Omega Speedmaster Anniversary Series – First Omega in Space

Quick specs Omega Speedmaster Anniversary Series – First Omega in Space
Price: $ 7,900 | € 8.700 | £ 7,400 | CHF 7’500
Size: 39.7 mm
Reference:
310.30.40.50.06.001 (bracelet)
310.32.40.50.06.001 (black leather)
310.32.40.50.06.002 (brown leather)

This Omega Speedmaster Anniversary Series – First Omega in Space (FOiS) commemorates the first Omega Speedmaster in space. So, this time it’s not about an Omega that was the first on the moon, the Speedmaster Professional with reference ST105.012 that went there in 1969 on the wrist of astronaut Buzz Aldrin. If you like watches. you have heard that story probably a million times.

However, before there was a Speedmaster on the moon, there was also a Speedmaster in space, as on October 3^rd, 1962, an American astronaut was wearing one. That was Walter Schirra (12 March 1923 – 3 May 2007) and he brought his personal Omega Speedmaster CK 2998 on the Sigma 7 mission / Mercury-Atlas 8 of the Mercury programme. This watch, the CK 2998, marks the beginning of the Speedmaster’s association with NASA and space exploration.

The very first Omega Speedmaster

Just a quick refresh of those early Speedmasters. The very first Omega Speedmaster dates from 1957 and is the Omega Speedmaster ref. 2915 or CK 2915. This CK 2915 is also known as the “Broad Arrow” Speedmaster because of its broad arrow hands. It stayed in production for only two years.

The movement of the first Speedmaster is the Omega caliber 321, a manual winding column-wheel chronograph released in 1949 with small seconds, and a 12-hour and 30-minute counter. It has a frequency of 18,000 vibrations per hour (2.5 Hz) and a power reserve of about 44 hours.

The second Speedmaster model

The Speedmaster CK 2915 got a successor with the tri-compax Omega Speedmaster CK 2998, the second Speedmaster model. Also with the caliber 321 inside. The steel bezel is replaced by a black aluminium bezel (insert), and the broad arrow hands are replaced by alpha hands. Which are long tapered hands with a thin neck and long tip.

This is the first Omega watch worn in space preceding NASA’s official selection of the Speedmaster for later missions, including Apollo 11.

Timeline of the first Omega Speedmasters (1957-1968)

Between 1957 and 1968, the moment humanity went to the moon, the following Speedmaster models were released;

• 1957-1959: Speedmaster CK 2915 – Caliber 321
• 1959-1962: Speedmaster CK 2998 – Caliber 321
• 1963-1969: Speedmaster ST 105.003 – Caliber 321
• 1964-1968: Speedmaster ST 105.012 – Caliber 321
• 1965-1969: Speedmaster ST 145.012 – Caliber 321
• 1968-1981: Speedmaster ST 145.022 – Caliber 861

The Omega Speedmaster is not the first watch in space

The Omega Speedmaster FOiS is not the first watch in space by the way. This is claimed by Pobeda, one of the former brand or model names of the Russian watch brand Raketa. Here you can read a short history of Raketa. The claim is that there was a watch that went into space on the 9^th of March 1961. According to Raketa this Pobeda watch accompanied a dog in the Sputnik 4 satellite.

So, after the launch of the first Speedmaster, but before the first Omega in space. Although the evidence of this claim is not very strong. This article about watches in space on the website of the Russian brand Sturmanskie gives some more insights. Let’s go back to the new Speedmaster.

Updated tribute to the CK 2998

This new FOiS Omega Speedmaster Anniversary Series is an updated version and a tribute to the ref. CK 2998, the 2^nd generation Speedmaster from the 1950s and 1960s. And this new one has a lot of references to the old one. The diameter of 39.7 millimeters is the same. The original has Hesalite “glass”, a plastic or acrylic crystal that is pretty vulnerable, the new one has sapphire crystal with a Hesalite-like domed form.

Its bezel is also from black aluminium, now anodized, also with a tachymeter scale. Specially for Speedy nerds it has the “Dot over Ninety”, a pre-1970s inconsistency in the typo of “90” on the tachymeter scale. Which is highly appreciated by collectors of vintage Speedmasters.

Vintage dial for the FOiS

The dial is executed in grey-blue, not like the original. As the original was black-ish, however the dial color discolored over time in a grey-blue-ish tone. Here it is CVD coated (Chemical Vapor Deposition coating), to copy the tone of the so called tropical CK 2998 dials from the 1960s.

The hour and minute hands and indexes have vintage super-luminova, a bit brown-beige that glows up green in the dark. These hands have the same alpha design as the original, the dial layout with small seconds and totalizers as well. The first CK 2998 has a lollypop central chronograph seconds hand, the new one has a white baton chronograph seconds hand, styled like the CK 2998-4. More about the CK 2998 is in the this article about the Omega Speedmaster CK2998 Limited Edition from 2016.

The Omega Speedmaster Anniversary Series – FOiS has a power reserve of 50 hours

The movement of the Omega Speedmaster Anniversary Series – First Omega in Space is the Omega caliber 3861. It’s the successor of the Omega caliber 1861. And the bloodline before that movement is the Omega caliber 861, the Omega caliber 321 and the Lemania caliber 1873 from 1949.

So, even the movement has a rich history. And a power reserve of 50 hours, COSC and METAS certified, with an accuracy of 0 and +5 seconds per day.

Three different straps for this FOiS Anniversary Series

This Speedmaster comes on a stainless steel bracelet, but you can also get it with a leather strap. Either a grained calf leather strap in black or a smooth brown calf leather strap, both with stainless steel pin buckle. The leather option is about 400 less expensive than the bracelet.

The solid case back features the Omega’s Seahorse medallion, and the engravings “THE FIRST OMEGA IN SPACE” and “OCTOBER 3, 1962”. All in a special presentation box with a “Legendary Moonwatch” leaflet inside.

Technical data and specifications of the Omega Speedmaster Anniversary Series – First Omega in Space

Reference number: 310.30.40.50.06.001 (bracelet) 310.32.40.50.06.001 (black leather) 310.32.40.50.06.002 (brown leather)

Movement: Omega caliber 3861 | Hand-wound | Diameter: 27 mm (12 lignes) | Thickness: 6.87 mm | Frequency: 21,600 vph (3 Hz) | Jewels: 26 | Stop-second device, co-axial escapement | COSC and METAS certified | Hours, minutes, small seconds, chronograph | Power reserve: 50 hours

Case and dial: 39.7 mm | Polished and brushed 316L stainless steel | Thickness: 13.4 mm | Hesalite-like form sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment inside | Stainless steel bezel with black aluminium insert and tachymeter scale | Grey-blue CVD coated dial with circular sub dials | Steel colored Alpha hour and minute hands with vintage brown-beige super-luminova | White central chronograph hand | Silver colored alpha small seconds hand, white baton small chronograph hands | Hour markers with vintage brown-beige super-luminova | Stainless steel case back with engravings | Water resistance: 5 ATM / 5 bar / 50 meters / 165 feet

Strap: 316L stainless steel bracelet | Folder-over butterfly clasp with comfort setting | Or grained black or non-grained brown calf leather strap with stainless steel pin buckle

Price Omega Speedmaster Anniversary Series – First Omega in Space: $ 7,900 | € 8.700 | £ 7,400 | CHF 7’500

Website: www.omegawatches.com