apollo addict looking to join in

[ElectricalEngineer]

Hi guys

I have a few Rolex references but im a space geek.

I would like to add a moon watch to my collection.

I am mostly interested in vintage items from maybe the 70's early mid 80's

What should I expect price wise?
I know there are many variants that are commemorative for certain Apollo missions. I love anything Apollo so which mission is not a concern.

Are the Apollo commemorative editions from later years?

What can I expect to pay for something like this? I am not set on a specific item. Perhaps im asking you omega nuts to help me pick out something interesting as I learn more about the brand and moon watches

Also I forgot to mention, I am more interested in sapphire models then hestalite.

Thanks in advance

[lencap]

Greetings & Welcome - it takes a brave man to write about Omega on a Rolex forum! I too share your interest in the Omega "Space Watch", and for me the solution was a relatively newer model the Ref. 3510.50.00 vintage 2011 which I bought new from an AD. This is the last Reference that predates the newer "Coaxial" chronograph movement.

My reasons are simple. The older "original" moon watch is a wonderful watch, but I didn't feel comfortable with such an older model, especially concerning service and reliability. The newer movement that I chose follows closely with the intent and build of the original, but is a larger size (42mm) than the original. I'm willing to live with that, but to be fair, it is a bit larger on the wrist than some folks prefer. For me it's fine. I also should mention that the 2011 version that I bought uses the original hestalite crown, which was preferred by NASA for the simple reason that if the crown broke in space a sapphire crown would produce sharp edges and could be a danger to the astronauts or to other gear on the spacecraft.

For your needs if you prefer the sapphire crown I'd suggest a newer Co-axial movement. It's very accurate, has the same feel of the original model and the sapphire crown will meet your desire. To me it's also a fine watch, but I like my version, which for me is closer to the original with the hestalite crown and a manual wind mechanical heart.

Omega also has gone wild with various special edition models of the moonwatch. You may find one that speaks to you, but many MoonWatch fans find that these special editions are based more on profit margin than originality (I guess you can figure out my biases).

Regardless of what you decide the watch is unique and you'll enjoy it.

[Chester01]

Originally Posted by ElectricalEngineer

Hi guys

I have a few Rolex references but im a space geek.

I would like to add a moon watch to my collection.

I am mostly interested in vintage items from maybe the 70's early mid 80's

What should I expect price wise?
I know there are many variants that are commemorative for certain Apollo missions. I love anything Apollo so which mission is not a concern.

Are the Apollo commemorative editions from later years?

What can I expect to pay for something like this? I am not set on a specific item. Perhaps im asking you omega nuts to help me pick out something interesting as I learn more about the brand and moon watches

Also I forgot to mention, I am more interested in sapphire models then hestalite.

Thanks in advance

Chrono24 will give you a good sense of pricing on the various models, and there are a vast number of LE’s out there to choose from. I started with the standard speedy pro with hesilite crystal (not crown as the fellow below mentions). I also chose a new version as i use my watches and they are not just for fashion purposes. With that said, there are some nice deals to be had in the Speedmaster from the 1970’s and actually have a good deal of variations. I would suggest you start with the web site speedmaster 101.

[JR16]

Originally Posted by lencap

Greetings & Welcome - it takes a brave man to write about Omega on a Rolex forum! I too share your interest in the Omega "Space Watch", and for me the solution was a relatively newer model the Ref. 3510.50.00 vintage 2011 which I bought new from an AD. This is the last Reference that predates the newer "Coaxial" chronograph movement.



My reasons are simple. The older "original" moon watch is a wonderful watch, but I didn't feel comfortable with such an older model, especially concerning service and reliability. The newer movement that I chose follows closely with the intent and build of the original, but is a larger size (42mm) than the original. I'm willing to live with that, but to be fair, it is a bit larger on the wrist than some folks prefer. For me it's fine. I also should mention that the 2011 version that I bought uses the original hestalite crown, which was preferred by NASA for the simple reason that if the crown broke in space a sapphire crown would produce sharp edges and could be a danger to the astronauts or to other gear on the spacecraft.



For your needs if you prefer the sapphire crown I'd suggest a newer Co-axial movement. It's very accurate, has the same feel of the original model and the sapphire crown will meet your desire. To me it's also a fine watch, but I like my version, which for me is closer to the original with the hestalite crown and a manual wind mechanical heart.



Omega also has gone wild with various special edition models of the moonwatch. You may find one that speaks to you, but many MoonWatch fans find that these special editions are based more on profit margin than originality (I guess you can figure out my biases).



Regardless of what you decide the watch is unique and you'll enjoy it.

OP, FYI the currently produced speedy pro still uses the hand wound caliber 1861 or 1863 And not a “coaxial” movement. Also, I think Lencap is referring to the crystal when he talks about hesalite vs sapphire. The crown is steel. You can get the speedy pro either with a hesalite or sapphire crystal. With regards to limited editions, I would disagree w Lencap- many of these are coveted by moonwatch fans. Personally my first moonwatch was the classic speedy pro w hesalite, bought from a gray dealer at a substantial discount. I had looked into vintage years (pre 1990) but it’s a jungle out there and didn’t think it was worth it at the time . Good luck!


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[AEC]

Welcome! Glad to hear you're interested in having a Speedmaster Professional. It's a dynamite watch to wear and enjoy, and there are some good examples from the '70s and '80s out there to be had. I recommend taking your time researching, browsing, and learning about your options, and I'll give a couple of tips here:

Depending on your budget, one thing you might consider is purchasing a Speedmaster Pro that was flight qualified by NASA, and perhaps a vintage that would match the ones actually worn by Apollo crew members. I'll go into a little of that:

Most enthusiasts agree that the versions of the Speedmaster Pro that were actually worn by Apollo crew members were references 105.012 and 145.012 (worn on the earliest Apollo missions), and reference 145.022 (probably worn on later Apollo missions, and on missions after the Apollo program ended).

References 105.012 and 145.012 were produced in the mid-'60s, and they appear pretty much identical to one another (145.012 replaced 105.012). They are the last two references of the Speedmaster Pro to use Caliber 321, which featured a column-wheel chronograph switching mechanism and some lovely architecture. These references are coveted, and market values for decent examples start at ~$10k USD, but can be much higher for the best-preserved watches.

Reference 145.022 was introduced ~1969 with Caliber 861, still based on a robust Lemania movement, but using a cam-type mechanism for the chronograph. It was submitted to NASA for testing, who re-certified it for use on missions. This is the reference produced throughout the '70s and '80s, so if you like the idea of wearing a vintage Speedmaster Pro that matches the ones NASA issued to crew members, then I recommend browsing for a reference 145.022. The market on these can be a bit friendlier. I have seen some very nice ones for ~$5k, but some sellers look for higher values on well preserved examples.

Want a brand-new watch that matches the ones issued to astronauts? Omega still sells it, and it's still flight-qualified. You can walk into any Omega dealer and buy reference 311.30.42.30.01.005, and you'll own the direct descendant of the watches worn on Apollo missions. This is the standard Speedmaster Pro, with a soft-iron dust cover over the movement and a Hesalite crystal over the dial. If you prefer a sapphire crystal, then buy reference 311.30.42.30.01.006, which is essentially the same Speedmaster Pro, but with sapphire in place of Hesalite over the dial, and a transparent case-back that allows a nice view of the beautiful movement.

Hope this helps! Have fun researching and hunting for the Speedmaster Pro that's right for you, and check back here any time for more info.