Omega Speedmaster
The chronograph NASA chose and the astronauts wore on the Moon in 1969.
Omega launched the Speedmaster in 1957 as a chronograph for motor racing. In the 1960s NASA tested several watches under extreme conditions and approved the Speedmaster for spacewalks in 1965.
Buzz Aldrin wore his Speedmaster on the Moon in July 1969, and the model has since been called the Moonwatch. It is still made with almost the same look.
Materials: Stainless steel, Hesalite or sapphire crystal
Manufacture: Made by Omega in Biel with a hand-wound chronograph movement.
The tachymeter scale on the bezel, for working out speed.
Three subdials for seconds, minutes and hours.
The calibre number and case reference: 321 and later 861 separate older from younger watches.
The Speedmaster appeared in 1957 together with the Seamaster 300 and the Railmaster. NASA bought chronographs from several brands and tested them in heat, cold, vacuum, vibration and shock, and in 1965 the Speedmaster was qualified for manned space flight. During Apollo 13 the watch was used to time the firing of the rocket engine to correct the course.
The tachymeter scale is on the bezel and not on the dial, so that the dial remains easy to read. The movements are hand-wound: calibre 321 until the end of the 1960s and then calibre 861, which was simpler to manufacture.
A black dial with three subdials, a black bezel with a tachymeter scale and, from the mid-1960s, an asymmetric case with shoulders protecting the crown and pushers.
The first reference had broad arrow-shaped hands and a steel bezel with an engraved scale. The word Professional appeared on the dial in the mid-1960s. Later came versions with an automatic movement and a transparent case back.
Collectors look for the early references with calibre 321 and watches from the period before the moon landing, known as pre-moon.