Tag Archives: Limited Edition

Property of a Gentleman: Blue Panda Speedmaster Professional Gemini 4 3565.80.00

Omega Speedmaster Professional Gemini 4 3565.80.00

Omega Speedmaster Professional Gemini 4 3565.80.00

Our friend A. mailed us these pics of his stunning Omega Speedmaster Professional Gemini IV 40th Anniversary reference 3565.80.00 ‘Blue Panda’. The different shots show how the light plays with this stunning dial. One of our favourites!

Thanks for sharing A – much appreciated!

Press Release: Omega Speedmaster 50th Anniversary 1957-2007 Limited Series

Omega Speedmaster Professional 50th Anniversary 311.30.42.30.01.001

Omega Speedmaster Professional 50th Anniversary 311.30.42.30.01.001

OMEGA’s Limited Series launch of the Speedmaster Professional 50th Anniversary is sure to create a stir among Moonwatch purists. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Speedmaster – the first and still the only watch to have been worn on the Moon – a Limited Series of 5,957 stainless steel pieces with a special commemorative design of a golden seahorse on the dial will give collectors a rare opportunity to own a piece of space history.

April 19th 2007 – read more below the picture

Omega Speedmaster Professional 50th Anniversary 311.30.42.30.01.001

Omega Speedmaster Professional 50th Anniversary 311.30.42.30.01.001

The physiognomy of the 42 mm Professional Chronograph Moonwatch with its black dial, chronograph counters and tachymeter scale bears the DNA of the original hand-winding 1957 Speedmaster and its heart is powered by the famous Calibre 1861 that accompanied the watch into zero gravity. Launched in 1957 and designed to measure speed with chronograph and tachymeter functions, the Speedmaster has proved time and time again an invaluable and life saving partner to pilots, astronauts and explorers as they defy boundaries and push to ever-higher limits in the exploration of the universe. With an impressive track record of 11 NASA tests and 6 Moon landings, the Speedmaster has been on every US manned space flight and is currently on board Russia’s ISS International Space Station making this manual-winding timepiece a cornerstone of horological and space history.

OMEGA’s Speedmaster Chronograph was officially “flight-qualified by NASA for all manned space missions” in 1965 although the Speedmaster had already been to space on the wrist of astronaut Walter Schirra on board the Sigma 7 in 1962. Able to withstand extreme temperature changes and zero gravity, the Speedmaster touched down on the moon with Apollo 11 astronauts in July 1969 and subsequently became known as the Moonwatch. During the troubled and dramatic Apollo 13 “Houston, we’ve had a problem here” mission of 1970, the Speedmaster saved the day. An explosion of a reserve oxygen tank compromised all the time keeping mechanisms on board: except one. Commander James Lovell relied on his Speedmaster Chronograph to time, within a fraction of a second, the extremely critical firing of the re-entry rockets allowing for the safe return of his crew to planet Earth. In recognition of the crucial role that its Speedmaster chronograph played on the Apollo 13 mission, OMEGA received the “Snoopy” Award in October 1970 – the highest honour awarded by NASA astronauts. The Speedmaster was present for yet another decisive moment in space history during the 1975 joint USSR-USA Apollo-Soyuz docking. The symbolic handshake in space at the height of the Cold War revealed that both crews were wearing the Speedmaster Chronograph.

To celebrate its half-century of life, the words ‘50th Anniversary’ crown the golden seahorse featured at 12 o’clock on the dial. The hour and minutes hands, the central chronograph seconds hand and baton indexes have been highlighted with Super-LumiNova for maximum legibility in any conditions -on earth or in space. Although the original 1957 Speedmaster featured the iconic “Broad Arrow” hands, these were replaced in 1963 with “Dauphine” hands. Being slimmer, they create more space on the dial for a clearer view of the three counters with 12 hour, 30 minute and 60 second totalisers that proved vital on the Apollo 13 mission. As a tribute to its space legacy, the hands on this watch are white, just like those on the Apollo 11 mission to the Moon. The Arabic numerals on the counters and on the characteristic black aluminium tachymeter scale on the bezel have been designed with maximum clarity and legibility in mind. A scratch-resistant sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment protects the dial of this Limited Series Moonwatch.

Purists will appreciate the respect shown for the original Speedmaster in the manual-winding movement. In fact, the Limited Series Moonwatch is powered by OMEGA Calibre 1861, the famous movement that accompanied man on the moon and a tribute to its resilience. The 42 mm stainless steel case of the Limited Series Moonwatch has inherited dominant Speedmaster family traits with its iconic curved and facetted horns and its large push buttons to activate the chronograph. A seahorse medallion has been embossed on the stainless-steel case back as well as the number of the Limited Series 0000/5957 and the words: “FLIGHT-QUALIFIED BY NASA FOR ALL MANNED SPACE MISSIONS. THE FIRST AND ONLY WATCH WORN ON THE MOON”.

Space enthusiasts will remember the original ‘Velcro’ strap designed to fasten the Speedmaster to the exterior of the astronauts’ spacesuits during their missions. Inspired by the first solid link bracelet of the 1960’s, this Limited Series Moonwatch is fitted with a stainless steel bracelet that straps to the wrist with a foldover clasp. With a 45-hour power reserve and water-resistant to 50 metres/167 feet, the Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch has proved it can withstand extreme atmospheric conditions on Earth and in space and, with this limited Series release, is destined to become a coveted collector’s item.

Press Release – Omega Speedmaster Professional Apollo 15 35th Anniversary

Omega Speedmaster Professional Apollo XV 35th Anniversary 3366.51.00

Omega Speedmaster Professional Apollo XV 35th Anniversary 3366.51.00

To commemorate the 35th anniversary of the Apollo 15 space mission, Omega is proud to present the Speedmaster Apollo 15 35th Anniversary, which combines features of the original Moon Watch ─ the first and only watch worn on the moon ─ with new features. This limited edition consists of 1,971 watches, in honour of the year of the mission.

July 14th 2006 – read more below the gallery

Classic elegance, fashionable flair

The 1861-calibre chronograph, with its manual-winding movement, has a power reserve of 48 hours. The dial is black with red-gold hour markers and SuperLuminova luminous dots. The red-gold hands are also SuperLuminova-coated. The Speedmaster Professional Moon Watch Apollo 15 has three recessed, two-tone counters: the 12-hour counter at six o’clock, the 30-minute counter at three o’clock and the small seconds counter at nine o’clock. All have stylish red-gold surrounds that match other features of the watch.

The 18-carat red-gold bezel has a black aluminium ring with a tachymetric scale. The 42 mm diameter case is of polished and brushed stainless steel with 18-carat red gold push buttons and crown. The sapphire crystal case back is etched with the special Apollo 15 patch, featuring three stylized birds representing the three astronauts of the Apollo 15 mission – Commander David R. Scott, Alfred M. Worden and James B. Irwin. The case back is engraved with the words “Apollo 15” and “35th anniversary”, as well as the number of the limited edition and the Omega logo in black. The Speedmaster Professional Apollo 15 is water-resistant to a depth of 50 meters (167 feet). The sold-link bracelet with the special Omega safety clasp is made of brushed and polished stainless steel.

The Speedmaster Professional Moon Watch Apollo 15 is supplied in an elegant, matt silver wooden gift box lined in black. This striking silver and black box sets off the silver and black features of the watch. The box features the special Apollo 15 patch and the Omega logo in silver.

The Legendary Speedmaster Professional Moon Watch

On March 1, 1965, following two years of rigorous testing, the Omega Speedmaster was chosen by the NASA as the only chronograph to be flight-qualified for manned space missions. It had been the only chronograph to successfully complete the American Space Agency’s stringent tests that included exposure to extreme temperatures, vacuums, intense humidity, corrosion, shocks, acceleration, pressure, vibrations and noise.

The Omega Speedmaster was officially worn for the first time on the Gemini 3 mission, launched later that month on March 23, 1965. The Omega Speedmaster, known universally as the Moon Watch, became the standard issue for all American astronauts and was the first watch to be worn during an EVA – Extra Vehicular Activity — (outside a spacecraft). It remains the first and only watch worn on the moon when history was made on July 21, 1969.

The Apollo 15 Space Mission – “Endeavour and Falcon” – 26 July to 7 August 1971

Apollo 15 was the second longest of all the Apollo space missions, taking 12 days, 17 hours and 12 minutes, and the first to use the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV), a car-like vehicle that carried scientific instruments for deployment on the Moon and gave the astronauts extended range for exploration. David R. Scott and James B. Irwin covered 27.9 km in the LRV and returned with one of the prize trophies of the Apollo program — a sample of ancient lunar crust named the “Genesis Rock”.

Since it was originally launched, the Speedmaster has secured a truly illustrious reputation as an invaluable partner in the field of space exploration. To commemorate the 35th anniversary of the Apollo 15 mission, Omega has produced a Limited Edition model of 1971 timepieces. This exclusive Moon Watch retains the traditional characteristics of the Speedmaster Professional chronograph with the addition of the Apollo 15 patch etched on the case back.

Press Release – Omega Speedmaster Professional Gemini IV 40th Anniversary

Omega Speedmaster Professional Gemini IV 40th Anniversary 3565.80.00

Omega Speedmaster Professional Gemini IV 40th Anniversary 3565.80.00

The special Speedmaster model created for Baselworld 2005 commemorates not only the 40th anniversary of the first space walk, but also the 40th anniversary of the Speedmaster’s flight qualification for manned spaceflight missions. These important milestones are celebrated with a distinctive model with a blue dial and matching blue aluminium ring on the steel bezel. As a limited edition, the Omega Speedmaster Professional Gemini IV 40th Anniversary, like so many Speedmasters before it, is sure to be in great demand.

March 29th 2005 – read more below the gallery

The Gemini space exploration programme was developed as an intermediate step between the Mercury and Apollo programmes. It was named after the third constellation of the zodiac, featuring the twin stars Castor and Pollux, in allusion to the two-man spacecraft. The main objectives of the programme were, among others, to subject two astronauts and their equipment to long-duration flights and to perfect methods of re-entry and landing the spacecraft at a pre-selected land-landing point – both of which were important for later trips to the moon. The Gemini 4 mission that took off on 3 June 1965 was only the second manned mission in the Gemini programme, yet it nevertheless lasted 4 days, 1 hour, 56 minutes and 12 seconds and included the first-ever extra-vehicular activity.

Not only did the historic press photos of Edward H. White’s 36-minute space walk capture the world’s imagination, they also stunned the people at Omega, who noticed he was wearing one of the brand’s Speedmaster chronographs. Having requested confirmation from NASA that White was indeed wearing a Speedmaster, Omega discovered one year later that its chronograph had in fact been flight-qualified for all manned space missions by NASA on 1 March 1965. In fact, it was a choice that was easily made, since it was the only chronograph that withstood the extreme conditions imposed by NASA’s tests.

Later the same month, the Speedmaster was for the first time worn officially on the Gemini 3 mission (it had already been worn in space by Walter Schirra, who had purchased it himself, on the Sigma 7 mission in 1962). Though greeted with considerable jubilation at the brand’s headquarters in Bienne, Switzerland, this sensational news led to the most minor of changes to the watch: the addition of one word on the dial, turning the humble OMEGA Speedmaster into the legendary OMEGA Speedmaster Professional.

Even forty years after being flight-qualified by NASA – and nearly fifty years since it was first launched – today’s Speedmaster Professional still bears more than just a striking resemblance to the models used in the Gemini programme. Equally, the legendary hand-wound chronograph movement used in the Speedmaster has also undergone relatively few modifications to bring it in line with today’s mechanical watchmaking standards. In its current appellation, calibre 1861, it offers a power reserve of 45 hours and has rhodium-plated surfaces with polished bevelled edges, special wave decoration and circular-graining with gold-plated engravings.

The Gemini 4 limited-edition Speedmaster is characterised by its blue dial and silver counters for the 30-minute and 12-hour chronograph counters and continuous seconds. The blue theme is also continued on the bezel, with the familiar tachymeter scale reproduced on a blue aluminium ring. The commemorative nature of the timepiece is indicated by a subtle red engraving 1965-2005 below the Speedmaster name at 12 o’clock on the dial. The applied Omega symbol above the name, as well as 12 rhodium-plated hour markers, also add a hint of luxury and indicate that this Speedmaster is special. In all other respects, the watch remains a classic Speedmaster, with the same case, bracelet and hesalite crystal found on the “Moon Watch” – the standard Speedmaster Professional model.

However, one of its most striking features is destined to remain hidden most of the time, since it is the distinctive Gemini 4 mission patch, bearing the names of the crew, McDivitt and White, and an illustration of the first space walk, that is etched in colour on the sapphire crystal case back with the engraving “First Space Walk 40th Anniversary” and the limited-edition number (0001/2005). In recognition of the 40th anniversary year, only 2005 of these models will be produced and will be offered in a special gift box. Naturally a must for any Speedmaster collector!

Omega Speedmaster Broad Arrow Limited Edition

OMEGA’s Speedmaster line has a considerable heritage. Flight-qualified for manned spaceflight missions by the American and Russian space agencies, it is the only watch ever to have been worn on the moon. Its reliability is such that today, over 35 years after initially being approved for space missions, it is still the only watch approved for extra-vehicular activity in outer space. The latest addition to this world-renowned watch collection takes its inspiration from the first-ever model in the Speedmaster collection and uses an exclusive and completely new OMEGA chronograph movement. A special series of limited-edition watches has been produced to celebrate the arrival of this new collection.

April 4th 2002 – read more below the gallery

The heart of the Speedmaster Broad Arrow is undoubtedly the new movement developed by OMEGA and produced exclusively for OMEGA by Frédéric Piguet. The new calibre is a self-winding COSC-certified chronometer movement which benefits from the latest in watchmaking technology. Its column-wheel chronograph mechanism consists of a ratchet wheel with columns that govern the precision operation of various levers for the chronograph functions: start, stop and reset for the central chronograph seconds hand and the hour and minute totalisers (located at 6 o’clock and 3 o’clock respectively). Column-wheel chronographs are widely recognised as the finest chronograph movements available. However, they remain exclusive, since very few manufacturers are capable of producing this highly sophisticated mechanism. The exclusiveness of OMEGA’s new movement is further enhanced by the proven OMEGA sprung-balance without index, which offers improved regulating stability.

The special limited edition Broad Arrow models highlight the two salient features of this timepiece: the “Broad Arrow” hands of the original Speedmaster watch (reproduced in 18-carat gold on these models) and the new OMEGA column-wheel chronograph movement. The Broad Arrow’s unique hands are set off by a collection of watches in red, yellow and white gold with an authentic enamel dial, bearing the limited-series number. The OMEGA calibre 3320 is visible behind a transparent screw-in sapphire crystal case back, which bears the inscription “SPEEDMASTER ENAMEL LIMITED SERIES” and the limited-series number. It has a meticulous finish with Geneva wave decor, circular graining, rhodium-plated surfaces, gold-plated engraving, blued-steel screws and a polished bevelled chronograph module with smoothed upper surfaces. The movement has a platinum rotor with an 18-carat gold Speedmaster medallion that matches the colour of the watch case. Like the column-wheel chronograph mechanism, the enamel dial is also a rare feature, since it is difficult to produce and is available only from a limited number of manufacturers. The appeal of this watch is increased yet further by the highly restricted production run of 99 watches in each gold colour, make this limited edition a highly sought-after timepiece.

The most precious materials were chosen for the model that pays tribute to the brand-new OMEGA column wheel chronograph movement. The intricately skeletonised version of the movement, OMEGA Calibre 3221, with platinum rotor and 18 carat gold medallion, is housed in a platinum case, with platinum bezel and crown. The painstaking attention to detail on the skeleton movement is set off by an 18 carat gold dial with applied hour markers. The movement is also visible through a transparent sapphire crystal case back bearing the limited-series number. The 21 pieces of this sublime model celebrate the continuation of the OMEGA Speedmaster legend well into the 21st Century.

The limited-edition Broad Arrow models are fitted with a hand-sewn alligator leather strap with 18-carat gold foldover clasp matching the colour of the case. In addition to the screw-in transparent case-back, an OMEGA double gasket crown guarantees water resistance to a depth of 100 metres. They are a must for those who admire the illustrious heritage of OMEGA’s legendary Speedmaster watch and who appreciate the very finest in the art of prestige watchmaking.

The crowning glory in the Speedmaster Broad Arrow collection is a unique series of nine special gift boxes containing each of the three models (in yellow, red and white gold) with the authentic enamel dial. Individually numbered 1 to 9, these rare pieces will make an enviable centrepiece to any collection of prestige timepieces.