Omega

Directly from the Personal Collection of Apollo 11 Lunar Module Pilot Buzz Aldrin

"MOON WATCH" FROM THE FIRST PERSON TO WEAR AN OMEGA SPEEDMASTER ON A LUNAR EVA.

When NASA was testing watches for the space program, they were looking for a chronograph that could withstand temperature extremes, high humidity, high oxygen environment, shock from every direction, high and low pressure, vibration and acoustic noise. Since automatic and quartz watches were not yet in production, they looked to mechanical movements, as the present example.

Omega was awarded the contract and Gus Grissom and John Young on Gemini III were the first to wear NASA-issued Speedmasters. The most famous use of the Speedmaster was during the Apollo 11 mission. They’ve been known as “Moon Watches” ever since. Interestingly, Neil Armstrong left his Speedmaster in the Lunar Module during their Lunar EVA, while Aldrin wore his, becoming the first astronaut to do so.