omega speedmaster chrono

Like this maybe?

Mid 70's I think.

serial # 37724710
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The Speedmaster was never automatic. They were developed for the moon program and because there is zero gravity they were manual wind as automatic would not work.

I have had one for 20+ years and I bought it second hand from Tourneau in NYC. One of my favorite watches of all-time. It kept perfect time when I got it after a service it would loose 1 minute or so every week.

 

So it says speedmaster has a correct serial number but isn't a speedmaster? How is that, exactly?

 

While not a vintage Speedmaster, mine is most certainly automatic.
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the speedmaster automatic has been around for 20 years.
i know, i own one

 

Yeah, Speed's are autos for sure.

 

well you guys are ****ed if you go to outerspace

 

noted.
btw, if i do go to outerspace i will buy one of the original speedmasters, which was a manual. and they still make those too.

 

how much are they going for ?

 

I still have mine, brought it new May 1969 for $240

 

I hope you find what you are looking for OP. The amazing thing about a real speedmaster, which to me is the moon mission one, is that they are so light on the wrist. Its like not wearing a watch but then you look down at it and it is a substantial piece of hardware! Pretty cool! Good luck.

 

I got a manual one. not as old as a 1969. It's the limited edition 50th anni one. On the back it says "FLight-Qualifed by Nasa for All Manned Space Missions" "The First and Only Watch Worn on the Moon"

 

mine is a mid 70's model, so more like 30 plus years.

And I'm pissed it won't wind in space. I'm gonna have to cancel that trip to Mars I had planned until they invent artificial gravity!!

D

 

... 40 ?

 

Math skills for me are weak until after a caffeine infusion.

D

 

Sorry, meant original design. I know they made autos, but if you want the original it was never an automatic.

Sorry to cause you auto owners so much heartache, but I would not buy an auto speedmaster. At least understand the reason as to why the watch was developed and then make your choice.

You can't say it was worn on the moon. Also the one pictured has a different face and is not as good looking as manual, IMO.

 

Understood. Both great watches. Doubtful you'll be able to say the one you end up with was worn on the moon either though.

 

Bought mine from Tourneau in 1989. It was used.

 

Ha. Great thread. I bought mine a few years ago for about 2K, and it was used.

The story behind the Speedmaster is great. Being here in Houston, and having been down to NASA south of town, they have a display with a bunch of "astronaut" speedmasters. Here's how the story goes:

They decided they wanted the astronauts in the Mercury program (you know - "The Right Stuff" guys) needed a watch. They weren't sure if an auto would work in space (later years found out - they will) - so they sent a guy from Johnson Space Center up into Houston to buy watches. Anything that he could find that was manual wind. They then developed a crazy test plan that submitted the watches to all kinds of crap - heat, cold, lots of G force, etc. Of all the watches they tested, the speedmaster had the best performance. That means, while it didn't keep perfect time, it didn't lose as much as the others. Finally - NASA got with Omega and had them change the crystal to the Perspec (sp?) crystal that the Speedmaster has - so it wouldn't shatter and cause debris. The final kerfuffle was, apparently a congressman found out that the watch Americans were wearing into space was not american made and raised a big hoo-ha, but NASA said "well - this is the watch that passed, so tough". And that is history.

NASA no longer issues a speedmaster to astronauts. That stopped in the 80's, when they realized that a quartz crystal vibrates just fine in space. But the Speedmaster remains the only one Flight Certified for Manned Spaceflight I believe.

My favorite quote about the speedmaster is from Alan Sheppard (I think) - "Yeah - like I really need to know what time it is in Houston".

I like my Speedy better than my Explorer II, even though I have to wind it every day.

 

This one is mine, auto, obvoiusly



And it is heavy!

 

Hi there - but isn't that the Schumi dragon logo on the back, in which case late 90's early 2000's. I always thought it was, because of his affiliation with this model, maybe I'm confusing the logos.

Dave

 

My bad - I actually went and checked out the dragon logo online now - totally different - I just assumed because all the speedmasters I had looked at were the schumi ones.

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