Short answer

A replica Speedmaster Apollo 13 Silver Snoopy is an unlicensed copy of the Omega Speedmaster Professional Silver Snoopy Award. Sellers list it under terms such as "first copy" or "master copy." Omega does not make it, does not sell it, and does not service it. Most copies use a quartz module or a low-cost automatic movement, not the Calibre 3861 in the genuine watch. In the United States, importing or selling counterfeit goods is illegal under 18 U.S.C. § 2320, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection can seize shipments.

Apollo 13 and the Silver Snoopy Award

Apollo 13 launched on 11 April 1970. An oxygen tank in the Service Module failed on 13 April. The crew moved into the Lunar Module and used it as a lifeboat. With the guidance computer shut down for parts of the return, the crew timed a midcourse correction burn with the Speedmaster on the Commander's wrist. The burn lasted about 14 seconds. Omega received the NASA Silver Snoopy Award on 5 October 1970 for that timing and for the watch's record in crewed spaceflight. The Silver Snoopy pin is an astronaut award for work that improves flight safety and mission success. Snoopy became the Apollo program safety mascot in 1968.

What the genuine watch is

  • Reference 310.32.42.50.02.001, released in 2020 for the 50th anniversary.
  • 42 mm steel case, blue dial, blue coated nylon strap with white stitching.
  • Manual-wind Omega Co-Axial Master Chronometer Calibre 3861, METAS certified.
  • Domed caseback with a sapphire disc that carries Snoopy in the Command Module, Earth and stars. The disc turns when the chronograph runs.
  • Reported US list price at launch: about $9,600. Secondary market prices have run above that.

An earlier Silver Snoopy Award Speedmaster from 2015 was limited to 1,970 pieces. The 2020 model was not released as a numbered limited edition.

Replica listing photos vs. delivered item

Photos in replica listings are often of the genuine watch. The delivered item differs. Common gaps: mineral glass instead of sapphire, printed subdials instead of applied markers, a non-working animated caseback or a static engraving, wrong case thickness, and a strap with a different weave. Movement markings on the rotor or bridge do not identify the movement, because most copies are quartz or use a generic automatic caliber with a decorated plate.

Price tiers

Replica Speedmasters sell in three bands: about $80 to $150 for quartz copies, $150 to $350 for automatic copies with a decorated movement, and $350 to $600 for the tier sellers call "first copy" or "super clone." None of these use the 3861. No replica carries an Omega warranty, and Omega will not service one or supply parts for it. Resale value is close to zero.

Legal status in the United States

Selling or trafficking in counterfeit goods is a federal crime. Import into the US is prohibited, and CBP seizes counterfeit shipments. Omega and other trademark owners can file civil suits and can seek statutory damages. Buying for personal use carries lower risk of prosecution than selling, but the item can still be seized at the border. State law varies.

Points to check when comparing

  • Case diameter and thickness measured with calipers.
  • Glass material: sapphire scratches less than mineral glass.
  • Chronograph function: does the central seconds hand start, stop and reset.
  • Caseback animation: does the disc turn with the chronograph.
  • Serial and reference engravings: font, depth, position.

Unknowns

Replica production moves between factories, so a specific batch cannot be identified from listing text. Claims about movement origin in replica listings are not verifiable. There is no public register of replica makers.