October 3, 2024

— Omega, the Swiss brand famous for making the first watches worn on the moon, has relaunched the timepiece that began their association with spaceflight more than 60 years ago.

"The First Omega in Space," as the new Speedmaster is titled, combines a variety of heritage-inspired details with an updated movement to create a fitting tribute to the brand's space exploration history. The new model is now available from Omega Boutique stores for $7,500 (or an additional $400 for a full-metal bracelet).

First released 10 years before astronauts walked on the lunar surface, the second-generation Speedmaster (reference number CK 2998) had just been introduced when NASA astronaut Walter "Wally" Schirra bought and wore it as his personal wristwatch on board his "Sigma 7" Mercury mission launched on Oct. 3, 1962. Later, NASA put the Speedmaster through a series of trials, leading to its selection as the official wristwatch of the U.S. space program.

Today, Omega watches continue to fly into space with astronauts and cosmonauts working on the International Space Station, a six-decade history that can be traced back to Schirra's decision to buy and fly that first Speedmaster.

"In that moment, the CK 2998 earned its nickname, 'The First Omega in Space,' and sparked the legacy of space exploration for which Omega is still famous for today," reads the company's press release issued Thursday (Oct. 3). "This year's updated models follow that same second generation style from 1959."

First Speedmaster in space. Click to enlarge video in new pop-up window. (Omega)

The new "First Omega in Space" watch is built upon the same symmetrical 39.7 mm case in polished-brushed stainless steel as the 1959 original. Its dark bezel ring has been produced in black aluminum and features a tachymeter scale — including the "Dot Over Ninety" that became a common mark on found on all of the earliest Speedmaster models.

Omega has produced the dial in grey-blue, replicating the color of some CK 2998 watches made in the 1960s. Along with the hour markers and hands that are filled with vintage Super-LumiNova, the seconds hand is white varnished to match the other markings transferred from the original.

The 2024 watch displays two vintage Omega logos, including one on the dial and another on the crown. The nods to the brand's history then continue on the caseback, where Omega has etched its Seahorse trademark and the inscriptions, "Speedmaster," "The First Omega In Space" and "October 3, 1962."

The new model does differ in some important ways from its inspiration. It features a brand new hesalite-like form sapphire crystal and is driven by a Co-Axial Master Chronometer Calibre 3861, Omega's latest evolution of the Calibre 321 movement that powered the original models.

"Of course, just like rocket ship technology, innovation has dramatically moved forward since the 1960s," said Omega, addressing the changes with this release.

'The First Omega in Space' comes with either a black or brown leather strap or a full-metal bracelet. Each watch is delivered inside a special presentation box that includes a leaflet about the "legendary moonwatch" inside.

The Speedmaster that Schirra wore into space in 1962 is now a part of the Omega Museum's collection in Switzerland.

The 2024 "First Omega in Space" model is the second issue that the company has made to pay tribute to the 1959 CK 2998. In 2012, Omega offered a numbered-edition Speedmaster chronograph to mark 50 years of its watches being worn by astronauts into Earth orbit and beyond.