Interesting view but I find it somewhat contradictory: Its not only Tag Heuer who don't add to the brand, Omega too is doing nothing to add to the Speedmaster Moonwatch reissues either.
The cal. 1861 in the 3570.50 is NOT the watch that went to the moon - its the 321, which contained a more elaborate movement. If anything the 861/1861 while approved by NASA but didn't go to the moon belong to the same class as the Seiko Colonel Pogue and many others including "cheapish" Chinese and Russian movements that have been to space and back many times without fail.
Movement-purist critics will also point out that the move from the 321 to 861/1861 was to lower production costs: less intricate bridges, a huge plastic part, and overall less intricate, less attractive movement.
For me there is only one reference for each brand:
- For Heuer, the 1133B
- For Speedmaster, the cal.321
The rest are reissues. And if you want to bring up the co-axial speedmaster, it is not a moonwatch and it has never been rated by NASA!
Still I think the reissues do a good job making a part of watchmaking history (or the romance of it) accessible and affordable to a wider public. Myself, I'm a big fan reissues and have a couple of speedmasters and monacos and others (e.g. Eterna kontiki 1973 israeli commando watch).
