Tropical, Pulsations ‘Ed White’ 105.003-65 Omega Speedmaster

We all know 90% dark chocolate is best. Anything less is for children. Anything more is for people who want to prove to you how much they like chocolate, it’s overpowering. This, I know, is the same reductive argument than anyone driving more slowly than you must be an idiot and anyone driving faster than you is an out-of-control maniac. But I’ll go for 90% every time, which is surprisingly rare in Speedmaster dials. If a dial turns tropical, it tends to go all the way. This one decided to stop at a very subtle shade. And the whole look has been thrown off by a pulsations bezel and straight lugs. It’s not Ed White, it’s Ed 90% Chocolate, wearing a set of scrubs.

For watch nerds like us, you see so many Speedmasters so frequently that little changes really stand out. This one throws off in every detail. The style of tropicalization isn’t totally even, it’s inside-out and mostly in the registers, which is not that common. Then the tone is matched identically in the bezel, which is also quite nonstandard. The medical or pulsations bezel is extremely scarce relative to the standard tachymetre, but it’s also slightly murky territory. This is because there are modern service replacements that have been made in larger quantities. Luckily, those replacements differ slightly from this original. The replacements feature dots below each numeral, where the 60s production featured a circular line with graduated markers under each number. Omega don’t include bezel information in their extract of archives, but it’s an easily clocked difference.

Over the years, you think you’ve seen everything. My wrist has worn Rainbow Daytonas and a mosaic Voutilainen, the latter of which made a far greater impression. But these days I find the most joy in things like this: truly outrageous examples of vintage watches you know and love. The Ed White and its gorgeous straight lugs aren’t known for going tropical by default. But they can. And this is just one of the stranger and more lovely Speedmaster arrangements I’ve ever had the pleasure to stumble across. I’m up for a bit of space doctor cosplay once in a awhile.

Aside from that dial tone, the rest is great. Tritium cream in tone and even. Although should be noted the minute hand application is falling through a bit. The case looks exceptionally strong, and bezel correct. It comes with an extract noting ’67 deliver to Austria from a well-regarded Genevan retailer.