Buzz Aldrin sporting his Omega Moonwatch
By the time Apollo 11 was setting off for the moon in 1969, only one watch had been deemed powerful enough to withstand the rigours of space travel: the Omega Speedmaster Professional Chronograph, or ‘Moonwatch’. Worn by Buzz Aldrin as he stepped onto the surface of the moon, the original watch didn’t look particularly futuristic with its simple dial and Velcro strap. But in fact, many years of craftsmanship had gone into creating the most space-friendly timepiece on Earth, and today it is the only piece of equipment to have been used in every one of NASA’s manned space missions – it has even been on two gruelling space walks.
Last year, Omega launched a limited edition 45th anniversary version of their most celebrated watch, but very little has changed since the first models were tested by NASA in 1957.
Apollo 11 45th Anniversary Watch
Officially certified by NASA
Understandably, these early versions were subject to the most rigorous testing on the planet. They had to be able to withstand the incredibly high cabin pressure during take-off and landing, as well as being scratch-resistant in the clumsy gravity-free atmosphere of the space crafts, and of course they had to be highly accurate at keeping time and measuring miles per hour (the outside of the watch’s dial acts as a Tachymeter).
The result was a hand-wound calibre 1861 chronograph which is not only water resistant (to 50 metres), it is also the only watch in the world which will continue to work in the thermal vacuum of space.
You can’t improve on perfection
Since the Speedmaster became the first watch on the moon in 1969, very few updates have been made to its iconic design. In 2014, 1,969 commemorative timepieces were released in matt black ceramic, red gold and titanium, along with the original flight-certified Velcro strap.
Two other limited edition designs were named ‘The Grey Side of the Moon’ which looks as though it has been dipped in moon dust and ‘The Black Side of the Moon’ which is made from a single block of black zirconium oxide ceramic, reflecting the inky blackness of space.
The Grey Side of the Moon
The Dark Side of the Moon 'Black Black' version
The Speedmaster OMEGA Co-Axial Chronograph brings together the classic design and functionality of the Moonwatch, with a modern twist (a gold rotor here; a leather strap there) to appeal to the next generation of budding cosmonauts.
If you are lucky enough to come across one of these historic pieces, channel your inner astronaut and set it to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) — halfway between Houston and Moscow — so you can keep mission control updated on your latest adventures through time and space.