Photo Report: The 2024 Dutch Speedmaster GTG
At the end of 2023, Speedmaster enthusiast @watchstick_81 organized a GTG for approximately 20 enthusiasts (you can find the photo report here). At this year’s edition, no fewer than 51 Speedmaster collectors showed up, many with their collections in tow. It was the first year that we at Fratello didn’t host a Speedy Tuesday event due to busy schedules on Omega’s and our side, so it was nice to join a similar event simply as a guest! It was well organized, and I enjoyed it very much. I took some pictures during the afternoon and received some more from the other attendees. Please have a look at some of the fabulous Speedmasters that some of the guests brought with them.
Speedmaster GTG NL
This get-together took place in the Coach House, which is part of Amerongen Castle in the center of the Netherlands. A total of 51 guests from 10 countries attended. For those interested in stats, those countries included the USA (3), Colombia (1), Switzerland (2), Greece (1), Poland (1), and Denmark (1). Most guests were from the Netherlands (28), Germany (6), the United Kingdom (5), and Belgium (3). It was great to see some familiar faces again and meet new people whose Instagram accounts I’ve followed for years but hadn’t met in person. Some people were already active in the Speedy Tuesday Facebook group (with 4,200 members) but never got to join some of the earlier Speedmaster events.
So many Speedmasters
The venue was spacious, and there was enough room (and opportunity) to display all the watches that the guests brought. In the previous edition of the Speedmaster GTG NL, I brought 23 Speedmasters. This year, however, I didn’t have much time to get everything out of my (external) safes, so I brought just 14 (13 in the box, one on the wrist). The event’s organizer, @watchstick_81, arranged several tables for people to put their boxes and collections on. Some people also brought accessories and Speedmaster-related items to display, such as old marketing materials.
That’s how this event is different from the Speedy Tuesday events. This is a GTG where people share their collections and discuss the watches in-depth for hours. The Speedy Tuesday events are more program-driven functions with presentations, Q&As, and often an introduction to new Speedmaster models. Thankfully, @watchstick_81 curated the guests carefully to ensure everyone could bring their watches without being nervous about “anonymous” guests showing up. It all revolved around trust, and it worked out well.
Photo report
Below, you will find photos of the watches and collections that were there. Other than the photo credits, I will keep the owners of the Speedmaster watches or collections anonymous. Enjoy!
This is an insane collection of Speedmasters, but you will also find other Omega watches in the picture above, including the two-tone watch from Omega’s Titane collection, an original PloProf, and a few vintage Seamasters. I took some close-ups of some of the Speedmasters, which you can see below.
One highlight was this “SpeedyMoon” with caliber 866 from the 1980s, one of only 1,300 made. There are a few iterations, and this Speedmaster 345.0809 has the smiling Moon on the disc at 12 o’clock.
One of my all-time faves is this Speedmaster Apollo-Soyuz from 1976, commemorating the famous mission from one year earlier. Omega only produced 500 units of this watch at the request of the brand’s Italian distributor. It came on this Oyster-style bracelet, which does look good!
The late Chuck Maddox dubbed this Speedmaster the “Holy Grail.” It’s a Speedmaster Automatic ref. 376.0822 with the Lemania 5100 movement, and we covered it here. Due to all its additional features, I considered this Speedmaster perfect for a long time, as did Maddox. Meanwhile, my taste has shifted toward other models, but every time I see a Holy Grail, I start looking them up on Chrono24.
Omega introduced this 1999 Speedmaster Moonphase in 18K white gold for the 30th anniversary of Apollo 11. At least according to the (analog) press material from back then, there’s no mention of this occasion on the watch itself. It remained in production from 1999 till the mid-2000s.
The Omega Speedmaster First Omega in Space debuted in 2012, and then, in 2015, this Sedna Gold “Panda” version of the First Omega in Space came out. This Speedmaster ref. 311.63.40.30.02.001 seems to be overlooked (or underrated), but I think it’s a hidden treasure.
One of the other guests brought his Speedmaster Mark II Racing (145.014) with a case and pushers coated in black. It looks amazing, especially with the orange accents.
The Speedmaster Professional Calibre 321 in platinum with an onyx dial and meteorite sub-dials is a grail for many, and there were two at the event. It’s an incredibly impressive watch, and the meteorite gives each example a unique look.
Only a few weeks had passed since the new First Omega in Space with its blue dial and new domed sapphire crystal had come out. Unsurprisingly, however, several examples were present at the Speedmaster GTG NL edition. It is a very handsome watch and a worthy successor to the 2012 FOiS.
The same owner brought his birth-year watch, a 1981 Speedmaster Professional in excellent condition.
In addition, he brought a Speedmaster Professional ref. 105.012 with caliber 321. This is the same reference Buzz Aldrin wore on the Moon in 1969. As you can see, the watch is in good condition, comes with the original flat-link bracelet, and has a nice patina on the hour markers and hands.
Someone else brought his Omega Speedmaster “Ultraman” — the original! If I am not mistaken, there were two of these present at the event. The owner told me that his father bought this one new back in the day. The other watch he brought was equally impressive, though.
It was a white gold Speedmaster Professional Apollo 11 ref. BC345.0802 from 1980. This watch commemorated the 1969 Moon landing but also celebrated the requalification of the Speedmaster in 1979 for the then-upcoming Space Shuttle program. There are supposedly only 20 pieces in white gold and approximately 300 in yellow gold (up next). This watch was on an OEM Omega bracelet, but it’s not original to this watch. Still, it doesn’t look bad at all!
And here’s the yellow gold version of the 1980 Speedmaster Apollo 11/Space Shuttle watch. I used to have the same one, and it’s a great piece! It was the first Speedmaster (alongside the white gold version) to feature a sapphire display back to see the 861L (luxury-grade) movement.
In my opinion, the Omega Speedmaster 125 deserves more credit. It was the first Speedmaster to have a chronometer-certified movement. It’s big and chunky, but it does wear quite nicely. Its inner case (with the dial, movement, and pushers) can be detached from the large case.
Here, you see the Lemania 5100-powered Speedmaster “Mark 4.5” between two modern Speedmaster Professional models. The white-dial Speedmaster Professional on the left was a common sight at the event, and I must say it’s probably my favorite release of this year so far.
There was no shortage of gold Speedmaster watches at the event. However, this was the only Speedmaster Moonshine model with the “golden panda” dial. The rubber strap is incredibly comfortable, and it has the lunar surface embossed on the inside.
In this photo, the Speedmaster “Tribute to the Astronauts” is on the left, and a later Speedmaster Professional in yellow gold is on the right.
Here’s more white gold for you! It’s the 1980 Speedmaster Professional BC345.0802 on a black strap. As I recall, before this GTG, I’d never seen two examples of this watch in the same room.
The Speedmaster Silver Snoopy Award has been in production since 2020, and it shows. I saw quite a few of these 50th-anniversary models at the event. The demand still seems high, though, as some of you are still on the waiting list. I also counted five examples of the Speedmaster Apollo 11 Moonshine Gold (on the right) —not a bad score!
The Speedmaster Automatic “Racing” was a popular collection in the 1990s, pushed by racing legends Michael Schumacher, Ralph Schumacher, and Michael Andretti. Available, in yellow, red, and blue, these Speedmaster Racing models came in a special box that resembled the wheels of an F1 car.
Before the new two-tone Speedmaster Professional came out earlier this year, one of the guests had already gotten this modification for his steel watch. He had the dial of the Moonshine Panda installed in a steel Speedmaster Professional with sapphire crystal. It’s a pretty cool combination.
Here is one of the most coveted limited editions of recent years, the 2008 Speedmaster Alaska Project with its white dial and capsule hands. In the background, you can see the 2004 Speedmaster Racing Japan limited edition.
Another guest brought his stainless steel Broad Arrow Moonphase with a white gold bezel. This is a very cool piece from the early 2000s that didn’t last long in the Omega collection.
The only Speedmaster X-33 Gen 2 I saw at the event was this one on a Velcro strap. Most X-33s you come across are Gen 1 or Skywalker models, and the Gen 2 seems more challenging to acquire.
Here’s an attendee showing some love to the 1992 Speedmaster Professional Jubilee 27 CHRO C12 in 18K gold, a limited edition of 250 pieces. This Speedmaster reference 3194.50 is not a watch you’ll see often! It has a Lemania-based caliber 864, a chronometer-certified version of the 861.
Photos from some of the other Speedmaster GTG guests
Enjoy the images below. Credits are mentioned underneath each one. Thanks to everyone from the Speedmaster GTG who contributed!
Image: @watchstick_81
Image: @watchstick_81
Image: @watchstick_81
Image: @myfriendscallmekc
Image: @myfriendscallmekc
Image: @myfriendscallmekc
Image: @watchstick_81
Image: @myfriendscallmekc
Image: @myfriendscallmekc
Image: @navs.watch
Image: @navs.watch
Image: @watchstick_81
Image: @navs.watch
Image: @navs.watch
Image: @navs.watch
Image: @watchstick_81
Image: @myfriendscallmekc
Image: @myfriendscallmekc
Image: @navs.watch
Image: @navs.watch
Image: @navs.watch
Image: @navs.watch
Image: @watchstick_81
Image: @navs.watch
Image by @watchstick_81
Image: @watchstick_81
Image: @watchstick_81
Image: @watchstick_81
Image: @oysterinfo_de
Image: @jukowatch
Image: @jukowatch
Image: @igloe
Image: @jukowatch
Image: @navs.watch
Image: @myfriendscallmekc
I hope you enjoyed this lengthy photo report! If you want to join the next edition of the Speedmaster GTG NL, contact @watchstick_81 via Instagram.
