Looking through the latest batch of space memorabilia going to auction I spotted this Cosmonaut flown Flightmaster. It will be interesting to see what it sells for. Photo Credit - Heritage Auctions Soyuz 14 / Salyut 3 Flown Omega Flightmaster Chronograph Worn by Soviet Cosmonaut Yury Artyukhin, with Original Box. This is a manual wound, 17-jewel, caliber 911 movement, steel case 43mm watch; the steel link band has a deployant clasp. Omega made these from 1969-1972; they were developed for and marketed to pilots. Soviet cosmonauts are known to have often wore them on missions. This particular chronograph flew on Soyuz 14 to the military space station Salyut 3 (as engraved on the case back). This was the first successful Soviet mission to a space station and the only one to Salyut 3. Soyuz 14 also brought Artyukhin (and Pavel Popovich) back home. Artyukhin was a highly decorated Soviet cosmonaut and engineer and was later involved in the development of the Buran shuttle program. This watch was originally purchased at an early Sotheby's Space auction, Lot 77. General wear, not tested. Rare original Flightmaster box included. From the Estate of Malcolm S. Forbes. https://historical.ha.com/itm/explo...6167-57001.s?ic4=GalleryView-Thumbnail-071515 The auction also includes one other flown watch and a number of other watches for auction.
Just seen on another forum ( collectSPACE ) that its guide price when last in auction was $10000 - $12000 . It was in Sotheby's Russian Space Auction Dec 11th 1993, unfortunately can't find what it actually sold for.
Looks like there are still some deals to be had for flown watches. The Flightmaster sold for $13,750 including buyers premium.
I have the catalog and prices realized for the Sothebys 1993 sale where this watch was previously sold. At the sale, it was Lot #77 and sold for for $18,400 inclusive of the buyers premium. So the current sale price of $13,750 as TLIguy points out is a steal.
I was provided the final sale number from an individual that purchased another item from the auction. He follows the sales of flown space memorabilia closely and provided me with the sale price. Edit-Spelling
Its always hard to know why something brings a high or low price at auction. There were many great items in the Heritage Auction, and this was the first item up for sale - perhaps bidders were saving their money to bid on an Alan Bean painting, flown flag or medallion, etc later in the sale. The catalog description of the watch was bland withno picture of the box, so maybe it didn't stir up bidder excitement - perhaps the workmanlike description was because Heritage didn't fully appreciated the significance of a flown Omega watch, others have recently sold for 20-50k. Or maybe it was just the randomness of what items bring at auction.
Here is a nice Russian worn Speedmaster up for auction at Bonhams. SOYUZ TM-9: APOLLO XI ANNIVERSARY OMEGA SPEEDMASTER WORN ON 2 SPACEWALKS