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Author
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Topic: Omega Speedmaster space chronographs
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Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 50580
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 08-01-2006 05:36 PM
   
quote:
Originally posted by collocation:
Any idea on the list price of this guy?
If you have to ask... Cliches aside, Omega chooses not to publish their prices online. They advise interested buyers on their website to consult with an Omega-authorized dealer. That said, if this Apollo 15 edition is marketed similarly to the Apollo 11 anniversary edition of a few years ago, than you can expect a retail price in the vicinity of $3,200. |
Brock
Member Posts: 33
From: Orlando, Florida
Registered: Oct 2005
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posted 08-01-2006 09:06 PM
The traditional famous Speedmaster Professional retails this year for $3000. Depending on your negotiating skills you can get a decent discount for the watch through and Omega Authorized Dealer. Limited edition models seem to go for a few hundred dollars more. My friend bought his Speedy back in 1970 and it still looks great and is going strong and only has to have the basic service every 5 or 6 years. NASA aside, the people I know who have this watch absolutely love it. Many watch experts have written that the Speedmaster is the most famous watch ever made because of its fame as the "Moon Watch" The picture of the Apollo 15 edition is sweet. If only money wasn't an issue... |
John Youskauskas
Member Posts: 126
From:
Registered: Jan 2004
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posted 08-01-2006 11:16 PM
An Omega collector has told me that the MSRP on this model is $4200 US. It has a saphire crystal and display back. The Apollo 15 patch is etched onto the back saphire like the Apollo 11 35th LE was. |
skippy in space
Member Posts: 251
From: Aberdeen Scotland
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 08-02-2006 06:48 AM
£2250 in the UK, but stocks haven't arrived yet. |
Brock
Member Posts: 33
From: Orlando, Florida
Registered: Oct 2005
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posted 08-02-2006 06:54 AM
The sapphire crystal and the 18k gold on this watch would easily account for the $1200 difference vs. the traditonal model. The original watch is one of the few luxury watches left that sells with a hesalite crystal instead of scratchproof sapphire. I heard that hesalite crystal was chosen by NASA because hesalite was better for a zero g space environment. If anyone could fill me in on whether that is true or not I would appreciate it. |
John Youskauskas
Member Posts: 126
From:
Registered: Jan 2004
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posted 08-02-2006 03:48 PM
The hesalite was original to the Speedmaster prior to NASA's selection of the watch for the Gemini and Apollo programs. It was one of the features that led to the watch being chosen due to it's resistance to shattering (bad in zero G).It is lighter than the sapphire, but does scratch more easily. Sapphire, when scratched or dinged, is very difficult to polish out, whereas the hesalite is quite easy to do with Polywatch compound or even "Brasso". Mine is almost 5 years old and I have never had to touch it. Those looking for historic accuracy lean heavily toward the original design, while some lean (literally) toward the side they wear the heavier sapphire version. |
cspg
Member Posts: 6347
From: Geneva, Switzerland
Registered: May 2006
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posted 08-24-2007 01:40 AM
We may be living in "an age of communication", but effective (ie. get the information you really want/need) and accurate communication is far from reality.Reading this morning's paper, I stumbled across this (sorry the release appears to be only in French and German). Omega celebrates the 50th anniversary of its Speedmaster by driving a lunar rover with Eugene Cernan at the wheel in downtown Geneva. Glad to hear about such event 24 hours later! (Ok, I wouldn't have had the time to go anyway.) The Omega press release mentions an "authentic" lunar rover (it's not; it's a replica and has been used on the Great Wall in China, I think) and the rover broke down while crossing the bridge linking the two sides of the city! Still, logging on the homepage of Omega, there's a nice presentation. I'm wondering if the marketing tool of space exploration is still effective for boosting sales... just curious. |
mark plas
Member Posts: 385
From: the Netherlands
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 08-24-2007 02:52 AM
I know what you mean Chris. Never understood that there are no announcements of these events on the Omega site.The last few years Cernan drove the streets of Europe many times but I never knew about it till I saw the pictures. |
leslie
Member Posts: 231
From: Surrey, England
Registered: Aug 2005
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posted 08-24-2007 06:33 AM
Selfridges department store in London has had an Apollo Cernan marketing display next to the Omega counter for a long time. |
mercsim
Member Posts: 248
From: Phoenix, AZ
Registered: Feb 2007
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posted 08-24-2007 11:58 AM
I'm not really collector of artifacts or signatures but I have a nice library as I am more interested in collecting information (the engineer/scientist in me).I am, however, very proud of my two Omega's. I have the black Speedmaster Professional that was used in all the Gemini and Apollo missions, and I have the newer X-33 that is currently used. They are very nice watches and I wear them all the time. I wore the X-33 to Spacefest and Scott Carpenter and I had some good 'watch' conversation. He wore a new Breitling Cosmonaute on his Aurora 7 flight. Today he wears a Breitling Aerospace. Here is a photo of my Omegas. Is there any other cSPACE'ers that have Omegas?  I usually just wear one at a time. I'm not quite that nerdy... |
Jurg Bolli
Member Posts: 1186
From: Albuquerque, NM
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted 08-24-2007 01:17 PM
Sure, there are many of us proud owners! |
bobzz
Member Posts: 100
From: Batavia, Illinois
Registered: Aug 2007
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posted 08-24-2007 11:47 PM
My Speedmaster is nearly 35 years old and going strong. |
Whizzospace
Member Posts: 110
From: San Antonio, TX
Registered: Jan 2006
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posted 08-25-2007 11:34 AM
Several of us noticed one another's Speedmasters at Spacefest. How else can you wear space-qualified hardware to a banquet?  |
nasamad
Member Posts: 2187
From: Essex, UK
Registered: Jul 2001
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posted 08-28-2007 04:01 PM
I have a pre-moonlanding Speedmaster, I still wish I had a velcro strap for it though! |
GACspaceguy
Member Posts: 2958
From: Guyton, GA
Registered: Jan 2006
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posted 08-29-2007 02:41 PM
I had Buzz put my Speedmaster on, while I was getting my picture taken with him at SpaceFest. Now I can say my Speedmaster was worn by one of the first crew on the moon! |
Jay Gallentine
Member Posts: 289
From: Shorewood, MN, USA
Registered: Sep 2004
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posted 09-02-2007 04:08 PM
I have an Omega Seamaster - not the Speedmaster. Call me batty, but I just liked the look of the Seamaster a little better at the time. (I do think the Speedmaster makes for a mighty fine watch, though.) My buying Omega actually had little to do with my space interest; it just looked like a nice watch with which to celebrate the birth of my son.So I'm wearing it at the Sims & Hankow Dinner in D.C. a few years back, and another guy at the table - equipped with a glistening Speedmaster - leans over, taps my wrist, and says, "You got the wrong one!" I wasn't sure what to say. |
Philip
Member Posts: 6217
From: Brussels, Belgium
Registered: Jan 2001
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posted 09-03-2007 12:20 PM
Well Jay, most of us have chosen the Speedmaster, even the unmanned spaceflight buffs.  |
Philip
Member Posts: 6217
From: Brussels, Belgium
Registered: Jan 2001
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posted 09-05-2007 03:11 AM
Funny thing but the Omega X-33 'Mars' wristwatch never made it out of the Van Allen belts. Guess that the next generation of moonwalkers will have to wear the 'mechanical' Speedmaster instead... what do you think? |
Lou Chinal
Member Posts: 1387
From: Staten Island, NY
Registered: Jun 2007
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posted 09-05-2007 03:37 AM
I always thought the Omega X-33 was a advertising ploy. I know it may be unpopular but I always were a Breitling Navitimer when I fly. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 50580
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 09-05-2007 04:02 AM
I'm not sure I understand the previous two responses. Mechanical? Advertising ploy? I wear an X-33 as my daily watch (I also own a Speedmaster Professional that I wear as a dress watch to formal events). The X-33 has functions that no other watch (to my knowledge) offers and while I realize that the average individual hasn't a real purpose for mission elapsed time (for example), for those of us who need or want to keep track of such, it's a useful feature (personally, I've come to rely on it during shuttle missions to follow flight events). And I fully expect that it will be worn to and on the Moon. What would prevent its use? |
Lou Chinal
Member Posts: 1387
From: Staten Island, NY
Registered: Jun 2007
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posted 09-05-2007 09:50 AM
Robert, okay you got me! I know I'm stuck in a time warp. A friend of mine gave me an Omega X-33 a few years back and just never wore it. You have to understand that I have a globe with Friendship 7's three orbits on it next to my computer! I'll read the book that came with it, I promise. |
mercsim
Member Posts: 248
From: Phoenix, AZ
Registered: Feb 2007
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posted 09-05-2007 10:10 AM
I have several nice watches from Breitlings to Omegas. The X-33 is the preferred watch for just about everything! It truly has all the features one could want; lots of timers, analog display for a quick glance at the time, all the digital functions including UTC time, back lighting and much more. Its very easy to use and REALLY tough! I don't think it ever got enough credit. It is discontinued for retail sales but is still in production for Military and Space use. You can order them 15 at a time direct from Omega with a squadron inscription on them. The Astronauts on the ISS are wearing them as I type. |
Philip
Member Posts: 6217
From: Brussels, Belgium
Registered: Jan 2001
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posted 09-05-2007 11:43 AM
Okay, X-33 Mars-watch is nice, but how would it perform under 'cosmic' conditions. An Omega Speedmaster can't be affected thanks to its 'mechanical' properties. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 50580
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 09-25-2007 04:26 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Robert Pearlman:
...mission elapsed time (for example), for those of us who need or want to keep track of such, it's a useful feature...
Just to underscore its usefulness, ISS Expedition 15 flight engineer Clay Anderson marked his 100th day in space on September 16. While I am sure there were several places keeping track of mission elapsed time, he only needed to look as far as his own wrist: |
swayman
New Member Posts: 1
From: Costa Mesa, Ca Usa
Registered: Dec 2007
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posted 01-01-2008 02:30 AM
quote:
Originally posted by mrsway:
I've had the E.A. Cernan "Last Man on the Moon" Special Edition Speedmaster for 1 year and 3 months and paid a lot of money for it and the tac button already sticks? Is this a common problem with this watch?
That's pretty funny, I have the same problem. Mine is a 2003 Apollo 17 Gene Cernan and I had mine less than a year and had the same problem. I also paid 2,378.00, that's a lot of money. I didn't want to part with it either by sending it to Omega so I guess when I want it fixed someday I'll pay. I hear it's about 500 bucks but I'm not sure. But I am real disappointed also, good luck. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 50580
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 06-07-2008 09:40 AM
A brief space-related snippet about one of Omega Watches' Ambassadors, actor George Clooney: George Clooney's connection to Omega is no accident. As a child, he recalls, he and his friends were obsessed with the space race. Omega had been clearly identified with America's space program. Clooney remembers that he and his childhood friends had drawn Omega logos on their own watches. In July of 1969, at the time of the first lunar landing, his uncle sent eight year old George his first Omega watch. After Clooney became an Ambassador for the company, his father sent him the Omega watch which he had worn for forty years. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 50580
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 06-07-2008 01:00 PM
See also: Omega Speedmaster @50 patches |
Maurice Gunderson
New Member Posts: 1
From: Orinda, CA USA
Registered: Jul 2008
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posted 07-16-2008 08:40 AM
My daily watch is a Speedmaster which I have worn for 38 years. I graduated from high school in June 1970, two months after Apollo 13, and my dad gave me my Speedmaster as a graduation present. About every five or six years it needs a cleaning, and I had the crystal replaced once about 20 years ago. It runs perfectly and will likely outlast me! |
jdavenport
New Member Posts: 2
From: Salt Lake City, UT, USA
Registered: Jul 2008
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posted 07-16-2008 10:55 AM
Does anyone know why on the 35th anniversary Apollo 11 watch, Omega lists the date as July 20th, 1969 and on earlier versions of the moon watch they inscribed July 21st, 1969 on the watch back?I think the official date of the landing was July 20th, but Armstrong stepped on the moon at 02:56 UTC on July 21. I just thought it was odd that Omega would flip the date it prints on the watch. |
jdavenport
New Member Posts: 2
From: Salt Lake City, UT, USA
Registered: Jul 2008
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posted 07-16-2008 01:59 PM
I am now of the opinion that the back of the 30th anniversary watch is misleading at best, and more likely just wrong.From what I understand Armstrong stepped foot on the moon at the date and time listed, but he then made a different quote, he made his famous 'one small step for man' quote. It was on July 20th that he blurted out 'the eagle has landed' What do you all think? I actually want to buy the July 21st watch more now than before  |
NAAmodel#240
Member Posts: 356
From: Boston, Mass.
Registered: Jun 2005
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posted 07-18-2008 10:42 AM
While it is true that NA stepped on the moon on July 21th by UTC time the event at his location was on CDT (Houston) time which was 5 hours earlier than Greenwich. This makes it 21:56 on July 20th. |
EirikV
New Member Posts: 5
From: Norway -> Rice, Houston TX
Registered: Apr 2006
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posted 08-09-2008 06:15 AM
Does anyone know if there will be an Apollo 8 40th anniversary edition available? |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 50580
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 08-09-2008 09:49 PM
If Omega is planning any Apollo 40th anniversary watches, they haven't announced them yet (per their press site). As the official timekeeper for the Beijing Olympics, they are focused at the moment on the games. |
Philip
Member Posts: 6217
From: Brussels, Belgium
Registered: Jan 2001
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posted 08-10-2008 03:17 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Maurice Gunderson:
My daily watch is a Speedmaster which I have worn for 38 years.
Great to hear that Maurice, 38 years is a long time, I have been wearing mine every day for the last 10 years now... |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 50580
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 10-05-2008 10:44 PM
As a fellow X-33 owner, this video taken by Don Pettit had me glued to the screen: |
mercsim
Member Posts: 248
From: Phoenix, AZ
Registered: Feb 2007
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posted 10-05-2008 11:27 PM
That was great! Thanks Robert for posting it...My Kevlar Strap broke and I'm having trouble finding one. It looks like Don has the leather one. I might have to switch to it. Right now it's back on the Ti bracelet. |
Lunatiki
Member Posts: 237
From: Amarillo, TX, USA
Registered: Dec 2006
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posted 11-07-2008 10:35 PM
Thought some might be interested in this.23 NASA missions Omega Speedmaster watches for $125,000 |
stsmithva
Member Posts: 2076
From: Fairfax, VA
Registered: Feb 2007
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posted 11-17-2008 07:04 AM
That link does lead to an interesting write-up of an astonishing set of timepieces. However, be warned that it contains the word "Spacenerdgasm" which I'm not sure my eyes or brain ever needed to encounter. |
328KF
Member Posts: 1389
From:
Registered: Apr 2008
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posted 01-06-2009 09:20 PM
According to Omega's president Stephen Urquhart, in a recent interview: Omega is one of the pioneers in the field of watch technology. For example, the Omega X-33 has been certified by NASA [U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration] for space flights. We're planning to upgrade the X-33 next year and for future space programs. I agree that today every mobile phone and every computer you buy displays time precisely. But we feel our strength is in mechanical watches. So we'll continue to bring something extra to mechanical watches -- history and lasting value. |
Philip
Member Posts: 6217
From: Brussels, Belgium
Registered: Jan 2001
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posted 01-20-2009 01:04 PM
Apollo 11 "40th Anniversary" Limited Edition Nothing beats the original Speedmaster.  |
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