An Almost Impossible Choice… Frank’s Long Journey to Finding his Favourite Omega Speedmaster

Some, from day-1, know what their favourite version of the all-time iconic Omega Speedmaster is. Whether it is the classic Moonwatch, a modern automatic version, a retro-inspired straight lugs or even a specific vintage model, their search was a short journey. It was not the case for me. I have always loved and respected the Speedmaster for its looks, importance and history. But, for dozens of reasons, finding the right one has been a difficult task. I should say an almost impossible choice, an exploration of a vast collection that lasted for two decades. Indeed, it took me approximately 20 years before I finally found my very first Moonwatch. But now, the search is over, and to find out what exact Speedmaster model I’m talking about, have a look at the video at the top of this article. 

Since I became interested in watches, which was more than 20 years ago (remember that I started MONOCHROME in 2006…), the Omega Speedmaster has always sparked my interest. First of all, because it was once the first watch on the Moon and actually the only watch to ever be approved for NASA’s missions to the Moon. In NASA’s tests, only one chronograph survived, and in 1965, the Speedmaster reference ST 105.003 was declared “flight-qualified by NASA for all manned space missions.” That’s pretty hard to beat in terms of historical importance, right?

Besides that great space-related background, the Speedmaster simply is a great-looking watch, with tons of history. But I must add that there are a lot of options to choose from. And this explains why, to me, it took some time before I was able to choose from the original Speedmaster, the many vintage models that are available on the secondary markets, and the numerous limited editions. And besides all the hand-wound models like the original moonwatch, there are even various models with an automatic movement. The vast amount of options might be slightly overwhelming… at least to me, that was the case.

Of course, I looked around, tried many Speedmasters on the wrist, both at watch collector meetings as well as in boutiques and during watch shows. But… I could not make up my mind. Should it be a new Moonwatch, or one of the limited editions, or maybe a vintage one from my year of birth, or… yes, as said, I found it rather overwhelming. And then, back in 2013, I thought that the search was over. Indeed, it wasn’t until the very first Speedy Tuesday event that was held in Noordwijk, The Netherlands, that I finally got myself a Speedmaster. And mind you, I was already collecting watches for well over 10 years. That was the first-generation Speedmaster First Omega in Space (or FOiS, for the experts).

Like many collectors, I felt that having a Speedmaster was a must in my collection. But I somehow thought that the classic Moonwatch was maybe a tad too big, or maybe I just didn’t like the bracelet as much as I thought or wished. The FOiS was different. Its case is symmetrical, while the Moonwatch has an asymmetrical case due to the crown and pusher protection. That was just one of the details that jumped out positively. It also meant that this Speedmaster was smaller, and it came on a leather strap instead of the steel bracelet. To me, this was the purest Speedmaster, and I loved it. For a while… That said, it was a re-edition of an important version in the Speedmaster’s lineup, as Astronaut Wally Schirra wore his personal watch aboard the Sigma 7 capsule in 1962, and that’s how the CK2998 became the First Omega in Space.

Yet, there was that nagging thought… It might have been the purest in form and shape, harking back to the very first Speedmaster, but it also meant it was not THE Moonwatch. And so, the search went on. Again, I looked at many versions, now only of the actual moonwatch. So no automatic, no straight lugs, no exotic materials, but the real deal. And while I was hesitating between the version with sapphire or hesalite crystal, with or without a see-through caseback, I still could not make up my mind. Then came the Ed White version with a remake of the original calibre 321. What a watch! And later Omega released the Canopus gold version, and that could have easily been my favourite, if the price point had suited my budget (which it didn’t). Again, more to think about, but still, I had not made up my mind.

I then changed my research slightly to go back to vintage models. I thus started mailing some befriended dealers if they might have a nice Speedy from my year of birth. Of course, it should be complete with box and papers. Not easy, I can assure you! And in the meantime, earlier this year, Omega all of a sudden introduced a new Speedmaster Moonwatch that somehow immediately caught my attention. And that is when I knew the search for the perfect Moonwatch, for my favourite Speedmaster, was over.

And if you want to know which exact model has marked the end of this 20-year search, have a look at the video. And let me know what your favourite Speedmaster model is in the comments. Enjoy!