Weekly Watch Photo – Omega Speedmaster Pre-moon

Again a Weekly Watch Photo of an Omega. This week it’s a Speedmaster Pre-moon from Trum, a member of Timezone UK made the photo.

He wrote a very informative post about identifying the different Pre-moon Speedmaster versions that Omega released before the Speedmaster accompanied the astronauts in space. The first being reference 105.003, which can be recognized by the dial without the word “professional” under “Speedmaster”. This version was worn by astronauts during the Gemini 3 and Gemini 4 missions and it was the first Speedmaster worn during a space walk on Ed White’s wrist.

The later references 105.012 and 145.012 (launched in 1966) are known as the two Speedmaster to have been worn on the moon by Apollo astronauts and referred to as the original Moonwatches. Omega Speedmasters have been used throughout the early Apollo program and during the Apollo 11 mission they became the first watch to reach the moon. The three mentioned references are all called Pre-moon because they are manufactured before the moon landings. Later models have the famous case-back inscription: “The First Watch Worn on the Moon”. Post 2003 versions with a sapphire case back have a different engraving: “First And Only Watch Worn on the Moon” (Check the late Chuck Maddox’s website for reference about the different Omega Speedmaster version).

The funny things is that Neil Armstrong was first man to set foot on the moon, however he left his Speedmaster (reference 105.012) inside the moonlander, because the electronic timer inside malfunctioned. Buzz Aldrin choose to wear his Speedmaster and thus, on his wrist, the Speedmaster became the first and only watch worn on the moon.

PS. a very rare Speedmaster Pre-moon and pre-professional reference ST 105.002 is available at Watch-store.com; to see it click on the N-P section and scroll down.