Speaking of Omega Speedmaster watches, the most iconic one is the “Moon Watch” that walked on the surface of the moon in 1969. In 1962, seven years before the moon landing, astronaut Walter “Wally” Schirra wore his personal Speedmaster on the Mercury Sigma 7 mission, and the model has since A place in history. Now, Omega has launched a watch inspired by Schirra, called the “First Omega in Space” watch.
The new Omega Speedmaster, the first Omega watch to enter space, is not based on the moon watch approved by NASA, but on the model CK 2998 purchased by Schirra himself. Released in 1959, this model was the second generation of the Speedmaster and had a number of features that distinguished it from the later, perhaps more “iconic” moon-coloured reference model. First, the CK 2998’s case has straight (rather than “twisted”) lugs less than 40 mm in diameter. But its dial, with its slim “alpha” handset, immediately sets it apart from more modern sword-shaped pointer models.
The new version of the First Omega Space Watch retains the 39.7 mm symmetrical steel case, black aluminum “Dot-Over-Ninety” speed bezel and domed crystal mirror, recreating the appearance of the old CK 2998. The dial itself is a CVD-coated gray-blue that replicates the look of some vintage CK 2998 dials, with yellowish Super-LumiNova to match the old luminous material on vintage dials. The triple chronograph display of the original CK 2998 remains, but it is powered by the modern Caliber 3861 movement, a hand-wound design that inherits the mantle of the 2021 Caliber 361. “Engraved with the date of Mercury’s launch in 1962 and the Omega Seamaster logo. The FOiS has all the charming details of a legitimate vintage watch from 1959, but without the fragility of a watch that’s over 60 years old. The watch with a leather strap is priced at $7,500, or $7,900 if you prefer a watch with a steel band.
