In honor of Speedy Tuesday.....



The upcoming Christie's auction has really piqued my curiosity again in answering this question....

Did Ron Evans have and wear a 3rd Omega Speedmaster onboard Apollo 17, and if so, where is it now?

I believe Evans wore "his personal" Speedamaster during the Apollo 17 mission, and only later did the Christie's Evans flown Speedmaster become his other "personal" watch.

It is this image below that really got me thinking about the possibility of a 3rd Speedmaster when I saw it a few months ago for the first time.



Clearly this shows Evans wearing an Omega Speedmaster on the inside of his left wrist on a flat link Omega 1039 bracelet, and I do not believe that the watch seen in this image is a NASA issued Speedmaster.

Why do I believe this is not a NASA issued watch?

1) I do not believe NASA acquired any Speedmasters with the 1039 bracelet.
2) The options for wearing the Speedmaster was either on the NASA Velcro strap or the JB Champion Bracelet.
3) When enlarged the watch clearly has the flat end chronograph hand and short plots which would indicate the newer 145.022 with the 861 movement. This could even be a 321 but he exact model would be irrelevant to the investigation.

So let the investigation begin...

I think Ron Evans, like many of the other astronauts, was a real watch guy at heart. He clearly knew the importance of a watch as a personal memento, and we have seen in his fine engraving skills his documentation of the events they were a witness to.

Watch #1 - The Rolex GMT

Evans packs his personal Rolex GMT in his PPK (Personal Preference Kit) and his PPK along with Cernan's and Schmitt's PPK's are all packed together and put into one larger bag. The larger bag is carried onboard the CSM America and once in orbit it is transferred to the LM Challenger where the GMT is taken to the surface of the Moon.



The Evans GMT did go to the moon and was later sold at auction in 2009. There are no supporting images from Apollo 17 showing Evans wearing the GMT during the mission.

Case Closed on the Rolex GMT.


Watch #2 - Evans NASA issued Omega Speedmaster (Speedmaster #1)

NASA records show Evans was issued only one Speedmaster for his Apollo 17 mission. There are images of astronauts wearing two Speedamsters but the only records available show Evans was issued one watch #61.

Evans seen here with one Speedmaster on a Velcro strap.



The Evans issued Speedmaster was returned to NASA inventory where is was later transferred to the NASM.



Case Closed on Speedmaster #1


Watch #3 - Speedmaster #2 (The Christie's auction watch)

Question - When did the watch for auction become Evans' "personal" Speedmaster?

The most likely answer is that it became his "personal" watch when the Heat Flow experiment was concluded and he simply took the watch to keep for himself.

I believe that the watch that was used for the Heat Flow experiment could have been, for lack of a better phrase, a NASA "throw away watch." My theory is that the watch that was used may have been a watch that NASA deemed unusable as a crew issued watch, thus becoming the experiment watch. When looking at the watch in the image below you can clearly see the watch is missing the bezel. I think the simplest explanation is that they needed a watch for the experiment and grabbed one off the shelf that was not yet entered into inventory (no NASA SEB# engraved) and was missing the bezel for some reason.

Since the experiment only required the timing function why use a good watch?



So how does the Heat Flow watch become Evans' "personal" watch? Again, he simply took it which at the time was acceptable.

From Ron Pearlman @ collectSPACE

"Like the other Apollo astronauts, Ron Evans had to hand over the Speedmaster he wore to orbit the moon in 1972. That Apollo 17 flown watch is now in the archives of the National Air and Space Museum. But Evans also had use of another Speedmaster that was mounted to a heat flow and convection engineering demonstration that was also aboard the command module "America."

At the end of the mission, Evans, like his crewmates and fellow moon voyagers, was permitted to keep a few pieces of spent equipment as mementos (a law passed in 2012 further affirmed that the Apollo-era astronauts had title to their space-flown souvenirs). Among the items Evans kept was the Omega Speedmaster that had been mounted to the heat flow experiment."

So the Evans Flown Christie's watch is retained by Evans after the Apollo 17 mission becoming his "personal" watch. I believe it is safe to assume the watch was serviced later where the new bezel and 1450 bracelet ('89-'91) were installed prior to his death in 1990.

Case Closed on Speedmster #2


Watch # 4 Speedmaster #3 (Evans real personal Speedmaster?)

So......Back to the beginning.

Is this watch seen on Evans' left wrist a 3rd Speedmaster and not the one that many people think is the watch used in the Heat Flow experiment?



Here is a second look at the bracelet.



I think this is a 3rd Speedmaster and one that Evans purchased and wore during the Apollo 17 mission. This is the watch I think we can really call his "personal" Speedmaster. This appears to be a standard '69-'70 era Speedmaster with and original 1039 flat link bracelet with bezel intact.

I can't fathom, while in orbit, Evans removing the bracelet and the bezel to use the watch above for the Heat Flow experiment.

Also, look at this images below with an open mind and imagine what is on his wrist. By this time in the Apollo missions astronauts were wearing watches under their AL7 suits.

I think under the AL7 undergarment on Evans' left wrist is the Speedmaster we see above.



Do you see the flat link bracelet with the watch head rotated to the inside of the wrist?



So what do you all think? Is there still an Evans Apollo 17 flown Speedmaster out there? I believe there is.

My hope is that if there is indeed a 3rd Evans Speedmaster it is in the possession of his wife or one of his children as a reminder of their father's great adventure to the Moon aboard Apollo 17 in December 1972.

Speedmaster #3 - Case Still Open


On the next episode of In Search Of....

Did Big Foot really find an old 1967 Speedmaster in a barn that was owned by a relative. Tune in next Saturday after ABC's Battle of the Network Stars @ 9.

 

Interesting... You now "just" need to contact Ron's heirs to confirm your theory.

 

You make a very good case @TLIGuy for Speedmaster #3. I'm sold.

 

@Jones in LA, I can't quite see Spoc's wrists. Is HE wearing #3?!

 

This all makes sense, since we know that several of the astronauts brought along their personal watches (Rolex, Speedy, Bulova have all been documented to be in space, and the last on the moon!). All this photo evidence points to that extra one on the wrist. The use of a "surplus" Speedy for the experiment makes sense, as NASA had a few pieces that had suffered in flight (loss of crystal, banged up bezel, etc), so why use an intact watch? And I agree with TLI, he wouldn't use his own, esp if not flight approved. Thanks for making the case!!

 

Correct analyses if You ask me

 

In theory... The third unaccounted (privately bought) Speedy could be an 145.022-69 Straight Writing (caliber 861)

 

I agree with your conclusions. Other astronauts wore personal watches on many missions. One other example is Jack Lousma. His NASA issued Speedy is in a museum in Michigan, but he also took a personal watch on his Skylab mission and that now belongs to his son. He told me that he never really mentioned it to anyone, so its completely under the radar. I suggested he call his son and tell him to take good care of it

 

To complete this topic... Apollo 17 flown wrist watches ( December 7 ~ 19, 1972)

Commander E. Cernan
Omega Speedmaster 105.003 (NASA #28)
Omega Speedmaster 105.012-66 (NASA #67)

LMP H. Schmitt
Omega Speedmaster 105.012-66 (NASA #65)

CMP R. Evans
Omega Speedmaster 105.012-66 (NASA #61)
Omega Speedmaster 145.022-69 (caliber 861 used in Heat Flow Experiment)
Omega Speedmaster (Personal watch 145.012-67 or 145022-69 ???)
Rolex GMT 1675 (Personal watch in PPK - Personal Preference Kit)

 

After a recent conversation about the possibility of a 3rd personal Speedmaster worn by Ron Evans I'm back on the hunt for it and even more convinced it's still out there.

Here are two additional images that were pointed out to me with one clearly showing what I believe to be the 3rd Speedmaster on a flat link bracelet. The images appear in the Apollo 17 Flicker library. How I overlooked them is beyond me.



Here is the second pictures and probably the best in my opinion clearly showing what appears to be an Omega flat link bracelet as well and a watch with the bezel attached which would rule out the possibility that this was the heat flow experiment Speedmaster.



Enlarged -



The search continues....

 

I have been working on something related to this for a while and have followed some of the research on here. I hope to have something ready in the next couple of weeks. Here are some enhanced picks to add to the mystery... was Gene doing a double...

 

Regarding Ron Evans and his extra watch, I have always wondered about the stowage lists.
All previous missions show three watchbands (SEB1210003 variants). Apollo 14 and 16 shown as examples.
Apollo 14 also lists 202 and 209 length options so did they take six and why the different types?
Apollo 17 (shown below) specifically lists four watch bands with one detailed as being in the command module pilots pocket.

I am interested in any information on the above / why did Apollo 17 list four identical straps and why did Apollo 14 have different length options (plus how many did they take)?

Lastly, I am surprised they would have been changing straps in space. It is fiddly enough on Earth without having spring bars float off + small metal objects could be a danger - Did they have a spring bar tool?

It makes me wonder which watch did Ron wear for the EVA if he had three to choose from not counting Genes spare (noting the Heat flow was missing a bezel). The fact he had is Rolex flown to the surface and kept the Heat Flow watch which was later auctioned for his family shows Ron played by the rules but was a switched-on guy IMHO.

 

Ron Evans' other wrist watch
Although Rolex watches were used during Apollo 17 training, Command Module Pilot Ron Evans was the sole astronaut to care a Rolex onboard that final lunar landing mission.
During the Apollo 17 mission, only CMP Ron Evans took his personal Rolex GMT-master 1675 in his PPK and asked Moonwalkers Cernan & Schmitt to take it to the surface of the Moon onboard Lunar lander “Challenger”.
Ron Evans’ Rolex GMT-master pilot watch was auctioned in October 2009 at Heritage auctions fetching US $ 131450.
https://www.rolexmagazine.com/2009/10/first-rolex-moon-watch-to-be-auctioned.html

 

As we remembered US Navy Captain Apollo 17 astronaut Ronald Evans (Nov 10, 1933)
He wore the NASA-issued 105.012-66 (NASA n° 61) and also his personal Speedmaster 145.022
While the Moonwalkers were busy on the Moon, Evans used a bezelless Speedmaster 861 which was afixed to the Heat Flow Experiment onboard Command Module "America"...
The Heat Flow Exp Speedmaster 861 was sold in December 2015 at Christie's "Omega Speedmaster 50" auction in fetching 245000 US Dollar... it went to the Omega Museum ! ( But I have not seen it on display yet )
.

 

@SpeedyPhill - It is a bit ironic that the only video of a Speedmaster running in an Apollo command module is an 861 and not 321 movement. I do wonder if that missing watch will ever surface… good that the heat flow watch has ended up with the museum.

 

This is still one of my favorite posts and I enjoy seeing it get bumped up for a new set of eyes. Still trying to track down the watch as well....The search continues.

Not quite the video of a Speedmaster in action like the heat flow experiment but definitely a 321 in action onboard Apollo 10 worn by Gene Cernan who later flies with Evans on Apollo 17.

 

Great video and Apollo 17 was a jewel in the crown mission. Not the end but the beginning hopefully :0)

 

And a question in my OmegaForums inbox brought me here again, although my notes have:

1972 Apollo 17
Eugene Cernan L= Speedmaster n° 67 (+ L underneath spacesuit Speedmaster n° 28 on JB Champion )
Harrison Schmitt L= Speedmaster n° 65
Ron Evans L= Speedmaster n° 61 ( + L underneath spacesuit personal Speedmaster 145.022 )
( PPK contained Rolex GMT-master Pepsi 1675 carried to the Lunar surface onboard LM "Challenger" )