I finally understand the Moonwatch

I know it sounds silly but I now get why people who watched the moon landings in 1969 look at their Speedmasters differently.

I've owned a Speedmaster for probably 15 years. I wear it all the time. I bought it to celebrate a graduation after lots of research. It was my first "real" watch and it's one that's very special to me for many, many reasons -- none of them having too much to do with the moon or NASA.

The moon stuff never really landed for me -- pun intended -- at least not emotionally. I obviously know the history, have seen the photos, all that. I respect it. It's undeniably cool. But it all happened well before my time, and Omega's habit of reminding us about it in literally every piece of marketing was feeling a little dated and lazy, IMO. It's been nearly 60 years, you know? Let's freshen it up a little.

Artemis II changed that for me.

Watching those astronauts fly around the moon for the first time in over 50 years was genuinely inspiring -- and how cool that they were wearing my watch! Then the splashdown happened off the coast of my hometown of San Diego, and I drove down to Coronado Beach and watched it in person -- the USS Murtha out in the water, Navy helicopters and jets overhead, the whole thing. It was too far to see the actual capsule and astronauts, but I felt a real sense of possibility and wonder and human accomplishment that I hadn't felt in a while.

Of course I was wearing my Speedy. And it all just clicked. Standing on that beach made it real in a way that years of reading never could. I finally get it and I'm so glad to have gotten that experience. It's been awesome to watch the post-mission press conferences and see Christina Koch and Victor Glover wearing their Speedmasters.

I wish Omega would celebrate this mission the way Breitling seems to be doing. Which I admit is ironic given my previous feelings about Omega's marketing, but I don't understand why they aren't taking bigger advantage of this moment to connect with a whole new generation that just watched humans fly around the moon for the first time in their lifetimes.

Also true for children of the 80s that grew up with the space shuttle and dreamed of winning the Double Dare kids game show grand prize: a trip to Space Camp.

I watched the Moon landing on a black and white TV in 1969, at the time I was working part-time for a NASA subcontractor so I had a connection there. Got married in 1971 ( yes, still married) she bought me my 1st Speedmaster later that year, it was a 861 which I wore until it was stolen from my locker while working at a hospital in 1994. Some time passed and in 2015 she got me the big box Speedy (1861 Hesalite) which i wore until 2021 when the new 3861 Sapphire Sandwich came out, solved 2 issues i had with the 1861- didn't hack and the bracelet was uncomfortable, traded up and was quite happy until I saw the White Dial Speedmaster, love at first sight. I've had it about 2 years, still absolutely gobsmacked with it. Even though I do like the new bracelet with micro-adjust, my wife got me the black calfskin strap with deployant clasp. I like it both ways, but the black strap is a bit more formal looking for dress occasions. It's the only watch I wear now, every day. I actually went to look at the Rolex Polar Explorer and was very disappointed in how clunky it looked, my White Speedmaster scratched that itch and, I seriously think it's a much more elegant timepiece. Every time I look at my Speedmaster it brings back all the history and memories, yup, gives me warm fuzzies every time, and yes, Omega was along for the ride with Artimus II as you could see, more history for our wrists.