Search results for: Omega Speedmaster
‘Ed White’ 105.003-63 Omega Speedmaster
In 1965, Ed White became the first American astronaut to walk in space. Needless to say, he is a hero. But he was so much more: an aeronautical engineer, USAF Officer, fighter pilot, crewmember of Gemini IV and Apollo I. He puts my entire life, and likely yours, to shame. Mr White tragically passed in…
Read MoreCB Case 105.012-66 Omega Speedmaster
Watch enthusiasts are, almost by definition, students of detail. Early Speedmaster productions, particularly pre-moon, offer a wealth of varying tiny details which may fill a lifetime of study. Few of them, however, are able to spotted across a room. I can only think of tropical dials, broad arrow/alpha handsets, straight lugged cases, and, for those…
Read More‘220 Error’ Bezel 145.022-69 Omega Speedmaster
Is it an expression of pride in scholarship or admission of madness that collectors often adore outright mistakes in watchmaking? The most infamous of this bunch must certainly be the double nine Air-King, royalty of the skies and mistakes in equal measure. Perhaps lesser discussed, however, is Omega’s equivalent: the 220. These bezels were applied…
Read MoreTropical 2998-1 Omega Speedmaster
2889-1. There is no shortage of adjectives one could throw at this title . . .321, chocolate, radium, pre-moon, base 1000, and alpha-handed, I could go on. Save to say this: the 2998 is a sweet spot in pre-moon references for its alpha handset, chunky straight case, and historic significance. No, I don’t mean the…
Read MoreApollo 15 40th Anniversary Omega Speedmaster
Apollo 15 was the fourth moon mission and first to focus on long duration lunar surface stays with a heavy focus on scientific operations. In total, the crew spent 18 hours and 37 minutes on the surface and twelve days from start to end. Perhaps most notably, however, it was the first moon mission to…
Read More2998-3 ‘Lollipop’ Omega Speedmaster
Adetail can make all the difference. The 2000s black series CLK AMG has just ever-so slightly anabolic wheel arches and multi-spoke alloys which allow the educated observer to mark it apart from some dime-a-dozen Germanic grocery getter. Similarly, a Japanese whisky with an age statement hidden on the corner of the label, these days, makes…
Read More145.022 Alaska II Prototype Omega Speedmaster
Grail watch gets thrown around a lot. And yet, here we are. This is not the commercially retailed 2008 Alaska Project, which I like to call the space coconut. No, this is that watch’s inspiration. ‘Alaska’ Projects were the codename given internally at Omega for wristwatches intended to be supplied to NASA for actual flight…
Read More145.012-67 ‘Ultraman’ Omega Speedmaster
For what is ‘just’ a Speedmaster with an orange hand, a great deal of lore surrounds the original Ultraman. For many years, there was contention in forums about just what was or was not kosher. Did production cover multiple years? Was the hand produced in collaboration with the Japanese TV series? Did the TV series…
Read More2998-3 ‘Lollipop’ Omega Speedmaster
A detail can make all the difference. The 2000s black series CLK AMG has just ever-so slightly anabolic wheel arches and multi-spoke alloys which allow the educated observer to mark it apart from some dime-a-dozen Germanic grocery getter. Similarly, a Japanese whisky with an age statement hidden on the corner of the label, these days,…
Read MoreOmega Speedmaster Alaska Project
The Speedmaster varies so widely between limited editions and specific references that it can near become an entirely foreign model. At the extreme of that spectrum, there is this: the Alaska Project. It more closely resembles a space coconut than any new Omega. I posted that tagline on Instagram a few years back and it…
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