![]() 321 – find itself replaced by the 861 in 1968/69 (later replaced by the 1861 which can be found in the current-production version of the NASA-certified Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch). Along with these aesthetic updates, so too did the early movement – the Cal. Several different handsets were used on the Speedmaster before the baton hands used today were settled upon. While scratch-resistant sapphire is now used on the majority of modern Speedmaster watches, Omega still produces a version of the classic Moonwatch that retains its NASA-certification and is fitted with a traditional hesalite crystal. Their domed appearance gave the Speedmaster its signature look and, quite unwittingly, played a significant role in the Speedmaster being selected by NASA thanks to its resistance to shattering when exposed to fast-moving Space dust. This feature, although perhaps less directly useful for space travel than a Pulsometer or Asthmometer (which might have been useful for astronauts to check their physical condition), has remained virtually unchanged throughout the family's history and is one of the Speedmaster's most established attributes.Īnother feature of the original Speedmaster watches, which has only recently been updated, was the plexiglass (or hesalite) crystals. Underpinning the model's relevance to motor racing is the tachymeter bezel, most frequently used for measuring the speed of an object over a known distance. This technology was refined and miniaturized by the time the first model in this collection was released in 1957 as part of Omega's trio of 'Professional' watches, alongside the similarly famous Seamaster, and the less-often discussed, antimagnetic Railmaster.Ĭonceived as a sports chronograph, space travel was not even part of the conversation when development began. ![]() The Speedmaster's origins stretch all the way back to the very first wrist-worn chronographs produced by Omega during the 1920s and '30s in preparation for Omega's role as the official timekeeper for the Olympic Games. For that reason, it is an absolute classic and a model of which the industry and its fans show no signs of tiring. There is enough history and nuance within the lineage that it is possible to build a collection around nothing but this family (and spend a lifetime tweaking your line-up). But beyond this, the model is also a cult phenomenon, inspiring rabid groups of collectors throughout the industry to obsess over the tiniest details in the model’s development and production. Firstly, it is unquestionably one of the industry’s most recognizable models, with a classic NASA-certified Omega Speedmaster Professional being one of a handful of watches you might expect someone from outside the industry to identify correctly. ![]() Most have duly departed (with the curious Speedmaster Reduced leaving the collection in 2009), but variety still exists within this supremely popular family, with many current models being made from space-age materials that had never even been mentioned in the context of watchmaking when Apollo XI took the Speedy on the trip of a lifetime. Since those high-flying days of 1969, several renditions have been brought out in an attempt to diversify and reinvigorate a collection that needed neither diversification nor reinvigoration. The "Moonwatch" (a humble Speedmaster Professional) forms the basis of most modern models' design. Just as Rolex's position as the market-leading sports watch was confirmed with the creation of a truly water-resistant case in 1926, so too was the model forever blessed the moment Buzz Aldrin's foot hit the surface of the moon (Armstrong, although in possession of a Speedmaster, elected to leave his behind, making Aldrin the first man to wear a watch on the moon). And being the first to do something - by luck or design – is always a great way to write your name into the watchmaking history books. You don't get that kind of respect without earning it. Icons on pedestals as high as the one occupied by the Speedmaster usually require a little boost from history to reach such status. Generations of watchmakers have come and gone, but the Speedmaster, which made its debut in 1957, remains an ever-present superstar as this flight qualified timepiece is spotted on celebrities, space missions, and more. Reaching the level of visibility that the Omega Speedmaster collection now enjoys does not happen overnight.
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