Recently @flame published a list of NASA Astronauts allocated Speedmasters, & their serial numbers



Out of sheer curiosity, I subsequently checked my own 145.012 …and discovered the serial number fell almost exactly in the middle of the ‘1000’ Group Of Michael Collins worn Speedmasters

The number on mine is 265525**

As the number of the chart is obscured……I wanted to know if anyone, please, had a better idea of exactly what his issued Speedmaster serial number was ?

As all posts require images







Note: Strap courtesy of our own @OMGRLX !!

 

Those cases are US made I think.

Also they carry some additional inscriptions for NASA inventory reasons.

 

Yes…I am aware that NASA had their own bespoke inventory numbers - I believe Collins had the NASA issue number of ‘73’ on his caseback

The cal.321 movement, does have the US import code OXG stamped on it …So at some point, it entered the States ? ,……although I acquired the watch from Italy

Suspect I will have to source an Extract, to get a better idea of the exact location of delivery.

 

@ICONO Is your 145.012 a -67 or -68? My 145.012-68 has a serial number 265530xx. Not too far away. Buzz's serial wasn't too far off either! Btw, beautiful watch. One thing i've noticed on Speedy's in that serial range (mine included) is the lume on the hands is a dark color compared to the creamy patina on the hour marks. Anyone have a theory on that?

 

My 145.012-67 has a serial number of 26549111,which is in the 1000 range for Buzz Aldrin’s Speedmaster.

 

So, you own an astronauts watch, it's just that NASA missed plucking it out of a line-up by +/- 500 SN, and it ended up with you instead.

 

Nah, my watch, which is a close numerical relative of Buzz’s, will be able to tell me where Buzz’s watch disappeared to.

 

Very evidently, I do not own an Astronauts watch………otherwise we would be ‘off to the races’ at Christie’s

I simply own an iteration, of a marque……but with an interesting, coinciding timeline of manufacture, to an Apollo 11 Pilot’s Watch

Had I not seen the chart from @flame, I would be none the wiser…but now my curiosity is piqued

Ilovemyspeedmster.com estimates the date of manufacture of my watch, as November ‘68…Collin’s Speedmaster was delivered in early December ‘68

Maybe…Just maybe…both watch movements were assembled by the same person ? … and maybe came over in the same shipment ?

It’s the ‘backstory’ which is intriguing…not the reflected glory, or value

How the Hell did it end up in Italy, in 2013 ???

 

I have a 105.012 with a 24,957,xxx serial.... that I bought from a guy in Houston...
(Extract pending)

 

Terrific ! ……Delighted for you……you have 7 x ‘chances’ to get close to an issued number !

Any idea of the early provenance ?……other than “a guy in Houston” ?

Please come back, and let us know what that Extract reveals ?

Just ordered mine

Pictures of the watch ?

 

It a ‘67 …and Thank you

No idea about the darker patina on the Chronograph hand ??

When I bought the watch it came with service hands, and service crown…but accompanying the watch was a little plastic bag containing the originals…which my watchmaker reapplied to the dial & case

The hands on my sub dials have been repainted historically, in last 50 years, and have aged in the interim, to a gentle warm cream

 

Collin's watch had a serial number of 26 552 506.
145.012-68

 

Thank you for that ! …mine is just short of 60 numbers later

How did you discover that ?…been scouring the Web, and could find no reference at all !

I even emailed the Air & Space museum, where Collins watch is held, with an enquiry

 

Hi I

You are a little closer than me...I'm within 235



It's also a '67 and I concur re the handset lume versus dial combi....with a bit of character too:



Best - Neil

 

Unfortunately no provenance, he was a collector too so not the original owner. Just thought it was cute that it came from Houston!

Ordered the Extract a couple weeks ago, I'm in the US so it can take quite awhile to show up but I'm looking forward to it.

I have seen an Extract before of a 2998, that included comments along the lines of "In the same production batch as the watch worn by Walter Schirra on Mercury-Atlas 8" , so I wonder if there'd be anything like that for other Speedmaster references?

The watch is with me on my trip home to New York, so here it was on Saturday morning with a nice cup of coffee:

 

Watch looks fab !

Thank you for that, Neil……Evidently there was a still a proliferation of ‘67 casebacks, amongst the ‘68’s

Mine is 59 numbers away from Collins……Fascinating !

 

Good stuff @ICONO.

Their appearance to one another is uncanny.



I've moved away from my image research of the NASA worn Speedmaters and onto their actual use, so as a side note, in Collins' book Carrying the Fire, he writes 5 times of his use of his chronograph watch for timing events during Apollo 11.

Collins was born in Rome

EDIT - Photo Credit NASM

 

Thank you so much, for the image comparison !! - Very kind of you to take the time, to find the photograph

There is a similarity in ageing and appearance……the plot thickens

As for Rome ? ……The Seller was a Scillian Gentleman, of impeccable integrity, but modest means

I have bought many more Italian sourced watches since, based on that warm friendly experience

 

I mentioned in a previous post, that I had very recently emailed 'The Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum' regarding my research into the Michael Collins Speedmaster

This morning, I received this very kind, very professional, & prompt response from one on their Curators


"Dear Mr ………..

I was forwarded your inquiry from our Archives reference desk regarding the Michael Collins chronograph. For your reference, I am the Museum’s curator for the chronograph collection and am happy to try to answer questions you have about any of them.

We are actually in the middle of a project, done in conjunction with Omega, to fully document and conserve the collection, and verifying movement, case, and NASA part/serial numbers is part of that project. Unfortunately, I cannot provide the complete movement number at this time as it is a matter of artifact verification during our project. In the past, a list of such number may have been released, online through past collaborators of Museum curators, but in the interest of the project, I have decided to at least for now withhold that information until after we complete the project.

I’m having an ongoing discussion regarding this with Omega, as ultimately this is the means of verifying the movement is in fact that of the flown artifact. As a matter of security, we may decide not to release additional information. These are highly collectable and require high security, so we tend to be careful about sharing such identifying marks widely. I’m sure you can understand our concern.

I wish you the best with your project, and feel free to respond at any time with additional questions.

Regards,


Name of very courteous Lady, who replied

Museum Curator

Department of Space History

Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum

P.O. Box 37012

NASM 3567, MRC 311

Washington, D.C. 20013-7012 "





I suspect that now, I might have slightly more information, as a result of Forum Member's generousity of spirit,.... than perhaps the Museum currently has at hand ?

I will reply to the email and explain, in more detail, my interest in the Watch, & give them a link to this Forum, to further share information

Thank you, Everyone !!

 

That is a fantastic picture of a great looking watch.