2019 marks the golden anniversary of the moon landing and Omega is celebrating the occasion with a brand new Speedmaster that has a very special connection to the astronauts and the legacy of that Apollo 11 mission. In fact, the new Omega Speedmaster Apollo 11 50th Anniversary Limited Edition follows the design of the famous Speedmaster BA145.022 that Omega created in 1969 in tribute to the moon landing heroes. The price of the Omega Speedmaster Apollo 11 50th Anniversary Limited Edition Ref. 310.60.42.50.99.001 is Euro 32,500.
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. Their moonwalk lasted just two and a half hours, but that moment changed history.
The Apollo 11 mission is certainly the most celebrated moment in Omega’s considerable space heritage. But the journey to reach that point began more than 10 years earlier, in 1957, when the very first Omega Speedmaster was launched. You can read the detailed history of this extraordinary chronograph and learn about the qualifications tests that led to its selection for the first manned space missions in our article "The Omega Speedmaster history".
2019 marks the golden anniversary of this exceptional achievement and Omega is celebrating the occasion with a brand new Speedmaster that has a very special connection to the astronauts and the legacy of that Apollo 11 mission.
In fact, the new Omega Speedmaster Apollo 11 50th Anniversary Limited Edition follows the design of the famous Speedmaster BA145.022 that Omega created in 1969 in tribute to the moon landing heroes.
This model was crafted from 18K yellow gold and included a rare burgundy bezel, as well as an inscription on the caseback that read, “to mark man’s conquest of space with time, through time, on time.”
This gold Speedmaster housed the calibre 861 and was Omega’s very first commemorative numbered edition, with only 1,014 models being produced from 1969 to 1973. The very first of these was created for US President, Richard Nixon, with number two allocated to the US Vice President Spiro Agnew. These watches, however, were later returned to Omega due to the US government’s strict gifting protocol.
Model numbers 3 – 28 were given to the NASA astronauts. Watches 29 to 32 were offered to Swiss watch industry leaders and politicians, without any engraved number.
The public were given the opportunity to purchase model numbers 33 – 1000. Although these models had a different caseback inscription, reading “OMEGA SPEEDMASTER”, “APOLLO XI 1969” and “Ω THE FIRST WATCH WORN ON THE MOON”, they remained highly sought-after due to their rarity and connection to space. They also came in an exclusive moon crater presentation box, which itself is a prized collector’s item today.
Produced in 1,014 pieces and delivered with a five-year warranty, the new Speedmaster Apollo 11 50th Anniversary Limited Edition has been crafted from an exclusive new 18K gold alloy and is powered by a brand new manual-winding Master Chronometer calibre 3861.
The 42 mm asymmetrical case, the five–arched-links bracelet, dial, hour-markers and hour-minute hands have all been created in 18K Moonshine gold. In a paler hue than traditional 18K yellow gold, this alloy offers high resistance to the fading of colour and lustre over time.
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. Following the first generation of the Speedmaster tachymeter scale, which graduated to 500 units per hour, this new model features a marker dot above 90 (also known as “Dot Over 90” or “DON”).
The vertically brushed step dial is marked “Au750” for the use of solid gold and is enhanced by the facetted black onyx indexes set in the polished hour-markers, as well as the hour-minute hands filled with black varnish and the black varnished central chronograph seconds and subdial hands.
The outer caseback ring features mechanically engraved markings: “1969-2019” and the Limited Edition number highlighted in burgundy, as well as an uncoloured “Master Chronometer”.
The inner decorative ring includes a matte-finish blue ocean that surrounds a partial world map of the American continents and a domed lunar meteorite inlay representing the Moon. Interestingly, the Earth and the Moon on the inner ring have been produced in true proportion (3.67 : 1 in diameter).
This limited edition is driven by the Omega Master Chronometer Calibre 3861 – a hand-wound movement with Co-Axial escapement, silicon Si14 balance spring, Moonshine gold-plated main plate and bridges and burgundy markings. It offers a power reserve of 50 hours.
For fans of Omega history, there are a number of vintage Omega logos to be found throughout the design – including on the dial, crown and bracelet clasp.
Inspired by the original packaging of the BA145.022 model in 1969, Omega has created a new crater box that will house each Limited Edition timepiece. The top panel of every box is printed with the image of the Sea of Tranquillity and the landing position of Apollo 11.
The price of the Omega Speedmaster Apollo 11 50th Anniversary Limited Edition Ref. 310.60.42.50.99.001 is Euro 32,500. omegawatches.com
The Apollo 11 mission is certainly the most celebrated moment in Omega’s considerable space heritage. But the journey to reach that point began more than 10 years earlier, in 1957, when the very first Omega Speedmaster was launched. You can read the detailed history of this extraordinary chronograph and learn about the qualifications tests that led to its selection for the first manned space missions in our article "The Omega Speedmaster history".
2019 marks the golden anniversary of this exceptional achievement and Omega is celebrating the occasion with a brand new Speedmaster that has a very special connection to the astronauts and the legacy of that Apollo 11 mission.
In fact, the new Omega Speedmaster Apollo 11 50th Anniversary Limited Edition follows the design of the famous Speedmaster BA145.022 that Omega created in 1969 in tribute to the moon landing heroes.
The original Speedmaster BA145.022 - 1969
This gold Speedmaster housed the calibre 861 and was Omega’s very first commemorative numbered edition, with only 1,014 models being produced from 1969 to 1973. The very first of these was created for US President, Richard Nixon, with number two allocated to the US Vice President Spiro Agnew. These watches, however, were later returned to Omega due to the US government’s strict gifting protocol.
Model numbers 3 – 28 were given to the NASA astronauts. Watches 29 to 32 were offered to Swiss watch industry leaders and politicians, without any engraved number.
The public were given the opportunity to purchase model numbers 33 – 1000. Although these models had a different caseback inscription, reading “OMEGA SPEEDMASTER”, “APOLLO XI 1969” and “Ω THE FIRST WATCH WORN ON THE MOON”, they remained highly sought-after due to their rarity and connection to space. They also came in an exclusive moon crater presentation box, which itself is a prized collector’s item today.
Produced in 1,014 pieces and delivered with a five-year warranty, the new Speedmaster Apollo 11 50th Anniversary Limited Edition has been crafted from an exclusive new 18K gold alloy and is powered by a brand new manual-winding Master Chronometer calibre 3861.
The 42 mm asymmetrical case, the five–arched-links bracelet, dial, hour-markers and hour-minute hands have all been created in 18K Moonshine gold. In a paler hue than traditional 18K yellow gold, this alloy offers high resistance to the fading of colour and lustre over time.
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. Following the first generation of the Speedmaster tachymeter scale, which graduated to 500 units per hour, this new model features a marker dot above 90 (also known as “Dot Over 90” or “DON”).
The vertically brushed step dial is marked “Au750” for the use of solid gold and is enhanced by the facetted black onyx indexes set in the polished hour-markers, as well as the hour-minute hands filled with black varnish and the black varnished central chronograph seconds and subdial hands.
The outer caseback ring features mechanically engraved markings: “1969-2019” and the Limited Edition number highlighted in burgundy, as well as an uncoloured “Master Chronometer”.
The inner decorative ring includes a matte-finish blue ocean that surrounds a partial world map of the American continents and a domed lunar meteorite inlay representing the Moon. Interestingly, the Earth and the Moon on the inner ring have been produced in true proportion (3.67 : 1 in diameter).
This limited edition is driven by the Omega Master Chronometer Calibre 3861 – a hand-wound movement with Co-Axial escapement, silicon Si14 balance spring, Moonshine gold-plated main plate and bridges and burgundy markings. It offers a power reserve of 50 hours.
For fans of Omega history, there are a number of vintage Omega logos to be found throughout the design – including on the dial, crown and bracelet clasp.
Inspired by the original packaging of the BA145.022 model in 1969, Omega has created a new crater box that will house each Limited Edition timepiece. The top panel of every box is printed with the image of the Sea of Tranquillity and the landing position of Apollo 11.
The price of the Omega Speedmaster Apollo 11 50th Anniversary Limited Edition Ref. 310.60.42.50.99.001 is Euro 32,500. omegawatches.com
Exciting commemorative version. I hope there will be other models celebrating the 50th anniversary but in steel to make them more affordable. I would love a moonwatch with the new Calibre 321! Saving for that!
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