OMEGA Speedmaster Reference 2998-3 Chronograph Wristwatch
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1963
Maker / issuer
OmegaThis is a stainless steel OMEGA Speedmaster chronograph wristwatch, reference 2998-3, manufactured in 1963. It features a manual-winding Calibre 321 movement housed within a 38.5mm stainless steel case.
The watch is equipped with a black matte dial featuring luminous painted baton indexes, outer minute and seconds divisions, and a 1/5 second track. Subsidiary dials include seconds at 9 o'clock, a 30-minute register at 3 o'clock, and a 12-hour register at 6 o'clock. The display uses luminous baton hands and an arrowhead centre chronograph seconds hand. It is mounted on a leather strap and accompanied by an Extract from the Archives.
This specific reference belongs to the second generation of Speedmaster watches, which replaced earlier 'Broad Arrow' hands with 'Alpha' hands. The watch includes an external tachymeter bezel.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Technical characteristics
- Dial
- Black matte dial with luminous painted baton indexes
- Type
- Chronograph wristwatch
- Material
- Stainless steel
- Reference
- 2998-3
- Accessories
- Extract from the Archives
- Case Diameter
- 38.5mm
- Place recorded
- Switzerland
- Date of Manufacture
- 1963
- Maker / attribution
- OMEGA
Design
- Case and Dial
- The external bezel is fitted with a tachymeter scale, a defining functional component of the model's design intended for the measurement of speed. The black matte dial is designed for legibility, featuring luminous painted baton indexes and a detailed outer track for seconds and 1/5th seconds. The dial layout includes a sub-dial arrangement with seconds at 9 o'clock, a 30-minute register at 3 o'clock, and a 12-hour register at 6 o'clock. The time is displayed via luminous baton-style hands, complemented by an arrowhead-shaped centre chronograph seconds hand, a configuration adopted to replace the 'Broad Arrow' hands found on the initial 2915 reference.
- Visible features
- • Black matte dial with subsidiary registers at 3, 6, and 9 o'clock. • Luminous baton-style hour and minute hands. • External tachymeter bezel with 'TACHYMETRE' marking. • Stainless steel case with two pushers and a crown on the right side.
- Movement and Functionality
- This chronograph is powered by the OMEGA Calibre 321, a manual-winding movement. The watch functions as a mechanical chronograph, operated by the pushers located on the side of the stainless steel case. The movement facilitates the tracking of elapsed time via the integrated sub-registers and the central chronograph seconds hand. The reference 2998-3 belongs to the second generation of the Speedmaster line, which was produced with various sub-references throughout the early 1960s. The movement and design were subject to consistent refinement during this period, with updates often occurring during routine servicing, leading to variations in component configurations across surviving examples.
- Provenance and Identification
- The watch is identified as reference 2998-3, manufactured in 1963. Documentation included with the watch consists of an 'Extract from the Archives' provided by OMEGA. This document serves as the formal record for the piece. The watch is currently presented on a leather strap. Reference 2998 is noted for having eight different sub-references produced within a three-year window, reflecting the iterative evolution of the Speedmaster model during its early years. Due to the high frequency of design updates and the subsequent usage of replacement parts in secondary maintenance, the auction description notes that maintaining original configurations is a factor in identifying these watches.
Identification
- Reference
- 2998-3
- Source note
- Facts transcribed from the linked source listing or collection record. Attribution and specifications are source-reported and have not been independently authenticated.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: The source notes that many watches of this reference are assemblies of various service replacement parts.
- Research required: The exact originality of individual components is not explicitly confirmed by the seller.