Mechanical Watches in Spacehttp://thatwatchandmore.blogspot.com/2013/04/mechanical-watches-inspace.html Sunday, April 21, 2013 Many consider the Omega Speedmaster Professional to be the ultimate space watch. But there are many other watches that have been used in space exploration since it's humble beginnings in the early sixties. And that goes for both sides of the iron curtain. With this in mind I wanted to compile a list of essential space watches. I felt I had to set a few criteria before starting to compile the list. First I wanted the watch to be connected to a specific space flight or mission. Secondly I wanted it to be a mechanical watch, thus the X-33 and the recent Fiyta was out. And obviously it should have seen actual space flight. Another interesting aspect to this list is to look at it as a guide to building a space-themed collection. Then it would be essential to get the right model or reference of the watch. Also, if it is possible to date the watch, get one produced in the same year or time period as that of the flight or mission. As such, the production years below are the desired ones, not necessary all the years a particular model was produced. Ok, here we go in chronological order: First Moscow Watch Factory Sturmanskie (Vostok 1 in 1961) Gagarin's Sturmanskie. Very much faked and replicated. So much in fact, that this one could be exactly that despite my efforts to check it isn't so. When Jurij Gagarin April 12 1961 orbited the earth in Vostok 1, he wore his air force (VVS) graduation watch, a FMWF Sturmanskie. This watch was not especially commissioned for the space program, but a standard issue watch for Soviet military pilots at the time. Gagarin preparing for the flight on the 12 of April 1961. FMWF Sturmanskie on his left wrist, strapped on the outside of his flight suit. The manufacturer was First Moscow Watch Factory who produced these watches in limited numbers specifically for the Soviet Air Force in the years 1949-1954. These watches were not available to the general public. Nice presentation of a Sturmanskie from netgrafik.ch with pictures of the movement, the 17 jewel version. The movement was produced on old US watch factory equipment bought in the thirties and forties. Some sources say that these watches also were produced on french factory equipment as well, bought from LIP in France. The movement is a development of the Pobeda K-26, a movement found in other FMWF watches at the time. It is very much faked, and finding an original one from the time period could be a challenge. There are ways to spot the fakes though, and this thread has a good check list for that. Milestone: First wrist watch in space Specifications: Manufacturer: First Moscow Watch Factory Model: Sturmanskie, a.k.a. "Gagarin's Sturmanskie" Reference: N/A Diameter: 33mm Movement: 15/17 Jewel, Pobeda K-26 based movement, developed by FMWF Production Year: 1949-1954 As such. It was sent to the Breitling factory in Switzerland for repairs and was lost after that. Most of the Navitimers and Cosmonauts were sold through the AOPA (Airplane Owners and Pilots Association) in the US and had the AOPA-logo on the dial. Breitling soon followed with endorsed ads showing the Cosmonaute and its link to Carpenter and the Mercury Space Program When splashing down in the Atlantic after the flight. He got his watch just days before the flight with Aurora 7 May 24. a US Navy fighter pilot who had previously worn regular 12 hour . This must have been an early example. the watch got water damaged. because it was at the same time the watch was launched in the market place.Breitling Navitimer Cosmonaute (Aurora 7 in 1962) Early Breitling Cosmonaute. no one can with certainty say what the specifics where with regard to Carpenter's watch. without "Cosmonaute" on the dial. 1962. and believed to be closest to the one worn by Scott Carpenter when he flew Aurora 7 It is said that Scott Carpenter himself suggested a 24 hour version of the then established pilot watch Navitimer to the Breitling Company sometime in the early sixties. ca 1961-62. It is believed that this was also on the watch worn by Carpenter. This is also evident in the vintage pieces of the era. If nothing else. where the damaged ones far outnumber the flawless ones. White sub-dials came from 1962 and onwards. manual wind. also from 1962. very close in time to the Cosmonaute travelling with Carpenter on Aurora 7 Together with the slide rule and the chronograph functions it was a handy tool watch and popular among civilian and military pilots.Navitimers. But the watch was not commissioned as an official watch on this or future NASA missions. Milestone: First Chronograph in Space Specifications: Manufacturer: Breitling Model: Navitimer Cosmonaute Reference: 809 Diameter: 40mm Movement: Venus 178. at least in time. The Cosmonaute with white sub-dials and beaded bezel. Since it was a model produced in 1961-1962 it probably would've had the beaded bezel and the all black sub-dials. chronograph movement Production Year: 1961-1962 Omega Speedmaster (Sigma 7 in 1962) . This tells us there was a transitional period with beaded bezel and white sub-dials and is also closely linked to the Aurora 7 mission. probably due to its lack of robustness. This thread on Watchuseek is a good description of the Cosmonaute from its beginnings with Carpenter and all the way to its modern variants. Schirra's Speedmaster was a second generation Speedmaster. and would go for double or triple the price of that of a later reference. said to be one of the best chronograph movements ever made. it later became a candidate in the selection of an astronaut standard issue chronograph for future space programs. Although the Omega Speedmaster was not specifically commissioned for the Sigma 7 flight. This was the first time the Omega Speedmaster. 1962 he orbited the earth 9 times on the fifth of the Mercury missions. October 3.003 or 105. Wally Schirra wearing a Speedmaster.012. A litte more than 4 months after Carpenter's flight in Aurora 7 it was Wally Schirra's turn in Sigma 7. Picture from the . But that is a different story and another reference. although this is not the CK 2998 reference but probably a 105.Wally Schirra's Omega Speedmaster CK2998. more about that a little bit later. but be aware there are many frankens out there. notice this is second generation Speedmaster without "Professional" on the dial. The CK2998 is a very desirable piece in the collector's market. reference CK2998. later Speedmaster Professional was used on a space flight. They are fairly easy to obtain. As most of us know the story ended with the Speedmaster becoming the first watch worn on the moon. so caveat emptor. The watch was equipped with the legendary caliber 321 movement. after Gagarin's famous first flight in 1961. Milestone: First Omega in Space Specifications: Manufacturer: Omega Model: Speedmaster Reference: CK2998 Diameter: 40mm Movement: Omega caliber 321. the US got beaten not once but twice. but do not feel inclined to buy a vintage one there is an option. If you like the looks. written in both latin and cyrillic characters. But without the caliber 321 and most importantly without the historic authenticity of a vintage watch. March 18. 1965 the Soviets ordered Alexey Leonov out of his spacecraft to endure the hardships of outer space. The same hardships fell on his Strela chronograph. Leonov's space walk was US second defeat. Omega released a Schirra "First Omega in Space" tribute that looks just like the CK2998 in 2012.preparations for the Apollo 7 flight (1968). or just Strela. Sekonda Strela. In the beginning of the cold war space race. chronograph movement Production Year: 1962 Poljot Sekonda Strela (Voskhod 2 in 1965) The Poljot Strela. manual wind. And to make the confusion complete for us modern collectors. . a 19 jewel based Venus 150 chronograph movement.1965 Strela. the watch was later distributed in the west as Sekonda. Sometimes is had just "Strela" on the dial. They stayed in production until 1979. Leonov's space walk was performed mere three months before Ed White's.000 range and with a white dial. Clarifications on this matter from you readers are more than welcome. Sekonda. Unfortunately there are no pictures of Leonov outside the capsule with the Strela visible to the camera. there are watches from that era with Sekunda on the dial. Poljot 19000 to 31000 1966 . The Strela was produced until 1979 when the caliber 3017 was replaced by the 3133.1967 Sekonda. The movement in the Strela was Poljot caliber 3017. Rumor has it Leonov wore the white dialed one on his space walk in 1965. a Venus 150-based chronograph movement. Poljot watches with this caliber was used by cosmonauts well into the 1990s. I'm unsure about the distribution though. The movements made around 1965 have the following serial numbers: 1959 . which means it was distributed outside the Soviet Union. renamed Poljot in 1964 after Gagarin's famous flight three years earlier. Poljot was the Soviet name. Given the assumption that Leonov wore a white faced Strela. . The watch was built by First Moscow Watch Factory.1963 Strela. Poljot 31000 to 42000 A correct piece for 1965 would thus be in the 19-31.The Strela came with black and white dials respectively. The way I understand it. either in latin or cyrillic characters. Alexey Leonov on his historic spacewalk that lasted over 12 minutes. The production of the chronograph started in 1959 and was solely distributed to cosmonauts and pilots in the Soviet Air Force. up to 19000 1964 . Sekonda. 000 (serial number range) Diameter: 37mm Movement: Poljot caliber 3017. also called the "Ed White Speedmaster". and he wore the watch with an extended velcro band outside his spacesuit.003. EVA). venus 150 based movement Production Year: 1964-65 Omega Speedmaster Professional (Gemini 4 in 1965) Omega Speedmaster reference 105. serial 22. . Made famous when worn on the Gemini 4 EVA in June1965. The astronaut was Ed White. so caveat emptor as always.000. so I am uncertain of the price and availability. 1965 the Americans performed their first space walk (or Extra Vehicular Activity.000-31. and the watch sold was black dialed one.000 (within the 1965 range) going for under a $1. Finally on June 3. Milestone: First Watch on a Space Walk (EVA) Specifications: Manufacturer: Poljot (former FMWF) Model: Strela Reference: 19. but very much faked and frankenwatched. Not the most expensive of vintage watches maybe. A quick google gave me some hits from 2012.I haven't sourced any of these watches. Bulova.003 on his left wrist outside the space suit. Hamilton.Ed White's EVA. Omega Speedmaster. After Schirra's sucessful flight. ref. Omega Speedmaster caliber 321. three watches where picked out for further testing. Longines and Gruen. At this time the Speedmaster was officially the watch the astronauts was equipped with. Piccard. 105. Already in 1962 they short-listed chronographs from Elgin. . Rolex Daytona with the Valjoux 72 movement and a Longines Chronograph equipped with 13 ZN. Mido. NASA wanted to select a suitable chronograph for the forthcoming Gemini program. After the initial tests. Omega. Benrus. Rolex. NASA Aerospace engineer James Regan getting ready to centrifuge a Speedmaster as part of the rigorous testing of the future NASA space program chronograph. Only the Omega performed satisfactorily and was chosen as the official chronograph for the Gemini program in 1965. 500. Not only was this the watch that was used during his EVA.003 was also the transitional model where the "Professional" was added on the dial and in the name. Gus Grissom and Roger Chaffee perished in that same fire. but be aware of early 105. The following reference (105.g. sold at auction in 1999. They could be frankens also. Often the hands have been . Both variants of the dial are legit. but there are many frankens out there. They could be frankens.003 is equipped with the caliber 321 movement. Ed White's personal Speedmaster was sold at auction in 1999 for $34. It is important to check the dial and bezel variations and consistency with the year of manufacture given by the serial number on the movement or as a part of the reference number.500.The 105. probably 1039.003 was the last Speedmaster without crown guards as can be clearly seen in this picture The astronauts in the Gemini program were equipped with the 105. This happened around 1965. Unfortunately Ed White. it also survived the fire in the Apollo I capsule in 1967. Catalog listing of Ed White's Speedmaster. the last Speedmaster reference without a crown guard. Not bad considering this Speedmaster's provenance. 105.003. The seller was Ed White's son Edward White III. The final and winning bid was $34. The 105.003 on the original bracelet. e. It is perhaps not that much faked.012) and the ones after that came with a crown guard.003-65. and is a so-called "pre-moon" Speedmaster. The 105. The reference 105. The same goes for late 105. eliminating that particular problem.003s with Professional on the dial. This caused the watch to be caught in miscellaneous clothing and equipement and this was commented upon by the astronauts.003s with only "Speedmaster" on the dial. 1969 the Lunar Module landed in the Sea of Tranquility and inside the module there were two Speedmasters. Aldrin on the moon. both equipped with the Omega caliber 321. the first watch worn on the surface of the moon was Aldrin's watch. in case we could not get it going again" Armstrong. This is the same reference that was left inside the module when they made those famous first steps on July 20. I could've dropped it. since he was the first one on the surface. the original "first watch worn on the moon" It is reasonable to assume that Neil Armstrong's Speedmaster was the first watch worn on the moon. but then again I like Speedmasters. For some collectors this devaluates the watch some.012.012.012 Omega Speedmaster Professional. Although this is the second watch to be on a space walk I chose to include the Ed White Speedmaster on this list. the so-called "Armstrong" reference. reference 145. We would have at least one working watch to back up the mission timer or to use in place of the mission timer. reference 105. manual chronograph movement Production Year: 1963-69 Omega Speedmaster Professional (Apollo 11 in 1969) The Speedmaster.replaced too.003 Diameter: 40mm Movement: Omega caliber 321.012 and Aldrin the 145. wearing a reference 145. But not so: "our mission timer was out. from the 1969 NASA Technical Debrief As such. and we decided we had better leave one wristwatch inside in case it (the one taken outside) got damaged. Neil Armstrong wore the 105. Milestone: Second Watch on a Space Walk (EVA) Specifications: Manufacturer: Omega Model: Speedmaster (Professional from 1965) Reference: 105. July 20.012. . 1969. Although the astronauts were equipped with Speedmasters some of them also wore other watches like Dave Scott above. in the beginning connected to White's EVA and how the watch became exposed to outer space. Picture courtesy fellow blogger Gian Vittorio at blogspot. Advertisement for the Omega Speedmaster Professional. since the Speedmaster had lost it's crystal on a previous EVA on the same mission.com. 145.012 are so-called "pre-moon" references with the caliber 321 and are usually advertised as such. but be aware of replacement parts like hands and bezels (it should be "the dot over 90"). they were not the only ones. Jack Swigert (Apollo 13) wore a Rolex GMT Master. Dave Scott (Apollo 15) wore a Waltham Chronograph for his EVA. Milestone: First Watch Worn on the Moon . Apollo references are fairly easy to acquire. Again the Speedmaster was selected as the official wrist watch.012) from 1967 in excellent condition and with the original 1039 bracelet. Although these Speedmasters were the first watches on the moon. and as a result of that Omega started to use this fact in advertising. probably a reference 1675.012 and the 105. capitalizing on the fact that the watch was chosen by NASA as the official "space watch". in addition to his Speedmaster.The Aldrin reference (145. After the Gemini program a new round of tests were performed in order to select the wrist watch for the next space program (Apollo). As such Skylab became the first space station project.012 (Aldrin) Diameter: 40mm Movement: Omega caliber 321. The use of this watch was not sanctioned by NASA. the first automatic chronograph in space. Col. After the Apollo program NASA started to plan the next one. . This is the correct configuration for a "Pogue" Seiko 6139 which came in many variations. The Seiko 6139-6002 with the white inner bezel. Pogue used two watches. manual chronograph movement Production Year: 1963-1969 Seiko 6139 (Skylab 4 in 1973) Colonel William Pouge's Seiko 6139.Specifications: Manufacturer: Omega Model: Speedmaster Professional Reference: 105. The haul to the moon was a long one and the focus moved closer to earth. the Seiko 6139 and the Speedmaster.012 (Armstrong) and 145. On the Skylab 4 Mission in 1973 the Seiko 6139 became the first automatic chronograph in space. so far the only picture I have found showing him in his astronaut gear wearing the watch. Pogue even had the original receipt and papers accompanying the watch. A screen shot of the auction page at Heritage Auctions in 2008. Other manufacturers developed automatic chronographs at the same time.At the time the watch used by astronauts was still the Omega Speedmaster Professional but Mission Pilot William Pogue also used a Seiko 6139 during training to time engine burns. Quite a catch for a vintage watch collector. 1972. given the extraordinary provenance of the watch. At the time all chronographs were manually wound. Pogue with his Seiko 6139. 1973 he wanted to bring his Seiko also. which he had gotten used to during pre-flight preparations. . Equipped with the Speedmaster only a few days before the launch on November 16. and the next big thing was the automatic chronograph. Not bad.000. so no conclusions as of yet on which watch was the first. But then again. even better considering it was bought for the princely sum of $71 on June 13. On a side-note the Seiko 6139 was one of the first automatic chronographs when it was launched into the market place in 1969. Pogue's original Seiko 6139 was auctioned off in 2008 and reached the very affordable price of $6. Apart from that identical to Pogue's original watch. Notice how this one is missing the "Water 70 Meters" printing on the dial. And it is possible to get a decent piece for a decent price compared to the other space watches. so it is important to check all aspects of the watch. These watches are very hard to service and sourcing parts can be very difficult. As such. automatic chronograph movement Production Year: 1973-1974 Sinn 141/142 (Space Shuttle Challenger in 1985) . In today's market these watches are often re-built with spare parts. often referred to as "The Pogue" Reference: 6139-6002 Diameter: 40mm Movement: Seiko 6139. so-called frankenwatches.Another very nice example of the Pogue Seiko 6139. an affordable piece can turn out to be quite expensive in the long run. Milestone: First Automatic Chronograph in Space Specifications: Manufacturer: Seiko Model: N/A. This thread on WUS is a good place to start if you are planning to buy one. Sometimes they have moisture damage to the dial and movement as well. But beware. the mission's payload specialist wore a Sinn 141 with the Lemania caliber 5012. On the eighth and last sucessful mission of the space shuttle Challenger Reinhard Fuller. 1985 and lasted for 7 days orbiting the earth 112 times. This is an early movement in the 5100 family. . as discussed earlier in this article. This was challenged in 2007 when David Bruno started a correspondance with Col. believed to be the same model worn by Reinhard Fuller on shuttle mission STS-61-A (D1). Fuller died in a Bf-109 crash at an air show outside Berlin in 1995. very desirable given the year of the mission. Reinhard Fuller wearing his Sinn 141. Pogue regarding his suspicions that the Seiko was the first one. This particular piece is dated 1985.PVD coated Sinn 141. Challenger was launched October 30. When Pogue's Seiko 6139 surfaced and auctioned away in 2008 the matter was put to rest. For a long time it was thought that this watch was the first automatic chronograph in space. Sinn advert showing Fuller and the 142. I did a quick search on chrono24 and on the net to see if any 141s were for sale.50 versus the 145. Still it is not similar to the watch that Fuller wore. although the case backs on these "space Sinns" are marked 140/142. A reasonable comparison would be the Speedmaster 3570. I think all photographic evidence and the subsequent research point towards the PVD coated 141 with the 5012 movement inside. There's a lengthy discussion about this in this interesting thread on WUS. the latter two being "the right ones" according to many collectors.012. especially the 141 with the 5012 (day and date not only date). There has also been some doubts whether it was the 142 or the more uncommon 141 that was flown on that particular mission in 1985. Helmut Sinn himself and the Sinn advertising say that it was the 142. Personally. So unless Fuller's original watch surfaces the state of that discussion will be inconclusive. Still. it is widely believed that Fuller wore the 141 and not the later advertised 142.Although it is not confirmed by photos from the shuttle mission.012 and the 105. the reference Sinn and Helmut Sinn himself connected to the astronaut and the shuttle mission. They seem rather hard to get by. . The regular 142s with the STS-61 engraving on the back are available though. But the watch is! Specifications: Manufacturer: Sinn Model: 141 Reference: 141 Diameter: 40mm Movement: Lemania 5012. Maybe the milestone is not that interesting. This was a mission taking the cosmonauts Malenchenko and Musabayev to the then operational Mir space station. except for Germans. automatic chronograph movement Production Year: 1985 Fortis Official Cosmonauts Chronograph (Soyuz TM-19 in 1994) Fortis Official Cosmonauts Chronograph. 602.finetimepieces.. I know. ref.10.142 with the 5100 Lemania movement. 1994. The watch's first mission was the Soyuz TM-19 mission launched July 1.. These watches came in many configurations and also with a standard ETA 7750 movement (picture courtesy www.com) In 1994 Fortis became the official watch for the cosmonauts and astronauts who attended the Yuri Gargarin Cosmonaut Training Center.Milestone: First German Chronograph in Space Yes. . Maybe someone out there can help? The watch is still the official RFSA watch. ref 659. The B-42 Titanium. As of 2005.11 with the ETA 7750 movement. The 602. Fortis immediately began capitalizing on the fact that they were chosen as the official cosmonauts chronograph by the Russian Federal Space Agency in 1994. But I think it is reasonable to assume that it was a ref. Now the official ISS cosmonauts watch.10. That was the Fortis Stratoliner.27.142 was not the first Fortis in space though.22.finetimepieces. but in a somewhat different configuration than the original Lemania equipped 602. The mission first using the Stratoliner is unknown.142 (or 602. Picture courtesy of www.com. the B-42 Titanium Edition has been the official watch used on the International Space Station (ISS).22.Cosmonauts Malenchenko and Musabayev. 602. Picture from the walk-out July 1. Some might find this more desirable than the original as it's diameter is 42 and not 38mm.142) produced around 1994 with a tachymeter scaled bezel that was used on that particular mission. Unfortunately I haven't been able to find any pictures of the Fortis Chronograph used on that particular mission I haven't found any pictures of the cosmonauts wearing the watch.22. .142. 1994. The Lemania 5100 is a very collectable movement and the Fortis Cosmonaut watches mentioned above are relatively affordable. Quite fortunate for Fortis from an advertising perspective. Fortis Official Cosmonaute Chronograph (B-42 Titanium Edition) free falling inside the International Space Station (ISS). Milestone: First Automatic Chronograph on a Space Walk Specifications: Manufacturer: Fortis Model: Official Cosmonauts Chronograph Reference: 602. especially the ones produced in the period 1995-2000. A certificate stating Fortis as the manufacturer of the official cosmonaut chronograph but it doesn't say anything about type or reference. automatic chronograph movement Production Year: 1995-98 . but as always: Caveat Emptor. I haven't done enough research into the watch to judge the amount of fakes and so forth. As such it was the first automatic chronograph on an EVA. and saw extra-vehicular activity as early as on the Soyuz mission in 1994.The watch was put to a series of tests and was approved for EVAs.142 Diameter: 38mm Movement: Lemania 5100.22. This article is the result of a lot of googling. information site about missions and so forth Chronomaddox. Google. Both the information and the pictures are mostly from these sites: Watchuseek. the biggest watch discussion forum on the net Spacefacts.de. best watch online magazine Everything is used for information purposes only. Speedmaster v Strela: The Battle Of The Moon Watches Most “watch nerds” are familiar with the story of the Omega Speedmaster Professional “Moonwatch” and the ensuing cult of flight certified and flown wristwatches. However like many things in the cold war. great article! Note that it is "Sekonda".com. forum for affordable watches strela-watch. and the Harrier behind the iron curtain a shadowy mirror image could be found competing with the western version.ch.nasa.net. and is in fact the #1 watch seller in the UK. distributor of Fortis Netgrafik. Sekonda was a British firm that imported watches from the USSR and sold them under their name. 2013 at 4:52 PM Yes. Concord. although they no longer sell Russianmade watches. fantastic information on Navitimers and Speedmasters (and Lemania!) Hq. mostly in the UK. StefanVJune 28.com.gov. please let me know. The pictures also. lovely pictures of Soviet space watches pmwf. including the Space Shuttle. not "Sekunda".com. If you see your picture and want it removed. NASA information site Hodinkee. company site for the modern Strela watch lesmala. Sekonda still exists.com.Acknowledgements First and foremost.com. .de. the best site on Speedmasters Gevrilgroup. In the Soviet Union in the 1960’s and 70’s there was another column wheel chronograph strapped to the wrist of a man hanging in raw vacuum and remorselessly ticking away. The fable of the Speedmaster. . for the uninitiated goes something like this. NASA took what retrospectively looks like a characteristically American. his personal Omega Speedmaster. Bulovas and in Ed White’s case. pragmatic and capitalist approach to the problem. all go no quit. They let astronauts choose whichever the watch they wanted from the many commercially available and as long as it did not look like it might actually blow up inside the spacecraft all was well. Early Mercury astronauts wore a mixture of watches including Brietlings. steely eyed test pilots needed to issue their freshly minted “astronauts” with watches which would stand up to the frankly insane demands of spaceflight. an organisation which was a curious mix of beanie hatted engineering geeks and balls to the wall. The relatively newly formed NASA. stopping them suddenly. It seems crazy in retrospect that Omega were actually paid for the watches NASA used. including Breiltings and Rolexes off the self from a local dealer and started sticking them in vacuum chambers.Eventually NASA decided it needed to standardise equipment and opted to test a range of commercially available chronographs to destruction. given the value that was later derived from this arrangement. accelerating them to massive speeds. . prompting NASA to order in bulk from the Swiss manufacturer. The only watch to survive was the Omega. baking them in ovens and freezing them. Astonishingly NASA independently bought a clutch of watches. licensed technology from a likely looking source (Venus movements which powered early .In contrast to this the early soviet space program was presented with exactly the same problem and took what in retrospect looks like characteristically Soviet. They formed a major state industry to mass produce wrist watches. planned and socialist approach to the problem. Unlike White’s flight however. Most memorably it seems Alexi Leonov wore a “Strela” on the first “spacewalk” or EVA (extra vehicular activity) just a few months before Ed White would do the same wearing his Speedmaster. built the brilliantly named “1st Moscow Watch Factory” and manufactured a something from scratch to meet their aerospace needs. Originally this was issued to Russian air force pilots it became standard issue for cosmonauts throughout the early days of the soviet space program. In any case Strelas were in heavy use amongst cosmonauts of this ear and were clearly still being used in space in 1978 with cosmonaut Alexi Gubarev clearly pictured in Omega’s own “Time Capsule” book on the history of the Speedmaster. and in keeping with the general lack of contemporary documentation available in the USSR space program there is some debate if Leonov wore a watch on the EVA.Breitling Navitimers). Now commonly known as the “Strela” (Russian for “Arrow”) this watch was based around a calibre derived from the Venus 150 movement and dubbed the 3017. or if he did whether it was inside or outside his pressure suit. . particularly in what could be described as . It’s chunkier. the feedback from the chronograph pushers is more positive and the whole package feels like something you would trust to shoot into space with you. In some respects this difference illustrates the contrasts between Soviet and Western engineering at the time.Looking at the two watches side by side today it’s obvious the Omega is far more durable and well built. On the modern front clearly someone has taken a leaf out of Omega’s book with an enterprising appropriation of history allowing you to buy modern versions of the Strela from Strela-watch. The Cyclic script on the dial adds a degree of exotic charm and the “Made in the USSR” rather than the “Swiss Made” stamp on the dial makes you feel vaguely traitorous as you strap in on your wrist and venture out into an industrialised western city. Marketing Dream Interestingly both the soviets and Omega recognised very quickly the branding value of the watches for sale to the public. Obviously the current Speedmaster Professional range offers a great modern. Without reviewing the watch in detail for a sporty looking modern mechanical chrono with some interesting pedigree it seems decent value. Even today you can buy a wide array of Speedmaster Professional chronos sold on the back of its NASA connection. However the soviet marketers were not up to their Swiss counterparts and the Sekonda brand was sold on and degenerated into quartz powered drudgery in the 1980s. The soviets created the “Sekonda” brand to sell watches built in Russia to western democracies. moving from the column wheel cal 321 to the cal 861. However Omega replaced the movement in the Speedmaster. Omega on the other hand caught up quickly after it’s initial tardiness and over time rejuvenated it’s entire marketing strategy on the back of it’s use in the Apollo Program. the X33 is a titanium cased object of lust for space watch junkies the world over. Buying one Vintage Strelas are still available at very reasonable prices and generally seem to go forever if well looked after. Vintage Omega Speedmasters with the appropriate movement are massively sought after and good examples go for significant amounts of money. That being said the Strela is a deeply cool and unique looking watch today.“consumer goods”. Given the price . Indeed it seems that at various points cosmonauts obtained Omega’s of various models to replace issued Strelas. Given that NASA originally secretly tested and then paid for it’s watches how many Speedmaster professionals has Omega sold since 1969? Or more importantly how much of the Omega brand “value” is derived from the history of this single watch. Buzz Aldrin is still an “Omega Brand Ambassador” and the modern version of the Speedmaster Pro. a simpler and easier to manufacture movement. historic 321 which was actually worn on the moon and prices reflect that. Inevitably the serious watch geek will always pine for the intricate.de. rock solid Omega watch with a cool history. presumably to obtain some useful foreign currency and offset the massive costs of running a state owned watch factory. with prices ranging from $300 to $500. It’s also a great talking point amongst anyone who notices that your watch was not made by one of the usual suspects. I am fairly sure a man in the Swatch marketing department can put a pretty exact figure on that one. It’s a totally wearable everyday vintage watch but prices have started to creep up for good examples recently. expeditionexchange.ch/russian_space_watches.band inevitably the unscrupulous start churning our fakes and frankens so it’s worth going to a trusted dealer.htm http://www.chronomaddox. Given the cost of a vintage Speedmaster owning a Strela is a far cheaper way of obtaining an authentic column wheel chronograph with genuine historic resonance. Ultimately “space watches” are the purest expression of the mechanical “tool watch” designed to work rather than look good on the wrist.lesmala. And if you already own a Speedmaster (lucky you) it’s Russian twin would look very cool next to it in the watch box.com/35th. Developed in a time before quartz swept in a spoilt everything. Sothebys Catelog 1993 http://www.net/jean-michel/speedmaster/index2. Sources http://www. and benefitting from being at the heart of some of the most complex and inspiring engineering feats of human history its fascinating to see the two different tacks the USSR and the USA took in the kitting out of it’s personnel.com/omega/ Want to read all Mytro updates? Click here! .com/welcome-komrade-the-russian-made-strela-chronograph/ Russian Space History.html http://thewatchlounge.netgrafik.htm http://www.