The Omega Speedmaster went to the moon. The fucking moon.  That's all you need to know.  Period.  

...but we’ll tell you some more.  Because that's what we do.

21 July 1969.  Neil Armstrong takes his "one small step" and becomes the first man to walk on the moon.  Sadly, his Speedmaster was back in The Eagle - the capsule's mission timer wasn’t functioning and his Speedy had to be used as a backup.  

Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin, the capsule's pilot, took his stroll shortly thereafter, becoming the second man on the lunar surface.  More importantly, Aldrin had his NASA-issued timepiece strapped to his wrist, making him the first man to wear a Speedmaster on the moon, an act that instantly and forever transformed the Speedmaster legacy, making it one of the most important watches in history.

Astronaut Ed White, the first American to conduct a spacewalk in 1965, also wore a Speedmaster on his wrist. Even today, many astronauts still wear the fabled Omega.

As the legend goes, when NASA realized that they needed a wristwatch for use in spaceflight, they sent an agent to a local Houston jewelry shop to purchase watches from about a dozen brands for testing. A Rolex, a Longines and an Omega made the final cut, but the Speedmaster won out and was found to be the most durable and suitable of the bunch for use in the Apollo missions. The Speedmaster was one of the few pieces of equipment not made specifically for NASA, but given the watch’s outstanding quality, a custom model was deemed unnecessary.

Speedmasters have always been extremely popular with collectors, but in recent years they have become staples in every serious vintage collection, and good examples have largely dried up as collectors hold onto the best pieces. We are constantly fielding requests for vintage Speedmasters and work hard to bring the best examples to our clients.

This reference 145.022-69 represents a tremendous value in vintage Speedmasters. One of the first Caliber .861 Speedmasters, this execution features a stepped dial and a pre-moon case back, giving this reference all of the best features of earlier, and much more expensive, Caliber .321 references. This watch features a very clean case and dial with a creamy patina and is in excellent condition over all.

Whether you are looking for the next addition to a growing collection or your very first foray into vintage timepieces, you just can't go wrong with a Speedy!

Astronaut images from