Dear Omega afficionados,

I believe that a similar thread/question has already been created, but I couldn't find any clear answer to this question in this forum.

I'm a new member of this forum, by the way, and recent, proud owner of a new Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch "Sapphire Sandwich", ref 311.30.42.30.01.006.

Throughout the (mandatory) "research" prior to the acquisition of the watch, I have saw some sapphire Moonwatches saying "The first and only watch worn on the Moon", but mine says "The first watch worn on the Moon". I was wondering if one of these "sentences" are not correct and if one of them could indicate the watch is not genuine. If both are genuine versions, which one is more recent?

Thank you in advance for your inputs.

 

If you've gone and purchased a speeeeeeeeedmaster then you've done your money anyway.

the changed statement is because the sheepmaster isn't the only watch that's ever been worn on the moon.

 

As Sean said, the Speedmaster is not the only watch to have been worn on the moon. Bulova made a chrono that Dave Scott wore on Apollo 15.

 

To add on, and someone correct me if if I'm wrong, both "sayings" are legit.
The original being the "incorrect" one stating "the first and only watch...."
That was replaced by "the first watch..." so that one is the most recent.

 

I thought I read somewhere that one of our astronauts wore a Rolex GMT Master on the moon, under his spacesuit. N'cest Pas?

 

I recall reading there was a GMT in space on one of the missions but not necessarily on the lunar surface.



A looked into it to find that picture and it was Edgar Mitchell and he did in fact walk on the moon so perhaps he did have it on...
I was thinking it was just Jack Swigert that wore a GMT...

 

Ah. Makes sense.

 

Edited my post a couple times since your reply...
And you could still be right! I was unaware.

 

BTW this is only a recent change on the Sapphire Sandwich. I'm pretty certain that it still had the incorrect wording up until 2015 or so. This is bizarre since the 3572.50 Hesalite/Sapphire watch had the correct wording on its display back back in the early 2000s.

 

January 31, 1971... during the suit up procedures for the Apollo 14 mission, there was a lot of interest for the crew flying to the Moon after the Apollo 13 incident of April 1970. The A14 suit up procedures of that day are probably, with Apollo 17 in December 172, the best documented, both on film and photographs!
We know the Apollo 14 crew members, all were photographed during pre-launch public relation shoots, wearing a Rolex wrist watch. Moreover during the A14 suit up procedures, we clearly see Lunar Module Pilot Edgar Mitchell winding 2 Rolex Wrist watches on the table, while he already wore an Omega Speedmaster chronograph over his left forearm...
Apollo astronauts could take personal items in their beta cloth PPK = Personal Preference Kit but Mitchell wore these personal timepieces underneath the forearm underwear sleeves of the A7L spacesuit. Look carefully at the photos listed below.
There are several photos and videos showing these watches aboard the Apollo 14 CSM "KItty Hawk" on the way to the Moon. However, I must add that there's no conclusive evidence these Rolex wrist watches were worn on the Moon, although this could have been easily done...
Edit = Hodinkee weblink with suitup video added:
https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/b...eference-1675-on-apollo-14-launch-day-in-1971
.
Do check the February 2018 photos on the MoonwatchUniverse blog for bigger versions of these photos:
https://moonwatchuniverse.tumblr.com/archive
.

 

Great info as always @SpeedyPhill

 

The most heard arguments to dispute the use of a wrist watch underneath the A7L spacesuit, is that it would not fit underneath the gloves and that it would limit freedom of movement of the wrist... But those are not true at all. Watches have been worn underneath spacesuits since the 1960s Gemini era to today's ISS crew members who often wear 3 wrist watches, 2 on the wrists, 1 strapped on the outside of the spacesuit.
Well that's exactly what Edgar Mitchell did in January 1971... after the Apollo 14 mission quarantine period, he gifted a lunar-flown Rolex to each of his daughters ( Karlyn (1953) and Elisabeth (1959) ).
Here a few examples showing that a wristwatch can easily be worn underneath any spacesuit glove, be it American or Russian made
.

 

As noted both sayings are found on the caseback. But with the Bulova also being worn outside the Spacesuit on A15 they had to change the wording. While various Rolex where in the personal kit only those 2 watches have been worn externally on the Moon.

Additionally afaik for NASA only Speedmasters have been worn EVA. The Fortis may have been worn externally on EVAs by Russian Cosmonauts.

Still to this day on launch and return speedmasters are worn externally on spacesuits by all Russians and most NASA astronauts.

 

@Foo2rama
Correct summary... So far about 5 watch makes have been worn on EVA, exposed to outer space conditions
Omega (June 1965), Bulova (August 1971), ... Fortis ( 1990s ? ) ... , Fiyta (September 2008), Seiko (December 2008) ...

 

Dear All,

Thank you very much for your replies and interesting information.
In the meantime, I decided to send an e-mail to OMEGA and ask them the same question.

Here is the reply:

"...OMEGA is, and has always been, the only watch brand with timepieces officially qualified by NASA for manned space missions. Approved through rigorous testing in 1964, this qualification positioned OMEGA as the only supplier of watches for NASA’s Human Space Flight Program including all six moon landings.

To celebrate this heritage, a number of OMEGA Speedmasters have included a case back with the words “THE FIRST AND ONLY WATCH WORN ON THE MOON”.

Inevitably, with such rich territory for storytelling, there have since been competing narratives that focus on individual astronauts and their personal effects.

In the interests of clarity, we have simplified this message to state “THE FIRST WATCH WORN ON THE MOON”. This incontestable truth continues to highlight OMEGA’s proud connection to space exploration and the fact that only OMEGA watches have ever been officially supplied for NASA missions."

 

“Competing narratives”. Interesting way to say the truth was out there and contradicts what they claimed.

 

... interesting story... thanks for posting..

 

It seems NASA received the Omega watches in October 1964 and testing ended in March 1965...
On 23 March 1965, astronauts Virgil Grissom and John Young both wore an Omega Speedmaster (reference 105.003) during three low earth orbits on the Gemini III mission. It was the first official use of an Omega wristwatch during a manned spaceflight but NASA Gemini program office issued its Letter of Certification on June 1, 1965. That same week the highlight of the Gemini program occured during the Gemini IV mission, during which astronauts James McDivitt and Edward White both wore two Speedmasters to keep track of mission events elapsed time. On June 3, 1965 Edward White conducted the second spacewalk in history and the first American extra vehicular activity (EVA = spacewalk).

 

The question for me is when did that wording first get added? I mean if we go back and look at the Speedmaster straight-writing that's the first instance I can find of "The First Watch Worn on the Moon" but when did marketing at Omega add the "and Only"? And why? I'm sure I could find out for sure if I went digging more, but I know that the "and only" wording has been the biggest issue on some of the display backs. The 3572.50 and the 3592.50 had the right wording, but the later 3573.50 "sapphire sandwich" had the "and Only" added. I'm just not sure if that was the first instance.

Also I realize that this has been posted before about a year ago, but the thread didn't get a lot of traction. I found it pretty interesting that the "Bulova" moonwatch of Dave Scott's was really just a UG prototype.

https://wornandwound.com/bulova-used-universal-geneve-get-moon-can-get-one-today/

Previous thread:
https://omegaforums.net/threads/space-compax-prototype.51428/

 

I wandered past a local Beaverbrooks (UK retail chain) which had just a few hours earlier added Bulova to its range. I popped in and tried on the "Moonwatch" reissue. What a nice watch

It's not small, but the case shape felt right on my wrist, and the weight was light and comfortable. The face has a depth not readily perceptible from photos and the operation is slick and seemed accurate. If I was in the market for a chrono, I'd definitely consider it.