Thank god for that

 

All the fuzz about this model makes me want to buy a regular speedy even more...

 

The caseback material isn't mentioned either. This is because - just like the bezel - it is a part of the "case" category. Just like spring bars are part of the "bracelet/strap" category even though they are neither.

 

Archer said: ↑
Case is steel and yellow gold (3N), dial is black, blue, with yellow colour traces (this can refer to printing) with applied markers and lume. Hands are yellow gold (3N). Bezel insert is ceramic and black, but with gold lettering I believe. Sapphire crystals front and back. Back crystal will have an Apollo 11 medallion. Movement is 3861.

 

Re: Needing to put a non-Moonshine gold version of the 3861 under a solid caseback.

You know, there's an option I didn't think about until just now: NASA flight-certified....

....wait for it....

Hesalite. Sandwich.

Insert favorite Mind_Blown.gif here.

 

Since this thread has plenty of wild speculation going on in it let me add to it.

Question - Would Omega really put a new 3861 movement in Speedmsters moving forward and not have it certified by NASA so it could continue using "Flight-Certified by NASA" on it?

Since this change must have been in the works for sometime, and NASA is not really using the mechanical Speedmaster for EVA's or even regular use (excluding Roscosmos) for that matter, how hard would it be to get a new certification for the new movement with the relationship Omega has with NASA?

Since Jim Ragan was in attendance at the recent event maybe it's possible the new movement is already certified by NASA with help and input from the man who certified it 50+ years earlier? Now that would be some great marketing.

Take it for what it's worth but Omega isn't going to give up the "Flight-Certified by NASA" selling point without having its bases covered moving forward.

James Ragan 2nd from right in this picture via astronaut Terry Virts (2nd left) via Twitter @AstroTerry



Also, just one more picture because I like Nicole via twitter @AstroNicole

​

 

I suspect 'First Watch on the Moon' is all that counts to most now rather than 'Flight-Certified by NASA'...

 

Point taken but I was just addressing the questions raised about the certification moving forward.

 

Absolutely.

Perhaps the certification isn't seen as being necessary now by Omega; plenty of other watches have been worn on the Space Shuttle and ISS missions which haven't been certified, albeit not on EVA but even now NASA astronauts don't wear any watches externally on EVA. The original certification on the 321 caliber was followed by re-certification of the newer 861 but was the 1861 tested when it was in turn introduced from the late 1990s?

From a purely marketing point of view it might be that the new 3861 need not be certified by NASA as there isn't a strict operational need for it? Omega could certainly use the new caliber with 'First Watch on the Moon' for their latest Speedmaster Professionals and possibly only space enthusiasts would really notice the distinction...

 

The "case" refers to the entire case assembly. So case frame (the middle part) the case back, the crystal, the bezel, the crown, and the pushers. When you order a case from Omega, it comes as a complete assembly, and that is what Omega refers to as the "case."

Mind you, cases with mixed materials in the same part have been made by Omega before, but I don't think that is what we will see here.

 

For me personally, I wholly disagree.

 

So are you saying that it's not possible just to purchase just the "middle part" of the case from Omega? as you previously described the case as being steel and yellow gold my thoughts were of the case, no caseback, no bezel, no pushers, just a case.

 

3861 isn’t certified (yet).

 

So what material is the caseback then?

Completely made of sapphire?

 

I didn't say that, but it's true that you can't typically buy just the middle part of the case as a replacement item. You can buy the case back, crystal, bezel, crown, pushers all as individual parts, but in order to buy a case frame, you typically have to buy a whole new case (assembly).

Again, in Omega's terminology the "case" is the entire assembly, including all of the parts. In this instance the case description includes both the codes "ST" for stainless steel, and "AU750 MSG" which is 18k Moonshine Gold. This means the case (assembly) is stainless steel and 18k MSG as I've noted. From what I can see, the bezel is the gold part.

Edit to add - as an example here is a case purchased from Omega:



Description is:

055ST1660324 | STEEL CASE CAL. 565

As you can see, it's a complete case assembly with crystal, crown, bezel, case back, and the middle part...

 

Source said it will be on velcro strap with 50th anniversary embroidered. But it will have a 50th anniversary logo on the case back. Subdials will be the same as original but with applied logo in gold and gold speedmaster writing.

 

Comes on a bracelet from what I see

 

But you were not giving examples of what individual parts are supplied by Omega, you suggested that the new Speedy case was steel and yellow gold and that's not right, the case will be ss.

 

Once again - the "case" is the assembly and is a mix of parts. Some parts are steel and some are gold.

 

I replied to your post that stated the caseback material wasn't mentioned, it was and at no point did I say it was completely made of sapphire, only that it was mentioned.