Since 1962, Omega has been the official watch of space travel, with the Speedmaster having been worn by NASA astronauts and their counterparts on every manned mission since. And while not all of the brand’s famed Moonwatches have been in the vacuum of space, this one — which is headed to auction — actually has.
Back in 1995, the United States and Russia launched a joint mission that sent cosmonaut, Nikolai Budarin, up to the MIR space station. While orbiting the planet, Budarin completed two spacewalks with this watch — serial no. 48267771 — wrapped around his wrist. While it no longer comes with the velcro strap used in the vacuum of space, it still has the leather strap Budarin swapped in while wearing it within the station. Complete with its caliber 861-based movement, stainless steel case, plexiglass crystal, and a Budarin-signed letter of provenance, this Omega Moonwatch is expected to sell for $50,000 or more.
