Introducing the 2021 Speedmaster Collection

The 2021 Speedmaster

Omega announces the 21st century version of the hallowed Speedmaster, with redesigns inspired by the ST105.012 and powered by the Master Chronometer Certified Calibre 3861.

Having celebrated 50 years since the Speedmaster accompanied humankind on our first journey to the Moon, Omega has now decided that for the reimagined Speedmaster for 2021, it will seek inspiration from one of three references that were “Flight Qualified for all Manned Space Missions,” on June 1, 1965 by the powers that be at NASA.

The story goes that, James H. Ragan, retired NASA Project Engineer and Program Manager and Petros Protopapas, OMEGA International Brand Heritage Manager chronicles in the tome Moonwatch Only that in the lead-up to the Gemini missions, the Agency saw the need to “test, select and certify” a complete array of standard equipment for the astronauts’ use. One such equipment on the list was originally a request that was made by the astronauts themselves, “a watch for use during training and flight.”

Flight Crew Operations Director Deke Slayton took on the task of finding this watch by issuing an internal memo that listed the need for a, “highly durable and accurate chronograph to be used by Gemini and Apollo flight crews.” The memo then passed on to the hands of James Ragan. It was his task to send out the request for quotation to a list of watchmakers, stated earlier by Deke Slayton.

The rest, as we now know is history, with the Speedmaster having survived the battery of tests that NASA had subjected the watch to before marking it, “Flight Qualified for all Manned Space Missions” on June 1, 1965.

The references of the Speedmaster that eventually went to the Moon, specifically were the 105.012 and the 145.012. Both these references were cleared for use by NASA because they used the same calibre 321 that was within the 105.003.

The Details

A further detail on the dial is the new 3-hash divisions on the seconds scale on the perimeter of the dial, which is in line with the 3Hz frequency of the Calibre 3861 as opposed to the 5-hash divisions on the 105.012, as the 105.012 was powered by the Calibre 321 had a 2.5Hz frequency. Lastly, the bezel on the timepiece is an anodized aluminum insert that has been given the famous dot over 90 (DON) detail.

The Versions

The 2021 Speedmaster is firstly offered in stainless steel with options for either hesalite glass or sapphire crystal, on a steel bracelet or a nylon fabric strap leather for hesalite glass version and a leather strap for the sapphire crystal version. Additional point to note here is that the sapphire crystal version features a display caseback, while the hesalite glass variation has a close caseback. Another distinguishing feature is that all sapphire crystal versions of the 2021 Speedmaster, feature an applied Omega logo.

Speedmaster Moonwatch Master Chronometer Professional Chronograph – Hesalite – 42 mm – Calibre 3861

Speedmaster Moonwatch Master Chronometer Professional Chronograph – Sapphire – 42 mm – Calibre 3861

The last instance is in Canopus Gold™, Omega’s take on white gold, which because it isn’t rhodium plated, unlike other instances of white gold is said to be able to retain its bright, white color for a much longer.

Both the Sedna™ gold and in Canopus Gold™ versions will be offered in matched full gold bracelets or on leather straps.

Speedmaster Moonwatch Master Chronometer Professional Chronograph – SednaTM gold – 42 mm – Calibre 3861

Speedmaster Moonwatch Master Chronometer Professional Chronograph – Canopus goldTM – 42 mm – Calibre 3861

The 3861

First introduced in the Apollo 11 50th Anniversary Moonshine™ Gold Limited Edition, with the movement in Moonshine gold-treated bridges and plates, the 2021 Speedmaster now gets this updated Master Chronometer Certified movement across the board. This guarantees Omega’s elevated standard of precision, chronometric performance and anti-magnetism in the industry.

Part of the reason Calibre 3861 is able to withstand Omega’s own battery of tests is the use of non-ferrous materials within, such as the Si14 balance spring, which keeps the watch’s regulating organ out of reach of the perils of magnetism for up to extremes 15,000 gauss (the same level as a typical MRI scanner).

Details: omegawatches.com