Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch – the next generation

Long before it became the legendary Moonwatch, the Omega Speedmaster was intended to impress as a robust chronograph in car races from 1957 onwards. Easy readability and a waterproof case were a matter of course. On the other hand, the model was a pioneer in terms of design, as it was the world’s first timepiece with a tachymeter scale on the bezel – previously, this had always been located on the dial.

The first experiences of manned space flight quickly revealed the need for reliable and robust chronographs. Towards the end of the Mercury programme, NASA defined its requirements in a specific request to various renowned watch manufacturers around the world, to which, however, only four manufactures responded at all:

In the specific requirement for the test series, NASA asked the three remaining manufacturers to submit corresponding wristwatch chronographs, which then had to prove themselves under the sometimes extreme requirements. These very intensive and demanding tests included, among other things, tests in a vacuum, vibration tests, tests on temperature resistance and resistance to shocks.

The cooperation between Rolex and NASA was to be established with the so-called pre-Daytona model the Cosmograf chronograph (ref. 6238), which was equipped with the Valjoux 72 movement. During the relative humidity test it stopped completely twice and during the high temperature test it showed a catastrophic material failure of the second hand. This bent in such a way that the other hands were blocked. This marked the end of the collaboration between Rolex and NASA on this project, as no further tests were carried out on the models.

Longines, too, had to pull out in view of the test results, as the glass of one watch bent during the tests of the high-temperature properties. A second watch failed the decompression test in the same way. The Longines-Wittnauer chronographs were thus eliminated from the competition.

The first US astronaut to leave his space capsule for a 23-minute spacewalk was Edward White. Naturally, he wore his reliable Omega Speedmaster on his wrist, which had undergone a new qualification by NASA especially for this purpose.

The moon landings announced by President John F. Kennedy in his famous speech for the end of the decade required an update of the reliable Speedmaster. Thus the actual Moonwatch style was born, for which Omega and NASA cooperated closely. These new Speedmaster models, designated reference 105.012 and 145.012 respectively, featured an asymmetrical case and twisted lugs, providing better protection for the crown and pushers. The additional designation “Professional” was printed on the dial for the first time. It was these Moonwacth Professional models that reached the moon together with the astronauts of Apollo 11 and were the first watches ever to be worn there.

The success of the Apollo 11 mission was one of the most important scientific breakthroughs in history. On 21 July 1969, Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin became the first humans to set foot on the moon. Interestingly, only Aldrin wore his Moonwatch Professional, as Armstrong had left his chronograph on board the space shuttle Eagle. The moon landing certainly represents a special milestone in the collaboration between Omega and NASA – and also marks the triumph of innovation, courage and unprecedented expertise.

The Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch was present at all the other successful moon landings of Apollo 12, 14, 15, 16 and 17. However, the Omega literally saved the day for the crew of Apollo 13. After the ship lost many important systems due to an explosion on board, a regular moon landing was out of the question. Instead, it was only a matter of getting the astronauts back to Earth alive. The Omega Speedmaster was crucial for this, as it was indispensable for the precise manoeuvres and engine firings that had to be carried out to the second.

Let’s take a leap into the present day. The successful Speedmaster Moonwatch was due for another makeover to integrate current developments in technology into the proven design concept. The latter is very important for fans of this model, because the classic design should not be changed, or only very slightly, if possible. Accordingly, it took a whole four years to develop the current calibre of the Moonwatch family.