cosmetic standard. It is not a certification and it says nothing about the movement inside.
Should the chronograph actually work?
Yes, if you are paying for a chronograph. Test it on video before purchase. Pushers that click but move nothing are the single most common disappointment in this market.
Quartz or mechanical, which is closer to the original?
Mechanical, without question. The original is a hand wound chronograph, so a quartz module loses the winding ritual and the sweep of the central seconds hand.
Can I swim with one?
Do not. Gaskets on low cost copies are rarely tested, and a rated figure on a listing page carries no warranty.
What should I ask before paying?
Movement type and photo, measured case diameter and thickness, lug width, a video of the chronograph cycle, and the return policy in writing.