Loading...The Omega Speedmaster is known as Moonwatch. For a reason. While 6 manned flights to the moon took place, which were done with the Apollo 11, 12, 14, 15, 16 and 17 space Missions, we know that 11 Speedmaster watches were “Walkers” meaning they were outside of the spacecraft worn while walking on the moon surface.
It has been a while when a readers was asking me what happened to all of them. This reader was also convinced that one of the Speedmasters which were on the moon were auctioned off for some really large sum, but he was not able to provide any further Information.
Well, we know two things. One Speedmaster (supposedly from Buzz Aldrin, and I remember one source that said from Collin) disappeared during shipping to the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC. Second, the remaining ten Speedmasters are all in the Smithsonian Institute, and they have been checked and verified. Omega knows the calibers, the serial numbers, and the reference numbers. This Information has been collected rather recently.
So here is what I know:
I can provide the reference numbers and the caliber which was used. There are two references which were worn on the moon, one was 105.012, and the other was 145.012. I do not know the serial numbers yet. But I know that all these watches carried a 321 Lemania caliber. Not one 861 caliber was worn on the moon since this caliber started with reference 145.022.
We also know that NASA did not buy the Speedmasters worn on the moon, they had to be bought by private persons. It was a legal issue that is the reason for this.
I am hoping to find out more Information soon. Hopefully, Omega will support me.
Just yesterday, I attended a dinner with Omega. Let me share some pictorial impressions as some truly rare timepieces were shown from the Omega Museum. I am planning to visit the Museum next year.
