Short answer
A fake Speedmaster Apollo 13 is a replica of one of Omega's Apollo 13 anniversary Moonwatches, most often the 2015 Speedmaster Professional Snoopy Award. Replica makers copy the case and dial with some skill, then fail on the caseback, the dial print, the movement, and the paperwork. Judge five points together: caseback engraving and edition number, dial text and subdial detail, hand and lume finish, movement type and feel in the hand, and the box, card, and papers. No single tell decides it.
What the Apollo 13 Speedmaster is
Apollo 13 launched in April 1970, and the crew timed a critical engine burn with an Omega Speedmaster after an oxygen tank failed. Omega has marked the anniversary with limited runs in 1995, 2005, and 2015. The 2015 Speedmaster Professional Snoopy Award, capped at 1,970 pieces, is the reference that replica factories chase hardest. Demand stays high and the design carries details that are easy to get wrong.
Because the originals are limited and expensive, a large share of "Apollo 13" Speedmasters on the used market are replicas fitted with a copy caseback. Buyers who know the tells before money changes hands avoid most of them.
Before you start
- A 10x loupe or a phone macro lens
- Digital calipers and a scale that reads grams
- Reference photos of the exact reference number you plan to inspect
- A UV flashlight for lume and print checks
How to check a Speedmaster Apollo 13 for authenticity
- Write down the reference number and the stated edition size from the listing.
- Shoot the caseback in direct light and compare engraving depth, letterforms, and edition number against factory photos.
- Read every line of dial text with the loupe, checking spacing, font weight, and the alignment of the Swiss Made mark.
- Examine the subdials for a recessed step, correct hand lengths, and a finish that matches the reference.
- Check the hands and lume under UV light for even glow and clean edges.
- Confirm the movement is a hand-wound chronograph running at the correct beat rate for that reference.
- Weigh the watch head and compare it to the spec weight for the case material.
- Measure case diameter, thickness, and lug width with calipers.
- Inspect the clasp codes, end link fit, and screw or pin construction on the bracelet.
- Match the warranty card, box, and edition number to the caseback and to each other.
Where replicas fail
Caseback engraving is the first failure point. Factory engraving cuts deep and sharp, while replica engraving sits shallow and soft under a loupe. Edition numbers that do not match the papers, or that repeat across two watches, are a hard stop. Dial print on a replica runs thick or merges letters, and the subdial rings are printed on flat metal instead of applied. Lume color runs pale or green when the reference calls for a warmer tone. Pushers feel mushy, the crown threads catch, and end links rattle against the case.
Red flags at the point of sale
Walk away when the price sits far under market for a limited reference, when the seller posts no macro shots of the caseback, or when the edition number never appears in the listing. Be wary of a watch sold as Apollo 13 with no reference number, and of papers printed on stock that feels thin. Sellers who use replica pricing while avoiding the word replica are telling you what the watch is.
Bottom line
A fake Speedmaster Apollo 13 can pass in a phone photo and fail in the hand. Verify the reference, the caseback, the movement, and the paperwork before you pay. If the seller blocks any one of those checks, treat the watch as a replica and price it that way.