I might be interested in the 50th anniversary Apollo 11 LE Speedy if it came with a drop end chronograph hand... subtle touch delivering the chronograph in a lunar landscape themed cubic crater box ...
So this is what Alexander from WatchAdvisor posted in the comments section of a recently uploaded "Speedmaster beauties" review:
the Moonwatch will now get a new Master Chronometer certified caliber... then the mission is completed and all Speedmaster are powered by the new generation movements.
Not sure if this is a completely accurate statement, but Alexander seems to have a good relationship with Omega, at least based on some of the previous interactions/interviews I have seen with their executive staff.
So, if this new Speedmaster Pro caliber is really METAS certified, will it be a new automatic 3-dial chronograph caliber or just the existing 1861 with "upgraded" anti-magnetic materials?
As we saw this year with the 1869 on the Apollo 8 DSOTM, Omega are apparently being allowed to implement decorative and material changes to the "Moonwatch caliber". IMO a new automatic caliber is more likely.
As we saw this year with the 1869 on the Apollo 8 DSOTM, Omega are apparently being allowed to implement decorative and material changes to the "Moonwatch caliber".
Omega can do what they wish with the 1861 base, but in order for it to remain "flight qualified" they'll have to recertify it at least under the older NASA rules. Not sure how ESA would approach it - since it's more of a promotional partnership nowadays, they may just be concerned about exterior integrity rather than timekeeping under various conditions
I haven't noticed a Speedmaster in ISS related photographs for a while now; today's astronauts tend to use the X-33 (which was developed in association with the ESA).
No idea who Alexander or WatchAdvisor is, but I would take this all with a large grain of salt...
I see no reason for Omega to kill off the 1861, not only because of the NASA certification, but also because of all the heritage associated with the caliber. There is clear demand for continuity with a 1861 "heritage" moonwatch and LE's ad infinitum.
But perhaps Omega have finally heard the punters and will be releasing a new 42mm sized case modern Speedy Metas certified et al., especially if they are increasingly focused on the smaller wrist Asian market? One only needs to look at Kern's new Breitling Premier B01 in a 42mm case size to see the current market trend at this price point...I had a quick glance at a few of these B01 Premiers at Houston Galleria and they looked significantly more compact than the current Speedy 44.25mm case offerings from Omega.
If Omega do put out a well designed, Metas certified, automatic, 42mm Speedy they will kill off sales of their current 44.25mm range...but Omega have been known to indulge in cannibalism in the past.
I have been to 4 OB in China and there virtually no Speedmaster presence in the display cases. The exception was Shanghai, but I understand that is one of the largest OB. I do not speak Chinese, so I was not able to ask why this was the case. I did however ask if they had the snoopy, and they understood me. No Snoopy. My take away after seeing what was displayed is that the preference was for gold dress watches. Same with dive watches. Even at 42mm, it is still a large watch, at least over there.
Leave a deposit in the UK and you have a leaf ally binding contract to supply that item, if you don鈥檛 you breach the contract.
A Porsche dealer got done here on an RS, took a deposit, failed to supply, sued and had to stump up a huge amount of cash.
In my experience this is not true. I left a 拢7000 deposit on a trilogy box set on the morning of the Basel release and had verbal confirmation from the omega rep that it was ordered for me, only to be told 3 months later that I was NOT getting my purchase.The deposit is only a notice of interest not actually a partial pavement.
That's a good picture showing the juxtaposition of the old and new Speedys in orbit and I think Samantha Cristoforetti was the first to wear the new X-33 in space.
