Speedy Tuesday: My Dream Speedmaster Is An Impossible-To-Find NASA Watch
In this edition of Speedy Tuesday, we look at an experimental Omega Speedmaster that is a thing of real beauty. NASA introduced my dream version in the early 1970s, but sadly, it was never a production model.
The Omega Speedmaster needs no introduction. Suffice it to say, the Speedmaster is one of the most iconic watch designs not just of the mid-20th century but also of all time. The Omega Speedmaster is also a watch that I’ve never owned nor seriously lusted after. In fact, I must admit that I don’t currently even own a watch from Omega, whether vintage or modern (that needs to change). It seemed my time to write about this sad state of affairs was overdue, and what better opportunity to do so than on Speedy Tuesday?
Why don’t I own an Omega Speedmaster?
Perhaps it is partly because the Speedmaster is so truly iconic (almost a default choice for a serious watch enthusiast) that I’ve shied away from it. Objectively, the Speedmaster Professional is a beautiful watch design. The lyre lugs and short lug-to-lug length trick you into thinking you’re wearing something a bit smaller than a 42mm case. As any Speedmaster owner would attest, the Speedmaster Professional feels much closer to a 40mm watch on the wrist.
Many a time, I have wandered into an Omega boutique and tried on the Speedy Pro. I’ve performed this little ritual whenever I spot a boutique since at least 2019. This means I’ve tried on the current and the previous generation of the Speedmaster in the Omega boutique. Every time, I have walked out with a solid appreciation of the watch and a little thrill from trying it on but never enough of an urge to buy it.
It’s not because they are hard to come by
The same can be said for the myriad opportunities I have had to pick one up secondhand. The Omega Speedmaster is, thankfully, quite a popular timepiece in Australia. This means that secondhand options of all types come up for sale pretty regularly. This can include the smaller versions, the various special and limited editions, and the standard 42mm models. Prices vary due to condition and the specific model for sale, but they generally seem eminently reasonable on the used market.
Astronaut Vance Brand wearing a 60-minute-bezel Speedmaster during training in 1975 — Image: NASA
There is the Speedmaster ’57 “Replica” that my colleagues Gerard, Lex, and RJ own, which has a different design aesthetic much more reminiscent of the 1950s than the 1960s, which I appreciate. The Broad Arrow hour handset on that watch has a certain boldness to it, and it appeals to me. The steel bezel dresses down the watch too and makes it look even more “toolish.” If I were to go for a modern re-edition, it would probably be that reference 3594.50. The Speedmaster design before it became the space-adventuring cultural icon.
Original drawing dated September 1972, detailing the arrangement and dimensions of the counters of the Alaska II Radial dial.
But my perfect Speedmaster does exist…
The Omega Speedmaster that sets my heart aflutter (or appeals to the lizard part of my brain) does exist. And I discovered it only recently. But I have done myself a big disservice by discovering what would be one of my “perfect” Omega Speedmasters. While trawling the internet and sleuthing some photo archives, as I am wont to do, I came across several forum posts and articles on the Omega Speedmasters with radial dials.
These were experimental dial designs that Omega introduced when tweaking the Speedmaster for use by NASA astronauts. The radial design is also the dial layout that Fratello and Omega used for the Speedmaster Speedy Tuesday “Tribute to Alaska III.”
Now, there are some serious experts out there, so I won’t stray too far into this historical territory except to note my appreciation for this rare design and the bezel that accompanied some of these watches. You see, in some NASA historical images, we can see astronauts wearing either a radial-dial Speedmaster or a regular-dial Speedmaster with a 60-minute bezel. A Speedmaster with a 60-minute bezel is a jaw-dropping design. When I stumbled across some of these images, I knew I had found my dream Speedmaster.
Al Worden with a 60-minute-bezel Speedmaster — Image: NASA
NASA and the 60-minute-bezel Omega Speedmaster
Al Worden was one such astronaut pictured wearing the experimental design. In training leading up to the Apollo 15 mission, Worden was pictured wearing a Speedmaster with a 60-minute bezel. Not many photos have been found of this particular watch, and from the reading I’ve done thus far, it seems a standard Speedmaster ended up going into space with Worden. This is because images of him from after his landing show a regular-production watch.
Image: NASA
So, now we have two quite distinct design elements — A) a radial dial design and B) a 60-minute bezel. Let’s throw in a third to make it a perfect triumvirate of design choices — C) a white dial. Combining these elements, in my mind, creates the “perfect” Omega Speedmaster I would like to own in my mind’s eye. Sadly, it’s an impossible ask. In the image below, you can see what my “perfect” Omega Speedmaster watch looks like.
This is my ultimate Speedmaster! — Image: Omega
So, what exists that scratches my Speedmaster itch?
OK, so I have chosen an impossible watch. What comes a close second, then? Well, a special-edition Omega Speedmaster I’d love to own does exist, but it’s also a little difficult to come by here in Australia. That watch is the 2008 re-edition of the Omega Speedmaster Alaska II. We have looked into the history of the Speedmaster Alaska II on Fratello, and RJ has noted the differences and similarities between the vintage original and the 2008 re-edition here.
Image: Hairspring
The 2008 watch houses Omega’s trusty 1861 caliber, an update from the original cam-operated 861. That re-edition also has a stunning white dial with “capsule-shaped” hands for the chronograph counters and a striking red chronograph seconds hand. Truly, this watch is a thing of industrial beauty. In the image above, you can see the modern 2008 watch and compare it to the original in the photo above that. It’s remarkable how well Omega captured the charm of the original in this re-edition. If only it had a radial dial and a 60-minute bezel!
Concluding thoughts
That serves as my first foray into Speedy Tuesday. The more I gradually learn about the world of Omega Speedmasters, the more there is to appreciate and adore. My thanks to Flightqualified (also known as Omega Mike) on Instagram who shared images of his own project, which offers a 60-minute bezel modification for the Speedmaster. If I were ever able to come across a reasonably priced 2008 Alaska II re-edition, I would jump on it in a heartbeat. The quirky dial design and the story behind the watch make for an incredibly compelling proposition.
Until that day arrives, if it ever does, I will remain an appreciator of the Speedmaster from afar. But what about you, Fratelli? What is your favorite version of the Speedmaster? Let me know in the comments so I can start googling.
