Short answer
No Omega Speedmaster uses a calibre numbered 323. The number is a mix-up. Buyers most often mean calibre 321, the column-wheel movement used in Speedmasters from 1957 to 1968. Others mean calibre 3235, which is a Rolex movement, not an Omega one. Master Chronometer is a certification issued by METAS, the Swiss Federal Institute of Metrology. It applies to finished watches submitted by Omega. No replica Speedmaster carries that certification and no replica appears in the METAS database.
What calibre 321 is
Omega introduced calibre 321 in 1957 in the first Speedmaster, reference CK2915. It is a manual-wind column-wheel chronograph. It beats at 18,000 vibrations per hour, or 2.5 Hz. Omega stopped using it in 1968 and replaced it with calibre 861. Omega restarted production of the 321 in 2019 for the Speedmaster 321 Ed White, then used it in platinum and gold versions. Calibre 321 has no METAS certification. It predates the Master Chronometer program by 58 years.
What Master Chronometer means
METAS runs eight tests on each submitted watch. The tests cover magnetic exposure at 15,000 gauss, accuracy in six positions, deviation after magnetic exposure, power reserve, water resistance and timing at different temperatures. The accuracy threshold is 0 to +5 seconds per day. Omega launched the program in 2015. Each certified watch ships with a certificate number that can be checked in the METAS public database. The certificate belongs to one specific watch. It cannot be transferred.
Speedmaster calibres that do carry certification
- Calibre 3861: manual wind, 21,600 vph, 50-hour power reserve, coaxial escapement. Added to the Moonwatch Professional in 2021.
- Calibre 9900 and 9901: automatic chronograph, 28,800 vph, 60-hour power reserve. Used in 44.25 mm Speedmaster chronographs.
- Calibre 9906, 9908 and 9920: used in later Speedmaster variants.
Calibre 321 is not on that list.
What sits inside a replica Speedmaster
Replica Speedmasters of the manual-wind Moonwatch use a Seagull ST19 movement in most builds. The ST19 is a Chinese column-wheel chronograph that runs at 21,600 vph. Automatic replicas use a clone of the ETA 7750. Many sellers do not state the movement at all. A replica can copy the case, dial, hands and bracelet. It cannot copy the METAS test file, the certificate or the serial record. Some replicas print a certificate number on a card. The number will not resolve in the METAS database.
Legal position in the United States
Trafficking in counterfeit goods is a federal offense under 18 U.S.C. 2320. US Customs and Border Protection can seize shipments. Penalties rise with the value of the goods and with repeat offenses.
Checks before buying
- Ask for the movement name and the beat rate. A seller who cannot name either is not a useful source.
- Ask for the METAS certificate number and check it in the METAS database. Only genuine Omega watches pass.
- Compare the case diameter. The Moonwatch Professional is 42 mm. The 44.25 mm automatic chronograph is a different case.
- Ask about the crystal. Moonwatch Professional models since 2021 use a sapphire crystal with the Omega logo at the center.