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Apollo-Soyuz
·Hi everyone,
from 1975 to the present, a number of OMEGA Apollo Soyuz watches have endured a great deal. Today, however, is a special occasion - and rather than revisiting my doubts regarding the improbable "watch transformation performed by OMEGA's Italian distributor," (a topic on which I could say much more), I want to emphasize the true soul of this rare and discussed Speedmaster version - the only one, incidentally, that omits the “Speedmaster” inscription on the dial.
Sticking scrupulously to OMEGA’s official dating, I recall that the project which gave birth to the Omega Apollo Soyuz watches is now 50 years old... no small feat !
The ASTP (Apollo-Soyuz Test Project), a joint U.S. - USSR space program, began in 1972 with the aim of testing the compatibility between the two superpowers' spaceflight systems and demonstrating the possibility of an orbital collaboration. It was an unthinkable breakthrough, in the midst of the "space race," which had until then had been marked by strong rivalry between these two countries.
On July 17, 1975, a U.S. Apollo and Soviet Soyuz spacecraft docked in Earth orbit, allowing their respective crews to transfer from one spacecraft to the other—an operation made feasible by a specially developed docking module. A symbolic gesture that represented a fundamental change for international cooperation in space, helping to reduce tension between the two superpowers at the height of the Cold War and paving the way for future space collaborations. The event was broadcasted globally, immortalized by the historic "handshake in space" between American astronaut Thomas Stafford and Soviet cosmonaut Aleksej Leonov.
That same year, De Marchi OMEGA’s Italian distributor, proposed to the Swiss parent company, the creation of a commemorative watch intended exclusively for the Italian market. OMEGA, already the official supplier to NASA since March 1, 1965, also became sole supplier of watches to the Russian space agency - solidifying its role in space exploration
The Apollo-Soyuz mission was a turning point in space exploration, proving that:
1. International cooperation was more important than geopolitical tensions.
2. It was possible to cooperate in the construction of an international space station.
3. It was not a race to "get there first" but should be seen as an opportunity for the whole of humanity to grow together.
At that time when political détente required setting aside the national interests of these two countries; this joint space mission forced Russia and the U.S. to work together for the collective good.
Nowadays there are 56 conflicts of different extent and intensity active in the world, involving more than 92 countries (more or less directly). I want to imagine that in addition to the iconic symbol of peace, which we are all familiar with, we could also add that of the Apollo-Soyuz space mission, the slogan could be :" Do a Space Mission, not war ". Even less enthusiasts associate specific watches with epochal moments or iconic movies; the Submariner 6538 or the Seamaster to 007’s character, the Moonwatch as the first watch on the moon, Paul Newman's Daytona, Vietnam’s Khaki...these are just some iconic watches I am referring to.
In conclusion, if this space mission succeeded in overcoming all geopolitical tensions and the historical rivalry between the U.S. and the USSR, it is clear that the true spirit of this mission will live on in the Apollo Soyuz watches, "UNITED THERE IS LITTLE WE CANNOT DO...DIVIDED THERE IS LITTLE WE CAN DO."
Best wishes, APOLLO-SOYUZ, from your sincerest friend, Simone Zucchelli.
from 1975 to the present, a number of OMEGA Apollo Soyuz watches have endured a great deal. Today, however, is a special occasion - and rather than revisiting my doubts regarding the improbable "watch transformation performed by OMEGA's Italian distributor," (a topic on which I could say much more), I want to emphasize the true soul of this rare and discussed Speedmaster version - the only one, incidentally, that omits the “Speedmaster” inscription on the dial.
Sticking scrupulously to OMEGA’s official dating, I recall that the project which gave birth to the Omega Apollo Soyuz watches is now 50 years old... no small feat !
The ASTP (Apollo-Soyuz Test Project), a joint U.S. - USSR space program, began in 1972 with the aim of testing the compatibility between the two superpowers' spaceflight systems and demonstrating the possibility of an orbital collaboration. It was an unthinkable breakthrough, in the midst of the "space race," which had until then had been marked by strong rivalry between these two countries.
On July 17, 1975, a U.S. Apollo and Soviet Soyuz spacecraft docked in Earth orbit, allowing their respective crews to transfer from one spacecraft to the other—an operation made feasible by a specially developed docking module. A symbolic gesture that represented a fundamental change for international cooperation in space, helping to reduce tension between the two superpowers at the height of the Cold War and paving the way for future space collaborations. The event was broadcasted globally, immortalized by the historic "handshake in space" between American astronaut Thomas Stafford and Soviet cosmonaut Aleksej Leonov.
That same year, De Marchi OMEGA’s Italian distributor, proposed to the Swiss parent company, the creation of a commemorative watch intended exclusively for the Italian market. OMEGA, already the official supplier to NASA since March 1, 1965, also became sole supplier of watches to the Russian space agency - solidifying its role in space exploration
The Apollo-Soyuz mission was a turning point in space exploration, proving that:
1. International cooperation was more important than geopolitical tensions.
2. It was possible to cooperate in the construction of an international space station.
3. It was not a race to "get there first" but should be seen as an opportunity for the whole of humanity to grow together.
At that time when political détente required setting aside the national interests of these two countries; this joint space mission forced Russia and the U.S. to work together for the collective good.
Nowadays there are 56 conflicts of different extent and intensity active in the world, involving more than 92 countries (more or less directly). I want to imagine that in addition to the iconic symbol of peace, which we are all familiar with, we could also add that of the Apollo-Soyuz space mission, the slogan could be :" Do a Space Mission, not war ". Even less enthusiasts associate specific watches with epochal moments or iconic movies; the Submariner 6538 or the Seamaster to 007’s character, the Moonwatch as the first watch on the moon, Paul Newman's Daytona, Vietnam’s Khaki...these are just some iconic watches I am referring to.
In conclusion, if this space mission succeeded in overcoming all geopolitical tensions and the historical rivalry between the U.S. and the USSR, it is clear that the true spirit of this mission will live on in the Apollo Soyuz watches, "UNITED THERE IS LITTLE WE CANNOT DO...DIVIDED THERE IS LITTLE WE CAN DO."
Best wishes, APOLLO-SOYUZ, from your sincerest friend, Simone Zucchelli.
