The Omega Speedmaster was launched in 1957, and it is still widely considered as one of the most iconic chronographs in the world of horology. This is no surprise, considering its association with NASA and the various space missions that it has partaken in.
While the Omega Speedmaster was officially flight qualified by NASA in 1965, its affiliation with outer space was forged two and a half years prior to that. Back then, in 1962, an astronaut named Walter “Wally” Schirra had worn his personal Speedmaster during the “Sigma 7” mission of the Mercury program.
In order to pay homage to this special milestone, Omega has decided to create a Speedmaster that was inspired by the “pre-Professional” Speedmaster (Reference CK 2998) that Schirra had worn during the mission in 1962.
The Omega Speedmaster “First Omega in Space”.
While the watch was inspired by the “Pre-Professional” model, but there are some conspicuous differences between these two watches. One of the greatest differences would be the case, in which the Omega Speedmaster “First Omega in Space” features an 18k Sedna Gold case. The use of the 18k Sedna Gold also goes beyond the casing, as it includes the bezel, indices, as well as the hands of the watch as well. We thought that the combination of the Sedna Gold, together with the chocolate brown bezel, works incredibly well.
Next, the “First Omega in Space” features an opaline silver dial, instead of the usual matte black dial. The chocolate brown color that is featured in the bezel can also be found on the sub-dials, as well as the minute track on the watch dial. The combination provides a nice contrast for the watch, which makes it look aesthetically pleasing. Also, do note that the word “Professional” is omitted on this timepiece. The latter was only included in 1965, after NASA had officially certified it for all manned missions.
Finally, there are some special engravings that can be found on the caseback. While the “First Omega in Space” follows the use of the Seamaster emblem on the caseback, but the homage version also includes special engravings such as “THE FIRST OMEGA IN SPACE”, “OCTOBER 3, 1962′, and “NUMBERED EDITION No.”.
The “Moonwatch”. Notice the inclusion of the word “Professional” on this one.
The watch, as per the other Speedmaster Professionals, is fitted with the ever-reliable Caliber 1861. The watch also comes with a matching brown leather strap with beige stitching.
Like most Speedmaster fans, we thought that this is a nice addition to the Speedmaster family. However, this is produced in very limited quantity, so we would recommend grabbing this timepiece immediately if one is a die-hard fan of this collection. We reckon that this is going to be one of the more highly sought-after Speedmasters in the future.
For more information please visit Omega.
