Your Speedmaster Stories #5 — Thinking Of My Wife Aimee
What I have learned from your Speedmaster stories so far, is that there’s often more involved than just buying a watch. Sure, there are people collecting Speedmasters for no other reason than love for this chronograph. But so far, the stories we’ve received are also about emotional reasons to buy a Speedmaster.
This week, we have a story from Rosier about his Speedmaster “From The Moon to Mars” to commemorate his 25th anniversary at work, but also a story from Kirk and why he bought his Speedmaster. A heartbreaking story, yet Kirk shared it with us and I am honored to share it with you as well.
Your Speedmaster Stories
On the one hand, Kirk’s story makes collecting Speedmaster watches look less important. There are (much) more important things in life, of course. On the other hand, it does show the deeper emotional value a watch can have some times for people. I have a few watches I wouldn’t want to live without as they remind me of certain people or certain events. Sometimes, it also makes me afraid of losing such a watch. Memories are more important of course, and those you will have forever. But a watch that has a (deeper) connection, might trigger you recalling those memories or think of that certain special someone.
#Story1: Kirk and Aimee
My lovely wife Aimee passed away just over three and a half years ago. She had been fighting breast cancer for seven years. After the first three years of surgery, chemo, and radiation therapy we thought she had beaten it. Later that year a routine X-ray found multiple small lesions in her lungs. This led to more chemo and radiation. It was now metastatic and just a matter of time.
After a bucket-list trip to Scotland, we found that the pulled muscle in her leg was cancer in her hip joint. After an emergency hip replacement, we found that cancer had spread to her brain. Gamma Knife and CyberKnife radiosurgery and whole brain radiation became our new fresh Hell.
As you can imagine, this situation makes a watch collection a very low priority. I had a small collection of inexpensive watches from before the illness.
“Get the best watch”
At a point where she was in a wheelchair, we took a trip to the local outlet mall to shop and talk. One of the shops that we stopped at was a Swiss manufacturer of watches and knives. A couple of automatic pilot chronographs caught my eye. As we left the shop Aimee said “When this is all over you should get yourself the best watch!”
This was not something that I wanted to contemplate. I should probably explain that this is a woman that insisted that I get a NEW motorcycle when my old BMW 900 turned over a quarter of a million miles. She knew what I needed even if I didn’t know it.
Later in the evening, she asked “What do you think you’ll get?”.
“Probably an Omega Moonwatch.“
She made me sit down with her and explain why and show her pictures. I reminded her of the situation in the Apollo 13 mission when they had to time the rocket burn. Cut to the fall of 2017. My son and I are seeing a grief therapist right across the street from the local Omega AD. So many times here I had asked myself if today was the day. I went for the sapphire crystal and back model. I wanted to see that movement! I also got a hat!
I don’t know if I would have bought this fine a watch for myself if she hadn’t made me promise. So now my wedding ring sits in my Speedmaster Professional box and I wear my Speedy every Tuesday and think of her.
#Story2: An Anniversary Watch
From 2010 onwards I have been collecting mechanical watches. I really loved those icon watches. It all started with the Seamaster Professional 300M Peter Blake. And I had a wishlist. Definitely Speedmaster, Navigator, Monaco, Reverso, Submariner, etc.
October 2013, I went to the first Speedy Tuesday Event, organized by Fratello Watches at ESA in Noordwijk, the Netherlands (photo report here). One problem: I still didn’t own a Speedmaster. So I brought my Seamaster. Strangely enough, I did buy watches in the meantime, even iconic watches like the TAG Heuer Monaco, but never a Speedmaster.
Every time when choosing a new watch, I thought, “Let’s not buy the Speedy now.” There are enough of them Speedys out there to get one someday. I still was convinced that for a serious collector a Speedmaster is a must-have.
A must-have
It took me until 2018 to get my own Speedmaster. I was celebrating my 25th anniversary at work and decided that this moment had to be commemorated with a special watch. In the industry I was working, the saying, “Reach for the Stars and land on the Moon,” was very popular.
This brought me to choosing the From The Moon to Mars Speedmaster. Traditional hand-winding and a Hesalite crystal combined with radiant sub-registers representing the Earth, the Moon, and Mars. It connected the past, landing on the Moon, to the future, space missions to Mars — from experience to aspiration. A watch that fits perfectly to the occasion.
So I am very proud to present you with my Speedmaster from Moon to Mars – reference 3577.50.00
Thank you for reading my Speedy story and thank you Fratello for organizing and serving the global Speedy community. You are a great inspiration and give us the opportunity to celebrate our love and passion for the Omega Speedmaster.
If you are wondering what other watches I have been collecting, please visit www.arteepee.nl or follow me on Instagram @arteepee.nl.
Submit your Speedmaster Stories
We have more of your Speedmaster stories coming up, but we’d love to read yours too! It doesn’t matter if you’re not a professional writer. Most of the time, submissions read very nicely. But if they need a final polish we have a managing editor who will happily take care of that. What does matter, however, is that your story is accompanied by some high-resolution images of your Speedmaster watch. We are happy to share your Instagram account in the story as well, of course. Submit your story, accompanied by a few pictures, to [email protected] or reach out to us using our contact form.
