The Three Omega Speedmaster References That Were Worn On The Moon

Posts
1,540
Likes
5,575
Omega-Speedmaster-Museum-66.67.68.028.jpg
We often get the question of which Speedmaster models have been worn on the Moon. Somehow, people think the caliber 861 Speedmaster Professional (145.022) was one of them, but this isn’t correct. In 1962, NASA astronaut Walter “Wally” Schirra wore his Omega Speedmaster CK2998 in space. As a result, the 2012 introduction of the First […]

Visit The Three Omega Speedmaster References That Were Worn On The Moon to read the full article.
 
Posts
17,785
Likes
26,954
@Robert-Jan

It has been confirmed that an 861 went around the moon in the control module as part of a heat flow experiment.
 
Posts
102
Likes
162
Can't wait for the January 15, 2050 issue "The Omega Speedmaster Reference That Elon Musk Wore on Mars"
 
Posts
1,540
Likes
5,575
@Robert-Jan

It has been confirmed that an 861 went around the moon in the control module as part of a heat flow experiment.

I know and we covered that (Apollo 17), as it was Ron Evans Speedmaster, but it was not on the Moon (but near the moon).
 
Posts
1,540
Likes
5,575
Can't wait for the January 15, 2050 issue "The Omega Speedmaster Reference That Elon Musk Wore on Mars"

It will not be written by me ;-)
 
Posts
414
Likes
859
That pic of the 105.012 is the most gorgeous speedy I think I've ever seen. If you're finished taking pictures with it, can I have it?

 
Posts
17,785
Likes
26,954
I know and we covered that (Apollo 17), as it was Ron Evans Speedmaster, but it was not on the Moon (but near the moon).

I was under the impression that the 861 was in the test kit. When I pulled up the NASA specifications for that experiment a few years back it clearly stated the 861 watch was part of the kit and independent of issued pieces to astronauts.

my links seem to be gone. @SpeedyPhill do you have it?
 
Posts
307
Likes
566
I believe that it was part of the experiment rather than an 'issued' watch, and that Evans 'appropriated' it after it had served its purpose; which he was entitled to do.
 
Posts
381
Likes
398
This point has been discussed several times in the past, but I suspect that it is not what Omega likes to make clear.

The watch worn by Eugene Cernan during the three Apollo 17 EVAs was the officially assigned 105.012-66, as shown by several pictures on the web. Among these, for example, this one is reported to have been taken at the Naval Aviation Museum at NAS Pensacola some years ago.



All the pictures taken during the three EVAs show Eugene Cernan wearing a twisted lugs as, for example, the one below.



The fact that Cernan wore two watches inside the CM, one on velcro and the other on bracelet, does not prove that another watch different from the assigned 105.012-66, might have been worn on the spacesuit during any of the three EVAs.



This said, while it is likely that a Speedmaster 105.003 was worn by Cernan during the Apollo 17 mission, it is not proven at all that it was worn during any of the three EVAs. Any watch, if any, could have been worn under the space suit by the moonwalkers, but this is merely a wishful speculation.

 
Posts
433
Likes
381
Very nice photos of the issued Apollo 17 Speedmasters worn on the moon are on the NASM Smithsonian website, and both appear as 105.012-66 CBs:

Gene Cernan's Apollo 17 Speedmaster
https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/chronograph-cernan-apollo-17

Harrison Schmitt’s Apollo 17 Speedmaster
https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/chronograph-schmitt-apollo-17

Note the Smithsonian photos of the Schmitt Speedmaster actually include a photo of the caseback removed showing the inside engraving, including the CB hallmark.

The Smithsonian page for the Cernan Apollo 17 Speedmaster notes that the watch is not currently on display in the Smithsonian but out on loan, which would likely mean that this is the watch pictured on display at the Naval Aviation Museum at NAS Pensacola.
 
Posts
2,053
Likes
10,672
This said, while it is likely that a Speedmaster 105.003 was worn by Cernan during the Apollo 17 mission, it is not proven at all that it was worn during any of the three EVAs. Any watch, if any, could have been worn under the space suit by the moonwalkers, but this is merely a wishful speculation.

I would say your analysis is incorrect. You need to dig further into the photo archives to find evidence of Cernan wearing both his 105.003 on the JB Champion and the 105.012 on Velcro exteriorly while conducting his final EVA.

Cernan says he wore the 105.003 during his EVAs and this picture is most likely the best evidence he was in fact wearing it, at least during his final EVA.

NASA image AS17-145-2224 taken by Schmitt shortly after the 3rd EVA. Clearly the corner of the watch head and mesh bracelet are visible on his wrist.

That is unless the conversation was a follows -

Schmitt - Hey Gene, I know we just finished up the EVA and you just took off your helmet and gloves I want to take a picture of you.

Cernan - Sure Harrison but wait just a minute. Even though I can still tell the time with the other watch strapped to my arm I'd like to put my other watch on before you take the picture just incase I become an Omega ambassador in the future.

 
Posts
381
Likes
398
I would say your analysis is incorrect. You need to dig further into the photo archives to find evidence of Cernan wearing both his 105.003 on the JB Champion and the 105.012 on Velcro exteriorly while conducting his final EVA.

Cernan says he wore the 105.003 during his EVAs and this picture is most likely the best evidence he was in fact wearing it, at least during his final EVA.

NASA image AS17-145-2224 taken by Schmitt shortly after the 3rd EVA. Clearly the corner of the watch head and mesh bracelet are visible on his wrist.

Thank you very much indeed. I had never paid attention to this picture which shows that the watch is absolutely likely to have been worn under the space suit.
Still, the three watches actually worn in the moon environment (and not in a controlled temperature and pressurised habitat) remain the Speedmasters 105.012 and 145.012 and Scott's Bulova and the statement "The Speedmaster of Cernan, the last watch worn on the Moon" appears, at least, a long shot.
 
Posts
6,380
Likes
11,798
@TLIGuy is 100% correct 👍
Indeed Cernan always considered his 105.003 as a lucky charm and wore it underneath the spacesuit on both Apollo 10 and Apollo 17.
Always interesting to hear Omega talking about this wristwatch, that was used to "scan" the 321 movement.
So an Omega could be worn underneath the space suit but amazingly they question this could be done for any other (Pepsi bezel) watches;
https://omegaforums.net/threads/under-a-sleeve-of-a-spacesuit.106986/
.
 
Posts
6,380
Likes
11,798
And Eugene Cernan's NASA-issued Omega Speedmaster 105.003 NASA #28 now resides in the renewed Omega museum in Bienne...
Broken hesalite, without bezel and on a Jacoby Bender champion steel mesh bracelet
(Photo: MoonwatchUniverse)
.
 
Posts
1,540
Likes
5,575
And Eugene Cernan's NASA-issued Omega Speedmaster 105.003 NASA #28 now resides in the renewed Omega museum in Bienne...
Broken hesalite, without bezel and on a Jacoby Bender champion steel mesh bracelet
(Photo: MoonwatchUniverse)
.

Here's the one from the Cernan watch we took in Switzerland and Italy (during one of our events).



Especially the one below is cool, with the numbers visible:

 
Posts
1,484
Likes
9,337
Reading again this rich thread, I was wondering if one could find somewhere a exact list of "who wore what reference" on the moon, which mission...etc... In other word, a nice excel file, like a moon mission database...