1979 OMEGA SPEEDMASTER PROFESSIONAL MOONWATCH CAL. 861 REF. 142.022

In 1957, Omega were on a mission to create a robust chronograph that would be waterproof, easy to read, simple to use and exceedingly precise. As a result, the Speedmaster was launched and became notable for being the first watch in the world to feature a tachymeter scale on its bezel.

Icon is an overused term these days but the Speedmaster is one of most famous chronographs ever produced. We all know through Omega's marketing, this is the watch that went to the moon, however, the Speedmaster wasn't originally designed for space exploration. Instead, it was introduced as a sport and racing chronograph following on from the early chronographs of the 1920s and 1930s.

Astronaut Walter Schirra was the first person to wear one in space in 1962 during his Mercury-Atlas 8 mission. The manual winding Speedmaster Professional or "Moonwatch" is the best-known and longest-produced; it was worn during the first American spacewalk as part of NASA's Gemini 4 mission and was the first watch worn by an astronaut walking on the moon during the Apollo 11 mission where 600 million people watched from earth. The Speedmaster Professional remains one of several watches qualified by NASA for spaceflight and is still the only qualified for EVA spacewalks. NASA's tests included temperature cycling in near-vacuum with 15 cycles of heating to 71°C for 45 minutes followed by cooling to -18°C for 45 minutes at 10-6 ATM. Also six 11 MS 40 G-shocks from different directions.

SERVICE HISTORY

Professionally serviced with 12 months non-waterproof warranty

REFERENCE

145.022 - 76 ST

CASE BACK

Screw with "Flight qualified by NASA for all manned space missions. The first watch worn on the moon"

DIAMETER

42mm / 43.5mm with crown

MATERIAL

Stainless steel

CROWN

Omega

PLEXI

Omega

MOVEMENT

Manual

CALIBRE

861

JEWELS

17

SERIAL NUMBER

39183713

PRECISION

+/- 10 seconds per day

FUNCTIONS

Centre hour, minute and second hands

During the operation of the chronograph:

The right-hand register measures elapsed minutes, up to 30

The bottom register measures elapsed hours, up to 12

The left-hand register counts constant running seconds, independently of the chronograph function

The outer seconds register is divided into fifths of a second, providing a more technical look

WINDING

Wind daily approx. 15 times or until resistance is felt to actuate power

BRACELET

Omega no. 32 ref. 1171/1 with 633 end links

DIAL AND INDICES

Original dial and hands