A truly amazing story. I hope the fact that it was finally recovered puts off would-be thiefs of Nasa-issued watches, who now realize that they can be caught even decades later.......

 

Cerca Trova...

 

Is the Smithsonian the best guardian for these historically important pieces if they've allowed six watches to go missing? Allowing one to go missing might be unlucky but six! That's more than careless it's neglectful, no?

 

Careless certainly, but watches are rather more portable than a Command Module; given half a chance I'm sure there are many who'd like to get their hands on one of those!

 

Most were on loan somewhere or in transit and I don't think the Smithsonian should be to blame.............

 

Just wait & see...

 

If a museum is the custodian of an important item they have a duty of care to ensure the safety of that item at all times, that would include while in transit and while on loan. I mean you wouldn't just use any courier and/or loan these things to anyone who cannot guarantee their absolute safety imo.

 

The Smithsonian manages 156 MILLION artifacts across the United States. I get your point but there has to be some recognition that there are going to be losses either due to theft, accident, or bad luck. I think it would be fair to say that the Smithsonian thinks that the dissemination of knowledge and artifacts outweighs the risk of loss. There job isn’t to lock every piece of history in a vault where no one can see it. If it’s not locked up, things will happen. I think they’re the best place to balance conservation and security.

 

Fair point, I agree there will be some losses, but six stolen Apollo watches at different times!

 

While we are on the topic of the Smithsonian. I was out there a year ago for a brief visit with my wife. Since the A&S Museum was of fairly low interest to her we kinda breezed through it quickly. I don't remember seeing too many Speedmasters on display. I tried looking online to see how many were on display and couldn't find an exact answer. I'm planning on going back in 2018 with my buddy who's a pilot and there's a good chance we would spend an entire day or 2 going through A&S.

What Speedies are on display or are they all mostly in the archives? Obviously there is A TON more to see than watches, but I am curious.

 

FIFY:

What a great story!

 

You've done a great service to your country by helping recover an important artifact of its history. Outstanding job.

 

I think this is very much the case. In addition, we have no details about how these other watches went missing. There could be innumerable explanations for their disappearances that we aren't privy to. I very much doubt that it was just an average patron browsing the museum and decided to take them on a whim.

I'm not sure on the exact number either, but I do believe that I was told which were on display. I believe there are several at the NASA museum in Houston, along with more at the Smithsonian. It's my understanding that the don't intend on displaying S/N 34, at this point. Truthfully, it's not the prettiest to look at with the replaced (or repainted, as is now my opinion after @Dash1 brought up the theory). However it does now have a cool story. Hopefully I can find a way to get a look at it at some point.

 

Great story, enjoyed reading it.

 

Most are held in the Smithsonian's archives, but several are on public display. For example, Michael Collins' Apollo 11 Speedmaster is currently on tour with the Apollo 11 command module and other artifacts from the first moon landing as part of the Smithsonian's "Destination Moon" traveling exhibit (presently at Space Center Houston through March, then on to Saint Louis, Pittsburgh and finally Seattle before returning to Washington, D.C.).

Neil Armstrong's Apollo 11 Speedmaster will go back on display as part of the new permanent gallery "Destination Moon" when it opens at the National Air and Space Museum in 2021.

To cite one other example, Alan Shepard's Apollo 14 Speedmaster is (or was) on display at the Kansas Cosmosphere.

 

Nice work detective!

Moral of the story: don't let valuable watches near "dubious" countries.

 

What do you say then about the US, where Buzz's Speedy disappeared...........

 

Great story

 

Very well then...

 

brilliant well-done!!