Yesterday, we talked about the auction for the Rolex GMT-Master unexpectedly worn by Commander Edgar Mitchell during the Apollo 14 lunar mission. And today, we’re back again with another Moon-themed watch story, but from the watchmaker you’d expect to hear about considering the context.
In 2012, Omega came out with a special Speedmaster it dubbed the “First Omega in Space” model, commemorating the 50th anniversary of when Wally Schirra first donned his Omega CK2998 chronograph during the Mercury-Atlas 8 mission in 1962. The reissue was then discontinued in 2021 but has been resurrected once again for this year (the 62nd anniversary?).
Omega and Space
The model worn by Schirra was his own personal timepiece. The CK2998 had a production run from 1959 to ‘62. But following Mercury-Atlas 8, NASA’s infatuation with Omega only grew. The reverence was cemented in 1964 when, after putting out a call to a handful of watchmakers looking for chronographs that could stand up to the rigors of space travel.
Besting chronographs from Rolex, Hamilton, and Longines, Omega impressed with its Speedmaster Professional, passing all of NASA’s trials and becoming the only-ever officially designated watch that’s been “flight-qualified for all manned space missions.” While astronauts can still bring along their personal timepieces, the Speedmaster Professional has been flying to space ever since, even making it to the Moon’s surface itself on the Apollo 11 mission.
The 2012 Version
Much like the CK2998, the FOiS released in 2012 was different from contemporary Speedmaster Professionals in that it shared the same dimensions as the ‘62 piece with a 39.7mm case, straight lugs, a base 500 tachymeter bezel, and a sapphire crystal (standard Moonwatches used Hesalite ones). All in all, the aim was to look like the original watch that went into space.
Omega Speedmaster First Omega in Space 2024 Basics
For the 2024 re-reissue, Omega hasn’t changed much. Slightly thinner at 13.4mm instead of 14mm, the new FOiS brushed its steel case and edges its straight lugs ever so slightly, streamlining the look. The sapphire crystal is also redesigned with a domed structure, now with an anti-reflective coating. There’s an engraving on the caseback, featuring a seahorse design and the words, “THE FIRST OMEGA IN SPACE,” on top and, “OCTOBER 3, 1962,” at the bottom. Strap options are a stainless steel bracelet and a brown or black leather strap.
The bezel retains the black aluminum material of vintage pieces rather than the more common ceramic of modern-day watches. If you look closely, it also brings back the “Dot Over Ninety” detail that was ditched for the tachymeter scale on the 2012 model.
On the dial, you’ll notice a similar color as the previous edition, but the dark-dark-blue color, thanks to CVD coating, has more of a “faded black” appeal as if this were an actual vintage piece. The straight hour markers are also bronze this time around, with a patina-like lume filling inside the hour and minute hands.
Lastly, the watch runs on the in-house Co-Axial Calibre 3861 manually-wound movement that other modern Speedmaster Professionals run on. It’s also Master Chronometer certified.
Spec Sheet
Case Size: 39.7mm
Case Thickness: 13.4mm
Case Material: Stainless steel
Water Resistance: 50m
Movement: In-house Co-Axial Calibre 3861 manually-wound
Band: Stainless steel bracelet or leather strap
Limited Edition?: No
Pricing & Availability
While the 2012 models were numbered (not limited), the new version of the Speedmaster First Omega in Space is not numbered or limited at all. Priced at $7,900, the watch is now available from Omega boutiques.
Recap
Omega Speedmaster First Omega in Space 2024
Omega’s Speedmaster First Omega in Space edition came out in 2012 to commemorate the chronograph worn in 1962 during the Mercury-Atlas 8 mission. It’s been revived today with some modern updates.
