Feature: Buyer’s guide to the Omega Speedmaster
Omega’s legendary Speedmaster has its origins in the motor-racing craze that swept Europe and America in the 1950s, famously going on to accompany NASA astronauts to the moon in 1969. There are now countless versions of this chronograph to choose from. Read our essential guide before picking your favourite.
History
Omega launched the first-ever Speedmaster in 1957 at the height of a motor-racing boom that saw the likes of Rolex and Heuer (before it became TAG Heuer) also bring out racing-themed chronographs. But Omega beat them to it, switching the tachymetric scale—useful for timing speed—from the dial to the bezel before any other brand.
The original Speedmaster entered the world alongside two other models that have since become tool-watch classics: the Railmaster and the Seamaster 300, all of which shared a similar design code featuring black dials, lumed markers and “Broad Arrow” handsets.
The first-generation Speedmaster, reference CK2915. Image courtesy of Phillips
This first-generation Speedmaster however had a brief production run, lasting two years before getting replaced by the reference 2998—which looks far more like the Speedmaster most of us are familiar with.
Although the 2998 retained the same movement and dial configuration, it swapped the plain steel bezel for one with an aluminium insert, while the Broad Arrow handset made way for alpha-style ones (these were soon replaced with slimmer pencil-style hands that are used on most Speedmaster models today).
Five years after its launch, the Speedmaster began its long and fruitful relationship with the American space agency NASA. This started in an unofficial capacity in 1962 with the astronaut Wally Schirra, who wore his very own 2998 model on a nine-hour, six-orbit mission on board the Sigma 7.
The next model introduced alpha hands and an aluminium bezel. Image courtesy of Bonhams
Two years later NASA began its quest to find an official watch for its space missions, and given the solid performance of Schirra’s own model, the Speedmaster must have been in pole position from the beginning.
After the Speedmaster and four other chronographs (including a Rolex) were subjected to a barrage of heavy-duty tests, only the Speedmaster survived intact, and 12 models were subsequently ordered from New York’s Omega importer at the sum of $82.50 each.
The first two NASA-certified Speedmasters accompanied astronauts Virgil Grissom and John Young on their Project Gemini mission in 1965, while several months later fellow astronaut Ed White wore one when he became the first American to walk in space.
NASA astronaut Ed White on the right wearing his Speedmaster
Astonishingly, Omega had no inkling that their watches were being used for space exploration—at least until 1966 when NASA finally began to order them directly from the maker, prompting Omega to add the word “Professional” to the dial and launching an advertising campaign that ensured the whole world knew it was the official brand of NASA astronauts—possibly the most hero-worshipped people on the planet at this time.
You can imagine, then, how their advertising went into overdrive after the historic moon landings of 1969 when the Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong, followed by Buzz Aldrin, stepped onto the lunar surface.
Second man on the moon Buzz Aldrin wearing his Omega Speedmaster
Armstrong, as the oft-told story goes, left his trusty Speedmaster in the lunar module as back-up, so it was Aldrin’s timepiece that claimed the distinction of being the first watch on the moon. Sadly, a few months after returning to Earth, this watch went missing on its way to the Smithsonian Museum in Washington where it was to go on display. It hasn’t been seen since.
Still, NASA’s relationship with Omega continues to this day, and although many other watches—from Rolex GMT-Masters to a Seiko—have been taken into space (sometimes in an unofficial capacity by the individual astronauts), no watch brand can rival Omega’s claim that one of its models has accompanied all six visits to the surface of the moon.
A limited-edition Speedmaster celebrating the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11
Naturally, over the decades Omega has capitalised on the Speedmaster’s lunar associations, launching various anniversary pieces and limited editions. However, as if to remind people of the watch’s motorsport roots, Omega has also introduced a Speedmaster Racing collection, whose models feature a date window and automatic movement.
A racing version of the Speedmaster with date window
Yet nothing the Speedmaster has achieved since 1969 could remotely rival the monumental feat of landing on the Moon.
Well, besides getting its very own social media hashtag.
Yes, #SpeedyTuesday is a weekly online celebration of this legendary watch. Get yourself a Speedmaster and join the ever-expanding club.
Evolution of the model
It’s alarming to think that every watch that went to the moon was powered by a movement dating back to World War II. Yes, believe it or not, early Speedmasters were equipped with a manual-wind movement that was built in 1942 by Lemania, which the company that owned Omega (SSIH) acquired in the 1930s.
Omega took the Caliber 27 CHRO, as it was called, and made a few improvements before starting to install it in its watches as its own Caliber 321. It could be found in the first-generation Speedmaster (reference CK2915) and on the first few models that followed it.
Later, the 321, which was a column-wheel chronograph, was swapped with the simpler and slightly cheaper 861 cam-actuated alternative. The current descendant of this is the 3861.
The 3861 calibre chronograph movement
Only much later, to keep up with modern developments, were some versions of the Speedmaster equipped with an automatic movement. (Useful tip: you can tell whether a Speedmaster is automatic or manual-wind by checking to see if it has the word “Professional” on the dial. Generally speaking, those that do are manual-wind, those that don’t are automatic.)
In recent years, Omega has been happy for the Speedmaster collection to revisit the past. It brought back the Caliber 321 movement in 2020 and put it on show behind an exhibition caseback. It also revived the retro-looking Speedmaster Mark II in 2014 after a few dormant decades.
You can also now buy several Speedmaster models, including the Moonwatch, powered by a movement with the co-axial escapement. Invented by celebrated English watchmaker George Daniels with the aim of reducing stress on the moving parts, Omega began using this technology in its watches in 1999 after buying the rights in the early 1990s.
In terms of aesthetics, Speedmasters have come in a multitude of designs, with the problematic 1970s—those anxiety-ridden years of dealing with the quartz crisis—conjuring up a space-age array of blink-and-you’ll-miss-it versions with TV-shaped cases and integrated-bracelets.
The tail-end of the 1970s even gave us a handful of quartz models, complete with LCD display. No disrespect to Omega but these now look like the kind of cheap digital Casio watches you'd buy from a catalogue.
Yes, there was actually a quartz Speedmaster with LCD display
For today’s selection of Speedmasters, however, read on…
Different Speedmaster models
The Speedmaster is Omega’s best-known model so it’s not surprising that it comes in an array of variations. One of its most popular editions is the Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional which gets its name from—you guessed it, the 1969 moon landings.
Choose from understated steel versions or go for something a little glitzier in canopus, sedna or moonshine gold—aka, white, rose and yellow gold, respectively. All Moonwatch Professional models are manual-wind and have a 42mm case.
Sedna gold is Omega's version of rose gold
In 2022, the mega-hyped Omega x Swatch Moonswatches were unveiled. Paying homage to the Moonwatch, they allow watch enthusiasts to get a slice of the Speedmaster pie at a price far less than the original. However, these watches are retailed by Swatch, rather than Omega (the brand are owned by the same company).
If you’d prefer your Speedmaster to hark back to days past, you’ll enjoy Omega’s Speedmaster Heritage watches. This line includes the vintage-inspired ‘57 which has been modelled by brand ambassador and actor, George Clooney—and if that doesn’t sell it to you, we’re not sure what will. The latest ’57s feature a slimmer profile with a new 40.5mm case.
A contemporary Speedmaster 57, which features the original "Broad Arrow" handset
Other Heritage pieces include the aforementioned Calibre 321—which Omega fitted with a recreation of the exact movement used in the Moonwatch—and the Mark II which offers an alternative look for the Speedmaster thanks to its distinctive barrel-shaped case and hooded lugs.
Our current Heritage favourite, though, is the much-loved “Silver Snoopy Award” 50th Anniversary Speedmaster. It was released as part of the Anniversary Series and boasts a stunning caseback with a mesmerising animation of Snoopy, gliding past the moon and Earth in a spacecraft next to the words, “Eyes on the stars”.
The Silver Snoopy Award is presented to astronauts and NASA employees who make outstanding achievements related to human flight safety or mission success.
But why Snoopy? Well, NASA has a habit of naming things after the Peanuts cartoon strip. The Apollo 10 Command Module was called Charlie Brown and the Lunar Excursion Module, Snoopy because its job was to "snoop around" for good landing sites for Apollo 11.
Omega received the award in 1970 after it played a critical role in saving the Apollo 13 mission.
There's no caseback quite like that of the Silver Snoopy Award model
Heritage models aside, there’s the groundbreaking Dark Side of the Moon. Each model is crafted from a single block of black zirconium oxide ceramic, giving them their deep-dark shade of black. The somewhat ominous name refers to the mysteriousness of space. Its standout model is the Apollo 8 which features a textured dial inspired by the moon’s surface, allowing you to “wear the moon on your wrist”. Whereas the White Side of the Moon is an all-white alternative.
The Speedmaster went ceramic with the The Dark Side of the Moon model
Considering the Speedmaster is so space-focused, it makes sense for there to be sci-fi-looking versions in the form of its Instruments models. These watches look nothing like your typical Speedmaster, thanks to the sleek digital display. They’re intended for pilots and sailors, as well as astronauts, and are made of light-weight titanium and run on high-precision quartz movements tested and qualified by the European Space Agency (ESA).
The most high-tech Speedmaster collection is the quartz-powered Instruments series
If you prefer the finer things in life, look no further than the Two Counters models. They sit within the top-end of the Speedmaster range, with several made in precious metals such as gold and platinum. Some feature high-end complications including moonphase displays and even minute repeaters, as found in the stunning Chrono Chime.
Lastly, whether you have smaller wrists or are simply drawn towards less chunky timepieces, the Speedmaster 38mm is a great choice. Choose from an array of sophisticated designs in sleek colours that offer a refreshing twist on this iconic chronograph.
Notable vintage models
Naturally the three Speedmaster references that have been to the moon—having been officially certified for space missions—are highly prized among vintage collectors. These are the ST 105.003, the ST 105.012 and the ST 145.012.
The reference ST 145.012, one of the three true Moonwatches
Looking for something more unconventional? Check out the 1970s-era Speedmaster Mark II, with its distinctive, barrel-shaped case. The ones with the “racing” dial, featuring orange checkered minute divisions, enhance its retro aesthetic. The previously mentioned 2014 version updated it by adding a date window and giving it an automatic co-axial movement.
The sporty-looking vintage Mark II model with racing dial
A great neo-vintage option for anyone who regards the regular Speedmaster as a little large at 42mm is the 39mm Speedmaster Reduced. Now discontinued, this was a more affordable, self-winding model that was in production from the late 1980s to 2009. It came with the typical Speedmaster black dial or even more off-beat colourful ones like this.
The discontinued Speedmaster Reduced offered an alternative size case
Finally, if you really want to get nerd-deep into “Speedmasterology”, you need to know about the “Dot over the 90”. This refers to the tachymeter scale on Moonwatch bezels. Basically, a dot above the zero numeral in 90 indicates an earlier Moonwatch model, while later versions position the dot slightly to the right of the zero.
The dot above the 90 is placed to the right on most newer models
Just to add confusion, Omega do revert to the dot-over-90 configuration for some newer models, especially when they pay tribute to vintage ones.
If this kind of design minutiae interests you, do your research. There’s a wealth of stuff out there if you’re prepared to look for it.
Speedmaster prices
One day, Buzz Aldrin’s Moonwatch might be discovered at a car-boot sale and end up selling for several million dollars. But unless it’s a Speedmaster with a proven NASA space mission pedigree, it’s unlikely to ever come with a Newman Daytona price tag.
Speaking of Daytonas, the Speedmaster is generally far more affordable than its long-time Rolex rival. This applies to both the new and pre-owned market. The starting price for a brand-new steel Speedmaster 38, for example is £5k, whereas a Daytona is £13.2k.
The Speedmaster for smaller wrists
A brand-new steel Moonwatch Professional on a strap starts at £6,200, while the Canopus gold version costs £56.8k. Pre-owned Moonwatch Professional models can, at time of writing, be picked up for as little as £4k, even with box and papers.
A Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional reference 3570.50.00
Moving up a level, a brand-new Speedmaster Moonphase in platinum with emerald baguette indices will set you back £67k, while the Speedmaster Chrono Chime minute repeater in Sedna Gold is a whopping £484k. But rest assured it comes with a beautiful walnut presentation box and a magnifying glass.
All the better for appreciating your purchase in meticulous detail.
