Omega Speedmaster: To the Moon and Back | Celebrating 50 years since Apollo 11
Omega Speedmaster: To the Moon and Back | Celebrating 50 years since Apollo 11
Auction Closed
July 19, 08:01 PM GMT
Estimate
10,000 - 15,000 USD
Lot Details
Description
OMEGA
SPEEDMASTER ST 186.004 'ALASKA IV PROTOTYPE NO. 1/12'
A LIMITED EDITION STAINLESS STEEL QUARTZ DIGITAL SPLIT CHRONOGRAPH WRISTWATCH, MADE IN 1978
Dial: black digital
Caliber: quartz movement
Case: stainless steel
Closure: stainless steel associate buckle
Dimensions: 36 mm diameter
Signed: case and dial
Accessories: Accompanied by an Extract from the Archives confirming date of manufacture on April 3, 1978 and subsequent delivery to NASA.
In 1979, NASA astronauts received a special batch of the reference 186.004, a prototype version of the 186.0004. These digital Speedmasters were for the Omega Alaska project, the company’s testing ground for watches. These prototypes differ from production versions in several aspects: a thicker case to fit a tritium tube lighting system for the dial, the word ‘Light’ on the dial is absent, and identical numbering of 1621 to the inside case back.
Of these prototypes, 12 are recognised as being sent to NASA with individually hand engraved to the back with numbers. The present lot is number 1 of this issue, and provides an exciting opportunity to obtain an important example of a watch which bridges horological technology with advances in space travel.