First issued the same year that astronauts wearing Omega watches landed on the moon, the Speedmaster Mark II has been reimagined for 2014.
The year is 1969. The US strikes a decisive blow in the space race by landing men on the moon for the first time. What do Aldrin and Armstrong have on their wrists? Why, the Omega Speedmaster Professional. As publicity goes, making the lunar watch is a pretty good ace in the hole, and one that Omega continues to milk to this day. There’s still modern-day substance to their boasts too, as the Speedmaster Professional is still the only watch approved by NASA for extra-vehicular activity – better known as spacewalks.
The same year of the moon landings, Omega released the second generation Speedmaster, called the Mark II, which had a streamlined case and allowed Joe Public to own the same hand-wound, space-tested calibre 1861 movement found inside the Moonwatch. And now it’s reissued that watch with a few tweaks for 2014.
The new Speedmaster Mark II has been updated to include a coaxial caliber 3330 automatic movement and a tachymetric scale (the numbers on the outside of the watch) visible in low light, a first for the Speedmaster line. It’s illuminated from below by an aluminium ring filled with luminous Super-LumiNova. Swanky.
The case is polished and brushed stainless steel, while the dial has three sub-dials – a 30-minute recorder, a 12-hour recorder and a seconds dial.
Two versions are available – a relatively restrained colour scheme in white and black, or a racing-inspired versions with a fluorescent orange central chronograph seconds hand and a matching minute track. Both come with a stainless steel bracelet.
Want one? The price is around the $6000 mark.
