Short answer
A fake Speedmaster is a copy of the Omega Moonwatch. Fakes sell for $150 to $800. A used steel Moonwatch ref. 3570.50 sells for about $3,500 to $4,500. That price gap is the first test. The checks below cover the rest.
speedmaster date replica omega
Subdials and date window
The Moonwatch has three subdials at 3, 6, and 9 o'clock. It has no date. Many fakes use a copy of the Valjoux 7750 movement. That layout puts subdials at 12, 6, and 9 and adds a date window at 3. A date window rules out a Moonwatch. On the real cal. 1861, the subdial at 9 is running seconds, the subdial at 3 counts 30 minutes, and the subdial at 6 counts 12 hours. Fakes often wire the counters wrong: the hand moves, the count does not advance.
Speedmaster Date Fake Copy: How to Tell a Real Omega From a Replica
Movement type
The Moonwatch is a manual-wind watch. There is no rotor. Ref. 3570.50 has a solid caseback, so you cannot see the movement. Ref. 3572.50 and ref. 311.30.42.30.01.006 have sapphire fronts and backs. On those, the real cal. 1861 shows straight graining on the bridges and sharp edges. A fake shows rough edges and a plastic movement ring. Some fakes use a Sea-Gull ST19, a manual chronograph. That copy has the right layout, so check finish and engraving depth.
Case, pushers, crystal
Case width is 42 mm. Lug width is 20 mm. Thickness runs 13.7 mm to 14.3 mm by reference. A fake often measures 1 mm to 2 mm thicker. Real pushers sit at 2 and 4 o'clock with a flat top and a slight dome. Fake pushers sit tall and feel loose. Hesalite crystals have a dome and an etched Omega logo in the center. Sapphire crystals are flat on top with anti-reflective coating on the inside face. A fake with outside coating shows a blue tint at an angle.
Speedmaster Date Replica Omega: The Ultimate Guide
Caseback text
The steel Moonwatch caseback reads FLIGHT-QUALIFIED BY NASA FOR ALL MANNED SPACE MISSIONS and THE FIRST WATCH WORN ON THE MOON. Fakes miss letters, arc the text wrong, or etch too shallow. Real text is stamped deep with clean edges under a loupe. The serial number sits on the caseback edge or the lug. Ask the seller to send a photo of that number and the reference.
Price and papers
Ask for the reference number. Omega prints it on the warranty card. A seller who cannot name the reference is a risk. A full set adds $300 to $600 to the price. Fake boxes use glossy stock and a wrong font. Meet at a watchmaker for a movement check, or buy from a seller with a return policy.