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Apollo 13 Post flight press conference watch sighting

keepsonticking
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I was watching video of this press conference for the first time today. I recommend it to all of you NASA geeks. The first thing I noticed was that in describing the accident that nearly killed the three men, there was no mention of stirring the oxygen tanks that led to the explosion. Apparently the cause was not clear at that point...or the decision had been made to not make mention of what had happened.

More importantly, at about 33 mins into the video, Jim Lovell held up his arm and showed us his watch. It was on his right arm, and he was wearing a suit. It was probably visible for about 1 second. I'll include a couple of screen grabs from the video, but they blurred when I captured them. I believe he was wearing his Speedmaster, but the view of the watch head is not great. I was most interested to see what I believe was a JB Champion band...but NOT one of the mesh bands that have been so often associated (rightfully) with the Gemini and Apollo guys. In my opinion, the band he was wearing was the shinier band with horned end pieces...same clasp as the mesh bands. I've seen this style described as NASA bands, but I never considered them to be items used by the astronauts. I'll get an image of one of those to add. You be the judge. Maybe one of you who is WAY into astronauts and Speedmasters has already made this observation.

I also just noticed that the mesh bands are way down in price....great opportunity for those who arrived late to Speedmasters to buy. They appear to be about half what they were before the knock off Forstners were released.

lovell2.png lovell1.png Screen Shot 2022-07-14 at 6.42.16 PM.png
 
TLIGuy
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keepsonticking keepsonticking
I've seen this style described as NASA bands, but I never considered them to be items used by the astronauts. I'll get an image of one of those to add. You be the judge.

As much as I'm a fan of spotting something new, I believe Lovell's JB Champion bracelet is the standard issue mesh style bracelet we are familiar with as the "NASA style" bracelet. Lovell's watch on the mesh bracelet has been photographed pre and post his Apollo 13 mission.

I think the combination of Lovell's arm in motion, light reflecting off the polished mesh, and the poor resolution of the TV transmission are creating the illusion that the bracelet may have a smooth polished flat surface.

I do agree with you that since the re-issue of the mesh bracelet the prices for the original bracelets have come down considerably.
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keepsonticking
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My understanding has always been that the astronauts went to local jeweler and bought the aftermarket bands themselves. And I'll stand by what my own eyes tell me. I don't believe that's a mesh band. If you watch the video, it's more clear. And if there is a photo of Lovell with the mesh band, that certainly wouldn't exclude the possibility that he changed at some point. Honestly, it could be another style/maker altogether given the appearance of the clasp....or is that a calendar?

I just watched the video again, which is not blurry. The band definitely has a near mirror finish. I believe it to be something with a more solid, shiny surface that is not mesh. Will our lives be changed either way? Doubtful.

Just watch the video. At about 33 mins.

And I promise I don't own several of the shinier bands and am hoping to start a run on them. I own a couple dozen of the old mesh bands and keep them on most of my pre 1970 Speedmasters. I think I even have one on another old chronograph from the 60s.
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TLIGuy
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@keepsonticking roll with what your gut tells you then. Anything I can say will not convince you otherwise. You are correct, our lives will not be changed either way. I stand by my research on the JB Champion bracelet and its use by NASA that I've shared ad nauseam here for years now.

As I said, I'm all for finding something new, I just do not believe you have. When you posted the clipped images and referenced the video I located it and watch it numerous times. I stand by my observation that motion, lighting, and poor image quality, and I'll now add distance from the camera to the astronauts makes the bracelet appear to be something it is not. Also, I did not say the video was blurry. I said it was poor resolution which makes any determination regarding the bracelet style difficult. For me, the still image history in hundreds of photographs showing the JB Champion mesh bracelet being worn by the astronauts supersedes the brief glimpses of the bracelet in this video.

I will add the possibility that there could be a calendar below the clasp on the bracelet making appear smooth. That said, with it on the outside of Lovell's band it would be difficult to read but it's not out the realm of possibility he wore it that way on his right arm.

I'm all for being proven incorrect as well. If you can locate a clearer still image with an astronaut wearing the band you believe Lovell is wearing I'll be the first one to congratulate you.

keepsonticking keepsonticking
My understanding has always been that the astronauts went to local jeweler and bought the aftermarket bands themselves.

Your understanding of the history and how the later Gemini/Apollo astronaut issued bracelets were procured after the original Mercury bracelets would be incorrect.
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keepsonticking
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I'd be interested to know your sources for the expertise you have related to how astronauts obtained the JB bands that many were seen wearing when not on missions. And I'm always open to being convinced by evidence. I would not be terribly convinced if, say, your source is "I talked to a guy who knew a guy at NASA who says NASA purchased the cheap aftermarket bands for all the crews." On the other hand, I am quite sure I have heard/read on more than one occasion that the crews purchased their own JB bands from a jeweler. I'm always convinced by proof.

As for my "gut," 🙄 I believe I was "rolling" (you're very hip to modern slang) with what my eyes made clear and can be seen by anyone who views that video. I own at least two dozen of the mesh bands, some brand new, and I have never seen one that appears as the one Lovell is wearing in that video.

Please, prove to me that the band shown is mesh. I have the evidence from what I can see with my own eyes...has nothing to do with "gut."

You can post the evidence that this band is other than what my own eyes tell me. If your evidence is convincing, I'll defer, forever, to your expertise and post my sincere apology. In the absence of proof, I won't post again in this thread. 😉 Have a great weekend.
 
SpeedyPhill
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keepsonticking keepsonticking
I'd be interested to know your sources for the expertise you have related to how astronauts obtained the JB bands that many were seen wearing when not on missions. And I'm always open to being convinced by evidence. I would not be terribly convinced if, say, your source is "I talked to a guy who knew a guy at NASA who says NASA purchased the cheap aftermarket bands for all the crews." On the other hand, I am quite sure I have heard/read on more than one occasion that the crews purchased their own JB bands from a jeweler. I'm always convinced by proof.

As for my "gut," 🙄 I believe I was "rolling" (you're very hip to modern slang) with what my eyes made clear and can be seen by anyone who views that video. I own at least two dozen of the mesh bands, some brand new, and I have never seen one that appears as the one Lovell is wearing in that video.

Please, prove to me that the band shown is mesh. I have the evidence from what I can see with my own eyes...has nothing to do with "gut."
☕
You can post the evidence that this band is other than what my own eyes tell me. If your evidence is convincing, I'll defer, forever, to your expertise and post my sincere apology. In the absence of proof, I won't post again in this thread. 😉 Have a great weekend.
With all respect, I have been collecting and checking out spaceflight photographs since 1971 and never noticed other than mesh steel bracelets on the wrists of NASA astronauts between 1962 and 1992.
Here, on April 20, 1970, James Lovell pointing out details on a CSM scale model, steel mesh bracelet on his NASA-issued Omega Speedmaster... other post-mission photos show Haise wore his Speedie on a black velcro and Swigert wore his personal Rolex GMT-master 1675 pilot watch on a steel oyster bracelet. #MoonwatchUniverse
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1970-JB-mesh-April21.jpg
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TLIGuy
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@keepsonticking I will stand down and defer to what you are seeing. I obviously overlooked how well versed you are on the subject. My background and knowledge on the subject is extremely limited and I have had little to no interactions with the astronauts or Mr. Ragan who procured the original watches and the ones that followed on to the Gemini and Apollo programs.

Thanks for setting me straight.
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TLIGuy
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SpeedyPhill SpeedyPhill
Here, on April 21, 1970, James Lovell pointing out details on a CSM scale model, mesh on his NASA-issued Omega Speedmaster...

@SpeedyPhill As usual Phillip nice image from your collection.
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SpeedyPhill
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pdxleaf
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The astronauts didn't appear to change their watches or bracelets over the years. They seemed to be creatures of habit or superstition. My gut instinct is that the image would need to be clearer to prove the bracelet was different than what appears clearer in other images.

Regardless, thanks for the discussion. Where else can we go to talk about watches worn by astronauts! My people!
 
jsducote
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In the pictures shared here I believe we have seen variation in the end links, with some having straight and others having horned, but ultimately, and I don't think we've ever seen them change in the case of a single individual, they've all been mesh.
 
AmateurHour
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At 33:17 I tend to agree that it appears almost unlike the Komfit, and would raise an eyebrow. There was another moment where it was even more apparent but I didn’t note the time stamp.

However, at 35:11 and in the attached screenshot from 35:44, I think it’s conclusively the Komfit, which would make more sense. The piece we’re seeing on the backside of his wrist is the ulnar keeper slide, which sits opposite the buckle on the radial side.
 
F41D6C60-7149-45BD-815C-65270B85C0A7.jpeg
SpeedyPhill
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50 years after the Apollo program, there isn't much more to discover.
Don't forget some of us have been checking the topic for decades, writing articles about it since the 1990s... most things have been pointed out to several wrist watch brands, some tend to use it, others don't 😗
(e.g. I still have to read an in-depth historical article in Omega's LifeTime magazine, which seems to be published by a third party).
 
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