The world’s most famous chronograph
The OMEGA Speedmaster Professional Chronograph has a unique place in the history of space exploration as the only piece of equipment to have been used in all of NASA's manned space programs from Gemini in the mid-1960's to the current International Space Station program. Even before its official approval, it had been the private choice of astronauts on two of the one-man Mercury missions.
Earning a nickname: “We choose to go to the moon ...”
President John F. Kennedy’s challenge to send an astronaut on the Moon was particularly audacious considering that when he first voiced it, only one American had been in space for a grand total of 15 minutes and 28 seconds.
When Buzz Aldrin stepped onto the lunar surface in July of 1969, the OMEGA Speedmaster Professional earned its distinctive nickname, The Moonwatch.
Like no other chronograph
Speedmaster was designed to stand apart from other chronographs. A black dial, luminous hands, tachometer scale, water-resistant case, screw-in back, domed crystal and an additional inner cover to protect the movement incorporate the strong character of an instrument watch. The characteristic Speedmaster dial has minute and hour chronograph counters which are complemented by a third sub-dial for the small seconds. The central chronograph seconds hand is activated and stopped by the top pusher on the side of the watch and reset with the bottom one.
Essentially unchanged since 1957
In 1957 OMEGA introduced the very first Speedmaster. It was characterized by its high precision, sturdiness, readability, ease of use and reliability. This Speedmaster was powered by the calibre 321.
Other than a few minimal refinements, the chronograph remains essentially unchanged since 1957.
In 1968, the calibre 321 was succeeded by the 861. This enhanced version incorporated the latest technical progress and is still in production today under the modified appellation 1861, a change instituted in 1996 when OMEGA introduced the high-grade rhodium-plated finish on mechanical movements.
In 1968, American insurance salesman Ralph Plaisted and three companions were the first confirmed expedition to reach the north pole by land on snowmobiles. The team successfully used the same reference 145.012 Omega Speedmasters as the Apollo program along with sextants for navigation.[25]
Modern Omega Speedmaster Professional ref. 3570.50.00
Also in 1968, Omega transitioned the caliber 321 movement to the new caliber 861, also designed by Albert Piguet, with the introduction of the reference 145.022 Speedmaster. The 861 was very similar to the 321, but replaced its column wheel switching mechanism with a cam and increased the beat rate from 18000 to 21600 vibrations per hour. Most Speedmaster Professional watches from 1968 to the present have used variants of this movement, including the modern rhodium-plated caliber 1861 and decorated exhibition calibers 863 and 1863. A standard Speedmaster Professional model with Plexiglas crystal, solid caseback with anti-vibration and anti-magnetic dust cover, tachymeter scale, lacking date or day complications, and powered by a caliber 861-based movement has been continuously produced since. The tritium-powered phosphorescent lume on the hands and index markers of the original watches were replaced in the 1990s with non-radioactive pigments, but the fundamental design, dimensions, and mechanism of these watches have remained unchanged. In this form, the basic Speedmaster line has remained flight-qualified for NASA space missions and EVAs, after re-evaluation by NASA in 1972 and for use in the Space Shuttle program in 1978. [15] The current such model is reference 3570.50.
Limited edition Speedmaster with exhibition caseback showing a decorated chronometer cal. 864
Omega has produced a large number of commemorative and limited edition variants of the basic "moonwatch" design, celebrating important anniversaries and events, emblazoned with the different patches for the space missions it was issued for, or evoking its motor sport roots with various racing patterns. It has also released many models made with various precious metals, jewels, and alternative dial colors for the luxury market.[26]
Over the years, Omega has also sought to improve functional aspects of the basic Speedmaster Professional. In 1969, it produced the Speedmaster Professional Mk II, with shrouded lugs and a flat, anti-reflective mineral glass crystal. In 1970, Omega launched the Alaska Project under Pierre Chopard, which changed the dial of the original Speedmaster Professional from black to white and created a removable anodized aluminum housing to shield the watch from a wider range of temperatures.[27] In 1971 and 1973, Omega turned to automatic mechanisms the Speedmaster Automatic MkIII and MkIV models. None of these proved as popular or long-lasting as the basic Speedmaster Professional "moonwatch", however. A variety of other types of watches have used the Speedmaster brand, including many different automatic day and day-date models, the tuning fork movement Speedsonic line, and the digital LCD Speedmaster Quartz. The digital-analog Speedmaster X-33 was produced in 1998; it was qualified for space missions by NASA and flown on the Mir space station and Space Shuttle Columbia during STS-90 later that year.
By Total Locker Service
The OMEGA Speedmaster Professional Chronograph has a unique place in the history of space exploration as the only piece of equipment to have been used in all of NASA's manned space programs from Gemini in the mid-1960's to the current International Space Station program. Even before its official approval, it had been the private choice of astronauts on two of the one-man Mercury missions.
Earning a nickname: “We choose to go to the moon ...”
President John F. Kennedy’s challenge to send an astronaut on the Moon was particularly audacious considering that when he first voiced it, only one American had been in space for a grand total of 15 minutes and 28 seconds.
When Buzz Aldrin stepped onto the lunar surface in July of 1969, the OMEGA Speedmaster Professional earned its distinctive nickname, The Moonwatch.
Like no other chronograph
Speedmaster was designed to stand apart from other chronographs. A black dial, luminous hands, tachometer scale, water-resistant case, screw-in back, domed crystal and an additional inner cover to protect the movement incorporate the strong character of an instrument watch. The characteristic Speedmaster dial has minute and hour chronograph counters which are complemented by a third sub-dial for the small seconds. The central chronograph seconds hand is activated and stopped by the top pusher on the side of the watch and reset with the bottom one.
Essentially unchanged since 1957
In 1957 OMEGA introduced the very first Speedmaster. It was characterized by its high precision, sturdiness, readability, ease of use and reliability. This Speedmaster was powered by the calibre 321.
Other than a few minimal refinements, the chronograph remains essentially unchanged since 1957.
In 1968, the calibre 321 was succeeded by the 861. This enhanced version incorporated the latest technical progress and is still in production today under the modified appellation 1861, a change instituted in 1996 when OMEGA introduced the high-grade rhodium-plated finish on mechanical movements.
In 1968, American insurance salesman Ralph Plaisted and three companions were the first confirmed expedition to reach the north pole by land on snowmobiles. The team successfully used the same reference 145.012 Omega Speedmasters as the Apollo program along with sextants for navigation.[25]
Modern Omega Speedmaster Professional ref. 3570.50.00
Also in 1968, Omega transitioned the caliber 321 movement to the new caliber 861, also designed by Albert Piguet, with the introduction of the reference 145.022 Speedmaster. The 861 was very similar to the 321, but replaced its column wheel switching mechanism with a cam and increased the beat rate from 18000 to 21600 vibrations per hour. Most Speedmaster Professional watches from 1968 to the present have used variants of this movement, including the modern rhodium-plated caliber 1861 and decorated exhibition calibers 863 and 1863. A standard Speedmaster Professional model with Plexiglas crystal, solid caseback with anti-vibration and anti-magnetic dust cover, tachymeter scale, lacking date or day complications, and powered by a caliber 861-based movement has been continuously produced since. The tritium-powered phosphorescent lume on the hands and index markers of the original watches were replaced in the 1990s with non-radioactive pigments, but the fundamental design, dimensions, and mechanism of these watches have remained unchanged. In this form, the basic Speedmaster line has remained flight-qualified for NASA space missions and EVAs, after re-evaluation by NASA in 1972 and for use in the Space Shuttle program in 1978. [15] The current such model is reference 3570.50.
Limited edition Speedmaster with exhibition caseback showing a decorated chronometer cal. 864
Omega has produced a large number of commemorative and limited edition variants of the basic "moonwatch" design, celebrating important anniversaries and events, emblazoned with the different patches for the space missions it was issued for, or evoking its motor sport roots with various racing patterns. It has also released many models made with various precious metals, jewels, and alternative dial colors for the luxury market.[26]
Over the years, Omega has also sought to improve functional aspects of the basic Speedmaster Professional. In 1969, it produced the Speedmaster Professional Mk II, with shrouded lugs and a flat, anti-reflective mineral glass crystal. In 1970, Omega launched the Alaska Project under Pierre Chopard, which changed the dial of the original Speedmaster Professional from black to white and created a removable anodized aluminum housing to shield the watch from a wider range of temperatures.[27] In 1971 and 1973, Omega turned to automatic mechanisms the Speedmaster Automatic MkIII and MkIV models. None of these proved as popular or long-lasting as the basic Speedmaster Professional "moonwatch", however. A variety of other types of watches have used the Speedmaster brand, including many different automatic day and day-date models, the tuning fork movement Speedsonic line, and the digital LCD Speedmaster Quartz. The digital-analog Speedmaster X-33 was produced in 1998; it was qualified for space missions by NASA and flown on the Mir space station and Space Shuttle Columbia during STS-90 later that year.
By Total Locker Service
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