The best fake Speedmaster Apollo 17 for most buyers is the high tier hand wound replica of Omega's 2012 Apollo XVII 40th Anniversary edition. The choice comes down to four criteria: case size and material, dial print and mission patch detail, movement type and pusher feel, and caseback engraving. Replicas that get all four right cost more and are harder to find. Replicas that miss two or three are cheap and obvious on the wrist.

What the original Apollo 17 Speedmaster is

Omega released the Speedmaster Professional Apollo XVII 40th Anniversary in 2012 to mark 40 years since the last crewed moon landing. The watch uses a 42 mm titanium case, a black dial with gold toned detailing and the mission patch emblem, a hand wound chronograph movement, and a numbered caseback. Production was limited to 1,972 pieces, a nod to the mission year. That mix of titanium, gold accents and hand winding is exactly what replica makers find hardest to copy, which is why the tier you choose matters more here than it does for a plain steel Speedmaster Professional.

Tier 1: High tier hand wound replica (top pick)

This is the version built around the correct 42 mm diameter and a hand wound chronograph movement. The case is titanium or a titanium finished steel, the crystal is sapphire or a good sapphire substitute, and the pushers have the short, snappy travel of a mechanical chronograph.

Pros

  • Correct 42 mm diameter and a slim profile, so it sits on the wrist like the original.
  • Hand winding gives the right feel: no rotor wobble and no ticking seconds hand.
  • Dial print, subdial spacing and the mission patch emblem sit close to the real thing.
  • Sapphire crystal and proper brushing on the case sides.

Cons

  • Highest price of the three tiers.
  • The movement is a copy or a third party hand wound chronograph, so service means finding a watchmaker who will work on it.
  • Caseback engraving and font weight remain the usual giveaways.
  • Stock is limited and varies from batch to batch.

Best for: buyers who actually wear the watch and want the Apollo XVII look without an easy tell, and who accept that a mechanical chronograph needs occasional care.

Tier 2: Mid tier automatic

These builds use an automatic chronograph movement, which changes the whole geometry of the watch. The case grows thicker to hide the rotor, and the subdial positions often shift away from the 3, 6 and 9 layout of the original.

Pros

  • Lower price than the hand wound tier.
  • Automatic winding means no daily winding routine.
  • Often easier to source and to replace if something fails.

Cons

  • Extra thickness is visible from the side and under a cuff.
  • Rotor noise and a spinning weight give the watch away when handled.
  • Dial and bezel details are coarser, and the gold tone on the patch emblem often reads as paint rather than metal.
  • Caseback is usually wrong in shape and engraving.

Best for: casual wear, an occasional desk watch, or a buyer testing whether the Apollo XVII style suits them before spending more.

Tier 3: Budget quartz

The cheapest Apollo 17 replicas run on quartz. They look the part in photos and fall apart in the hand.

Pros

  • Lowest cost by a wide margin.
  • Accurate timekeeping and almost no maintenance.
  • Light on the wrist.

Cons

  • The chronograph seconds hand ticks instead of sweeping, which is the first thing a Speedmaster owner notices.
  • Pushers feel mushy and often do not reset cleanly.
  • Stamped dial, printed subdials and a plastic or mineral crystal.
  • Case metal is usually plated, so edges wear bright over time.

Best for: a costume or display piece, or a first experiment where cost matters more than detail.

How to judge any Apollo 17 replica before you buy

Ask the seller for a straight side profile photo and measurements. A genuine style case should measure 42 mm across and stay near 14 mm thick. Anything well past 15 mm hides an automatic movement. Then check these points in order:

  1. Subdial layout: running seconds at 9 o'clock, 30 minute counter at 3, 12 hour counter at 6.
  2. Hand winding feel: you should sense resistance through the crown, not free spin.
  3. Chronograph action: start, stop and reset should click at each step.
  4. Bezel insert: matte black with a clean tachymeter print, not glossy plastic.
  5. Caseback: numbered, with the mission emblem and readable engraving depth.
  6. Lume: charge it under a lamp and compare the glow across hands and markers.

Legal and practical note

A replica is not the original watch, and no replica carries collector value. In the United States, importing goods that carry a protected trademark without authorization is against the law, and an Omega branded Speedmaster falls in that category. Some sellers offer unbranded or sterile versions instead. Know the rules where you live before ordering, and do not expect factory service or resale value at any tier.