Short answer
The 311 prefix is Omega's product code for the modern Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch. A replica Speedmaster 311 is an unlicensed copy of that watch. Omega does not make it. Sellers use the reference number to show which model the copy imitates.
What the 311 code covers
Omega reference numbers use six groups of digits. The first group of three sets the family and case. 311 marks the steel Speedmaster Professional line. The remaining groups encode case size, movement class, case metal, dial, and version. Omega publishes the full key.
Three examples from the same family:
- 311.30.42.30.01.005: 42 mm steel case, hesalite crystal, caliber 1861, black dial, steel bracelet.
- 311.30.42.30.01.006: same case, sapphire front and caseback, caliber 1863.
- 311.30.42.30.13.001: 42 mm steel case on a leather strap.
What replica listings claim
Sellers advertise copies with terms such as 1:1, super clone, Swiss movement, and same factory as genuine. No independent body tests or certifies those terms. A copy that costs $100 to $300 holds a Chinese chronograph movement. The Seagull ST19 and its variants are the usual base. Quartz copies sit at the low end. On a quartz copy the small seconds hand at 9 o'clock ticks once per second. The caliber 1861 beats 21,600 times per hour. Its small seconds hand sweeps.
Where copies differ from the original
Sub-dial spacing is the first tell. On the genuine 42 mm Moonwatch the three sub-dials sit near the center pinion. Many copies spread them wider and add a date window at 3 or 4:30. The 311.30.42.30.01.005 has no date.
Caseback text is the second tell. The genuine caseback reads "FLIGHT-QUALIFIED BY NASA FOR ALL MANNED SPACE MISSIONS" around a seahorse medallion. Copies get the letter spacing, font weight, and medallion depth wrong. Crystals are the third tell. Omega stamps a small Omega symbol in the center of the hesalite crystal on the .005.
Legal status in the United States
Trafficking in counterfeit goods is a federal crime under 18 U.S.C. 2320. A first offense carries up to 10 years in prison and a fine. Repeat offenses carry up to 20 years. U.S. Customs and Border Protection can seize a shipment that carries a counterfeit mark. Swatch Group owns the Omega trademarks, the dial text, and the caseback markings. A watch that carries those marks and no license is a counterfeit.
A watch that copies the shape but carries a different brand name is a homage. Homage watches are legal in most cases. The line is the trademark, not the design.
What a copy does not include
- Warranty. Omega covers the 1861 for five years from purchase. Copies carry no manufacturer warranty.
- Parts. Omega stocks 1861 parts and trains watchmakers on the movement. A copy has no parts channel.
- Service. Many watchmakers decline to open an unbranded copy.
- Resale. Used 311 references trade in the thousands of dollars. A copy trades near zero.
Price check
Omega listed the hesalite .005 above $6,000 in the U.S. in 2024. Copies sell for $100 to $700. A price far below list is the simplest signal.