Press Kit Apollo 11

The 50th anniversary of Apollo 11 is fast approaching. Of course us Speedmaster nuts are all [im]patiently awaiting even the tiniest bits of information on the commemorative Omega Speedmaster Professional Apollo 11 50th anniversary watches. Today I don’t have such info*. I did dig up something else!

*turns out the Apollo 11 50th anniversary watch was actually launched today. What are the odds?

Below are a few cool images taken from the Apollo 11 Lunar Landing Mission press kit by NASA. The full .pdf can be seen and downloaded at this link.

Press Release: Omega reintroduces the iconic calibre 321

January 8th, 2019

3… 2… 1…
WE HAVE LIFT-OFF!

OMEGA reintroduces the iconic Calibre 321

If you ask most watch fans to name a famous movement they’d like to see reborn, you’re bound to hear them mention the OMEGA Calibre 321. This robust and elegant chronograph movement has been a favourite since the 1940s and is still highly sought-after by watch collectors around the world. Now, more than 50 years after the last Calibre 321 was produced, OMEGA is bringing the iconic movement back.

Known for its beautifully intricate design, the original Calibre 321 was the first movement ever used in the OMEGA Speedmaster in 1957. It had, in fact, been previously used in some of OMEGA’s other chronographs, namely those in the Seamaster collection. It stands out for its use of a monobloc column-wheel, a feature that is machined from a single piece and which adds technical value. Generally, column-wheel movements require very careful precision in design and build, making them popular with watch collectors.

In addition to its construction, the original Calibre 321 also earned a very notable place in history. It was used in a variety of models including the Speedmaster ST 105.003 (the model first tested and qualified by NASA and worn by astronaut Ed White during the first American spacewalk) and the Speedmaster ST 105.012 (the first watch worn on the moon).

Reintroducing a movement with such an important reputation must therefore be done with the utmost exactness. For the Calibre 321 project, OMEGA utilised a dedicated team of experts who worked efficiently over two years and in total secrecy to bring the movement to life. The small group was composed of researchers, developers and historians, as well as the finest craftsmen and experienced watchmakers. To protect the project’s exclusive details, the team even worked under the codename “Alaska 11”, in line with the names that OMEGA used for its secret Speedmaster designs for NASA in the 1960s and 70s.

Using the 2nd generation Calibre 321 as a reference, the OMEGA team compiled extensive historical research and original plans to reconstruct the movement as accurately as possible. Going even further, they also used “tomography” technology (digital scanning method) to see inside the true Speedmaster ST 105.003 timepiece that astronaut Eugene “Gene” Cernan wore on the moon during the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. Cernan was the last man to walk on the lunar surface and his Speedmaster is now housed at the OMEGA Museum in Bienne. Its Calibre 321 provided the perfect design criteria for OMEGA to follow.

As a result, even the most unique and iconic parts of the Calibre 321 have been reborn in respect to their authentic specifications. The movement wonderfully corresponds to the “moon period” of OMEGA’s history, with a construction that completely respects the designs from the past.

Raynald Aeschlimann, President and CEO of OMEGA, said, “It’s amazing that so many people are passionate about the Calibre 321. We produced the last one in 1968 and fans have never stopped talking about it. That shows how special it is. We’re very excited to finally meet their wishes and have gone to great efforts to bring the movement back.”

The new movements will now go into production at OMEGA’s HQ site in Bienne. Uniquely, all aspects of creation will be undertaken within a dedicated Calibre 321 workshop. For each movement, the assembly, as well as the watch head and bracelet assembly will be performed by the same watchmaker. Watch fans can expect more developments and news in the coming months.

Press Release: OMEGA releases the Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon Apollo 8

November 26th, 2019 – Marking the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 8 mission, history’s first ever journey toward the moon, OMEGA is proudly releasing its new Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon Apollo 8 timepiece.

OMEGA has an unrivaled heritage within space exploration and its Speedmaster watches have been worn and trusted by astronauts aboard many of history’s greatest missions – including Apollo 8 in 1968. This crew were the first humans to ever see the far side of the moon and the legacy of that achievement is beautifully celebrated in OMEGA’s newest Speedmaster watch.

The unique design is instantly clear when you view the dial, which has been expertly skeletonized to reveal the blackened movement inside. The movement itself has also been laser-ablated to precisely decorate the bridges and main plate with realistic imagery of the lunar surface.

Just like the moon, the movement reveals two unique sides. The dial-side is a light shade to represent our view of the moon’s surface from Earth, while the back of the watch shows the dark side that only astronauts get to see.

Elsewhere in this new creation, OMEGA has embraced its popular “Dark Side of the Moon” innovation, producing the entire watch in black zirconium oxide ceramic. To contrast this dark tone, the brand has chosen chronograph hands that are varnished yellow, while the watch’s tachymeter scale and crown are filled with Super-LumiNova. The black and yellow theme extends to the perforated leather strap, which contains a section of yellow rubber through the middle.

On the caseback, the special words, “WE’LL SEE YOU ON THE OTHER SIDE”, have been engraved. These were spoken by Command Module Pilot Jim Lovell on board the Apollo 8 mission at the start of the crew’s pioneering orbit to the far side of the moon. Seconds before the spacecraft disappeared beyond the range of radio contact, Lovell spoke these final reassuring words to ground control.

Few people will ever get to view the moon’s mysterious distant surface, but to wear the OMEGA Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon Apollo 8 is to make an authentic connection to space exploration history. Its blackened and decorated version of the Calibre 1861 – called 1869 as a tribute to the first moon landing – is a reminder of the original Moonwatch movement and OMEGA’s legendary story in space.

For more information, please visit:
https://www.omegawatches.com/watches/speedmaster/moonwatch/dark-side-of-the-moon-apollo-8/product

Press Release: Omega Watches Land On-Screen in Universal Pictures’ First Man

OMEGA WATCHES LAND ON-SCREEN IN UNIVERSAL PICTURES’ FIRST MAN

Bienne, October 8, 2018

On October 12 in the USA, watch fans, space enthusiasts and astonished audiences alike will be able to spot OMEGA timepieces playing a true-life role within the story of Universal Pictures’ First Man.

Following their six-time Academy Award®-winning La La Land, Oscar®-winning director Damien Chazelle and star Ryan Gosling reteam for First Man, the riveting story behind the first manned mission to the moon, focusing on Neil Armstrong and the decade leading to the historic Apollo 11 flight. A visceral and intimate account told from Armstrong’s perspective, based on the book by James R. Hansen, the film explores the triumphs and the cost – on Armstrong, his family, his colleagues and the nation itself – of one of the most dangerous missions in history.

OMEGA has an unrivalled legacy within space exploration and the team behind First Man has correctly placed the brand’s timepieces on the wrists of the Apollo astronauts and others.

Within its rapidly accelerating space programme in 1964, NASA went in search of one watch that it could qualify for all manned-missions. Many brands submitted their timepieces for the punishing tests, but only the OMEGA Speedmaster survived. As a result, it was declared “Flight Qualified for all Manned Space Missions” on the 1st of March, 1965.

From that moment, OMEGA was the only supplier of watches for NASA’s Human Space Flight Program. Its use in space has extended through the final Mercury Missions and the Gemini, Apollo, Skylab and Apollo-Soyuz programs. The Speedmaster is still in use for space flight today and helps to keep track of time on the International Space Station.

Of course, as part of this history, the OMEGA Speedmaster became the first watch worn on the moon in 1969 during the Apollo 11 mission. For the production of First Man, OMEGA supplied period-correct Speedmasters and other watches of that era. The following model styles are featured in the movie:

OMEGA Speedmaster ST 105.003.

This timepiece is worn by Ryan Gosling during his character’s Apollo training at NASA. In real life, it would also have been the model that Project Gemini astronaut Ed White wore during the first American spacewalk on the 3rd of June, 1965.

[Ed. –  this looks like a new piece based on the FOIS rather than an actual vintage watch? That would make for a cool LTD with these hands and plexi glass!]

OMEGA Speedmaster ST 105.012.

This famous Moonwatch is worn by the actors portraying Apollo 11 astronauts during their historic mission and lunar landing.

OMEGA wristwatch CK 2605

A timepiece from 1954, this is the wristwatch worn on-screen by Ryan Gosling as Neil Armstrong during the global hero’s daily life.

OMEGA Stopwatch

A 1960s stopwatch used on-screen by the NASA engineers during training. Through the brand’s role as Official Timekeeper of the Olympic Games, OMEGA has an established and renowned history in sports and precision timekeeping devices.

Press Release: Introducing the OMEGA Speedmaster “HODINKEE 10th anniversary” Limited Edition

September 5th, 2018 – When the OMEGA Speedmaster “Day-Date” was created more than 20 years ago, it featured an intriguing dial design and colour coding that has made a lasting impression on watch fans ever since. In tribute to that unique Speedmaster, OMEGA is now releasing a special Limited Edition model that re-imagines the same classic look.

The new 39.70 mm chronograph is being launched in partnership with the leading watch magazine and taste-maker HODINKEE, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. HODINKEE founder, Ben Clymer, has a particularly strong connection to the original Speedmaster “Day-Date”, as it was a meaningful gift from his grandfather and the very model that ignited his passion for watches.

Speedmaster fans will notice that this is not an exact re-creation. While the triple calendar complication is no longer featured, there are many other familiar touches that recall the original design.

Firstly, the grey/blue dial includes a distinctive minute track as well as luminous Arabic numerals. The black and blue subdial at 9 o’clock is perhaps the most essential part of the “Day-Date” tribute. Originally featured as a day/night indicator, it has now been transformed into a useful function indicator with a propeller-shaped hand.

As well as including black and white hour/minute hands, the central seconds hand is varnished red and includes a yellow airplane tip (a recognizable feature from the “Day-Date” model that has been seen on several Speedmaster designs since the 1970s).

The watch is presented on a grey/blue leather strap, with a stainless steel case that includes a black aluminium bezel and the Speedmaster’s famous tachymeter scale. On the caseback, OMEGA has embossed its Seahorse medallion and added a number of engravings, including “HODINKEE” and “10thAnniversary.” Inside, the watch is driven by the legendary OMEGA Calibre 1861.

The new Speedmaster is limited to just 500 pieces and all models will be sold exclusively through the HODINKEE website and in OMEGA Boutiques within the USA. Customers who secure their model will receive the watch in a special presentation box with an additional grey NATO strap and changing tool.

For more information, please visit:
https://www.omegawatches.com/en-us/SpeedmasterHODINKEE