I could always be jealous of people that just had one good watch, that they would wear all of their lives. The watch itself sits on a miniature model of the Lunar Module. The overall look is a blend of new and old; it's based on the vintage Speedmaster Professional ref. Like its predecessor, only 1, 014 of the watches were produced. The watch will undergo another set of quality control tests before being shipped. All watch shipments are fully insured and require a signature upon arrival. Start with the simple refinements; Omega has graced this individually-numbered piece with a lustrous black enamel dial, sapphire crystal, and a chronometer-grade co-axial movement. The new Moonshine gold Speedmaster 310. 022 Speedmasters gifted to the likes of the Apollo 11 crew and President Nixon while purportedly being more resistant to aging. It's fresh, lighter but still has this certain "professionalism" that you expect from a Speedmaster. Dimensions are also well-known, with a diameter of 42mm. A brushed and carefully polished stainless-steel case features a solid case back with a NAIAD lock assuring that the case back is properly aligned when fastened to the case. A couple of weeks ago, Omega did just that, by presenting the Omega Speedmaster "Silver Snoopy Award" 50th Anniversary.
The very first of these was created for US President, Richard Nixon, with number two allocated to the US Vice President Spiro Agnew. A lifetime companion. Limited to 6, 969 watches, the Omega Speedmaster Apollo 11 50th Anniversary (ref. No NASA-certified Speedmaster Professional boasts any of those assets. So, what to make of this new Speedy-Snoopy? The inside of the box depicts a very picturesque lunar surface in high resolution. The public were given the opportunity to purchase model numbers 33 – 1000. This is a rather surprising move from Omega, which isn't used to automatons (even though these are simple automatons).
They help increase the power reserve to 50 hours. It is the first time I consulted my wife whether it was OK to get a watch like this. The hour and minute hands, the central Chronograph seconds hand and the baton hour markers have been treated with Super-LumiNova and the dial is protected with scratch-resistant sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment. The same tone is used on the markers on the sub-registers. For anniversary limited editions, there are 11 versions. If there's one point to make, it is the bad visibility under low light conditions. The new paler gold colour is perfectly accented by the scratch-resistant ceramic burgundy bezel and black hands and hour markers. Update May 22, 2019: The stock Moonwatch will be equipped with the cal. NASA, ESA, Soyuz, Mercury, Apollo, the Shuttle, Mir, Skylab, and the International Space Station. Explore the Details - Watch details. As every watch enthusiast knows, the Omega Speedmaster Professional became the first watch worn on the moon when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the lunar surface on the 21st of July 1969. The animations on the caseback are another story. All this is by way of underscoring the fact that I have certain long-standing feelings about the Speedmaster Professional, yclept the Moonwatch for lo these many decades, and so, like many, had certain feelings about the various things Omega did, and did not do, with the Speedmaster over the years.
The engraving – well, I say engraving but it actually looks embossed onto the dial material, not engraved – is based on a quite famous photo, shot by Neil Armstrong, who preceded Aldrin onto the lunar surface; the picture was taken, famously, with a Hasselblad lunar surface camera, fitted with a 70mm lens. The words 'Apollo 11' and '50th Anniversary' are engraved and filled in black around the top of the stainless-steel case back and the words 'Limited Edition' and the watch number i. e. XXXX/6969 at the bottom. But with this Moonshine gold Speedmaster Professional, I am pretty convinced that this is the watch that my daughter will remember me wearing all the time. I checked with the other team members. Stainless steel watches outsell their golden brethren by a wide margin. To match with the dial's elements, the bezel is also dark blue. They're present, but they're subtle. There are always things that a certain kind of Internet-roaming watch enthusiast likes to deplore – often, what one deplores is in fact a sign of tribal affiliation, where you get to be warmed both by the fires of enthusiasm and the fires of hatred at the same time.
The retail price is $9, 650 (and the watch is sold out at retail). The blackened decorative inner caseback shows Buzz Aldrin's laser-engraved footprint on the lunar surface, while Neil Armstrong's legendary quote is written in 18K Moonshine™ Gold-plated lettering. The Snoopy mentions are relatively restrained dial-side, which only adds to the desirability of the watch and its appeal over the years. Inside the 42mm case of the anniversary Omega Speedmaster, an Omega co-axial caliber 3201 keeps the beat. It isn't uncommon for me to wear the Omega Speedmaster Apollo 11 Moonshine Gold watch with a shirt, sweater, polo, or t-shirt. Shipping time may differ during COVID-19. Purchase and Warranties. Remaining true to the historical piece of 1969, Omega has included a burgundy bezel ring – but this time in ceramic [ZrO2] with its tachymeter scale in Ceragold. Who will help you find that special timepiece. 2019 was destined to be a big year for Omega, and it's been a long time coming.
Moorpark, CA 93021, USA. However, watches to celebrate the Silver Snoopy Award received by Omega in 1970 to acknowledge the crucial role played by the Speedmaster are rare items. 12-hour counter sub-dial at 6 o'clock. The original Speedmaster BA145.
These watches were presented to Armstrong, Collins, Aldrin, NASA personnel and the president, Richard Nixon in November 1969. Condition Description: Pre-owned A1 mint as-new condition. It's a manual-wind movement, and unlike the Lemania ebauche in the traditional Moonwatch, this one is an in-house caliber exclusive to Omega. Email Support Available 7 Days a Week.
Limited Edition to 6. There are many more details of the 50th Anniversary Speedmaster that add value, compared to, for instance, the Limited Edition Speedy Tuesday Speedmasters from 2017 and 2018. The sapphire case back (another 50th Anniversary departure) allows the owner to appreciate Omega's masterpiece. There's a reason behind this odd number, as Robert-Jan Broer explains: "The number has to do with the 142 hours, 54 minutes and 41 seconds that the mission lasted. 012 or the current model, there is, inset into the running seconds dial, an engraving in gold over deep grey of none other than astronaut Buzz Aldrin, which shows him descending the ladder of the LEM (Lunar Excursion Module) just before jumping off the ladder onto the lunar surface. If Omega included the caliber 321 movement instead of the 3861, the price would make a lot more sense. Photos are of Actual Product.
These, however, would likely be undertaken independently by OMEGA in Switzerland, with the results being submitted to NASA. Following the success of the Apollo 11 mission, Omega produced 1, 014 commemorative gold Speedmaster watches with, "To mark man's conquest of space with time, through time, on time. " The case and bracelet are inspired by the 4th generation Speedmaster design. The 'asymmetrical' design of the Professional case, with the crown and pushers slightly recessed in a protective band located on the right side, was created to give the watch better protection against shocks. I noticed other people noticing, especially when they are into watches, but otherwise, it is still relatively a low profile watch. Our stylists can help you customize any ring design and bring it to life. MOVEMENT: Omega Calibre 1861 Manual Winding. More notably, the 9 o'clock subdial shows Buzz Aldrin climbing down onto the lunar surface. Large central 60-second counter hand. Naturally, Omega has used this, and all NASA spaceflights, to effectively market the Speedmaster Moonwatch from the 1960s until now. This is a fact about which any watch enthusiast has heard, ad infinitum and for some ad nauseam, but repetition does not alter the facts, and the fact remains that the Speedmaster has served (and still serves) in manned spaceflight, to an extent that other watches can only dream of.
UPS will try to deliver the shipment on three occasions. On the movement: this Speedmaster uses the caliber 3861, which was launched in the Apollo 11 50th Anniversary Moonshine (which despite the easy chuckle gotten from the name, does not mean its design was inspired by anything distilled in "the holler" but rather, refers to the gold alloy). What I noticed during the year of ownership and wearing it so much, is the accuracy of the movement. Reflections and distortions are also different, the Hesalite crystal offering a warmer look.
Made of stainless steel, it retains its original twisted "lyre" lugs and the combination of brushed and polished surfaces. The winding is smooth as butter and the pushers are easy to operate. Far more playful, but the good point is that it remains hidden when the watch is worn, so no gimmicky effect in perspective. Free Shipping & Returns. This Apollo 11 50th Anniversary is in excellent shape for a watch that was previously enjoyed. We aim to process and ship all orders within 3-5 business days after your payment clears. "If OMEGA decides in the future to discontinue the 1861, we can imagine subjecting the 3861 to the same NASA tests of 1965. I would miss the 1861 but I can't argue with the 3861's superiority technically – and I suppose if it was good enough as a certification procedure for the Alaska Project, it will have to be good enough for me.