An Overview Of Three Years Of Speedy Tuesday (Lots of Photos)!

On the 29th of May 2012, we published our first Speedy Tuesday article. That first article wasn’t even about the famous Moonwatch, but one of its descendants, the Speedmaster Day-Date reference 176.0016, better known as the Speedmaster Mark 4.5. In total, we did 162 Speedy Tuesday articles so far and there are no plans to stop. On social media – especially Instagram and Facebook – the topic has been picked-up as well and on Instagram you’ll find the #speedytuesday hashtag used more than 9,000 times.

On this third anniversary, let’s have a look back on some of the content we created for you, on our own or with the help of our readers!

Speedy Tuesday 3-Year Overview

Speedmaster MIR – 28 Pieces Only

One of our first articles was about this rare Omega Speedmaster Professional MIR edition, only 28 pieces were made. These watches were delivered to the market in 1995, commemorating the 365 days in space in 1993 – 1994. 35 watches in total were kept on board in space, 28 were engraved and sold to the public. You can find the original post here, from June 2012.

Complete Set Speedmaster 145.012

The Speedmaster Professional pre-Moon 145.012 is – together with the 105.012 – considered to be the real Moonwatch. These are the references that made it to the Moon during the Apollo program. Nevertheless, the reference 145.012 the easiest caliber 321 to find – and on the wallet – for collectors. But perhaps not in this condition, as it was stored most of the time and had its periodic service intervals as well. Complete with the original box, papers (instruction book and warranty book that is) and the original invoice. Original post from July 2012 and can be found here.

Complete Set Omega Speedmaster Quartz LCD

Not very usual and perhaps also not the most popular Speedmaster, but this Omega Speedmaster Quartz LCD reference 39053000 with caliber 1620 movement is worth mentioning here. The son of the original owner wrote us that he wore it often – next to his Apollo 15 commemorative model – and in the end we did meet at one of our Speedy Tuesday GTGs. A great watch that deserves attention and wrist time. Price have gone up on these in the last few years, so it might be worth a look if you come across one. A complete set like this, with original booklet and box is a rare find. Original post from August 2012 and can be found here.

Speedmaster Professional Chronometer Apollo XI White Gold

The second time Omega made the Speedmaster Professional in white gold was in 1994 (first time in 1980, 20 pieces only) to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Apollo XI landing. Besides a number of Apollo XI 25th anniversary watches in stainless steel, Omega also produced 500 of them in white gold and gave it the caliber 864 movement, a chronometer version of the famous 861. Available on both leather and white gold bracelet and delivered in a tan leather strap box in the shape of a book. The original post was from September 2012 and can be found here.

Omega Speedmaster Pro Radial Dial – Official NASA Watch

That time we had someone here at Fratello Watches HQ dropping a bag upside down on our kitchen table and this fell out. #truth! A radial dial Speedmaster Pro that once was on the wrist of Austrian ESA astronaut Reinhard Furrer. It is a watch one of 56 pieces that Omega delivered to NASA in 1978 after the Speedmaster was certified for the Space Shuttle program. A stunning watch that also belonged to another astronaut later on. Finding this watch and sorting out the details was definitely one of our highlights. Having this watch on our wrists during the shoot felt amazing. You’ll find the original article here, dating back to October 2012.

Speedmaster Professional Moonphase Platinum Skeleton

One of our readers submitted images of his platinum Speedmaster Moonphase. The Speedmaster Professional with Moonphase is a combination that has been done since 1985 on several occasions. Skeleton work was done by Armin Strom – now famous for their own collection of watches – which he did more often for Omega in earlier years. Only 57 pieces of this reference 145.0058 were made in 2003, using a platinum bezel that looks very similar to the one used on the original CK2915 and (later) ’57 Replica model from 1998. The original post is from October 2012 and can be found here.

Magnus Walker’s Speedmaster

An interview with Magnus Walker – Porsche 911 guru and owner of Urban Outlaw – in TOPGear magazine showed a Speedmaster on his wrist. One e-mail further and we received a number of photos from Magnus Walker with his favorite timepiece. A Speedmaster Mark 4.5 reference 176.0012 with the famous Lemania 5100 chronograph movement. Original post from November 2012, click here.

Omega Speedmaster 9300 Review

Although it might seem we are keen on vintage Speedmaster watches only, that’s not the case. We love new models as well, including the caliber 9300 movement models. Our friends from Polish website Chronos24 submitted a review on the Speedmaster Caliber 9300 watch. A watch that we are very fond of ourselves as well (we did a review here). Later on, Omega based the Dark Side of the Moon, Grey Side of the Moon and White Side of the Moon on this model as well. Only the case (and dial) material is different. Original post from January 2013 and can be found here.

Omega Speedmaster CK2998 FAP (Fuerza Aerea del Peru)

Omega – as well as some other brands – issued watches to the Peruvian Airforce. Delivered around 1961, almost at the end of the production period of the CK2998, one of the most beautiful Speedmaster watches in our book. It was also this model that Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper bought privately to accompany them during space missions. Original post from February 2013 and can be found here.

Omega Museum Photo Report

One a few occasions we went to see the Omega Musum in Biel. If you haven’t done so, you should. This Speedy Tuesday post only covers the Speedmaster watches in the museum. Some rare pieces, prototypes and even worn Speedies from astronauts can be found there. One of our favorites is this Apollo XIII limited edition prototype, with a white dial. If you play nice, they might even taken them out the displays for you so you can be an astronaut for a minute or so. Or a President, as Nixon’s gold Speedmaster Professional BA145.022 is also located in one of the displays. Original post from March 2013 and can be found here.

True Story About The Speedmaster Tintin

Officially introduced as a Speedmaster Racing, we were told – after asking why the pattern didn’t strike us as ‘racing’ – that this watch was meant to be a Tintin commemorative watch. We’ve seen the original model as well, with a rocket on there, and we think the current legal owners of Tintin / Hergé are way too protective over their stuff. It even resulted in us getting legal threats from them, we couldn’t even mention the name Tintin. So we don’t. Anyway, Tintin was a nickname given to this watch by one of the readers/commenters of this article (posted originally here in April 2013).

Speedmaster 105.003 “Ed White”

The third generation Speedmaster is this 105.003 reference, the watch that went to NASA for testing in 1964. In the end, the Moonwatch received crown guards to protect the pushers and crown, but this was the watch that convinced NASA that the Speedmaster was their right choice. The pictured box is not original or correct for this model, but it looks nice eh? Shot taken on one of the mission control center’s panels. Original post can be found here, dated June 2013.

Omega Speedmaster Plaisted Polar Expedition 1968

They once in a while pop-up for sale, these Plaisted Polar Expedition Speedmaster reference 145.012 watches. This time, the one that belonged to the Canadian Jean-Luc Bombardier, the technician and youngest member (29 y/o) of the group. Based on the serial number (which is the same as the movement number on Omega watches), Omega was able to confirm the authenticity of the Plaisted Polar Expedition Speedmaster. It was offered for $99,000.- USD but it remains unknown where it is now. Original post from September 2013 can be found here.

Speedy Tuesday Event At The ESA Space Expo

The first big event we did together with the ESA Space Expo and Omega took place in October 2013. Omega brought their museum collection of Speedmasters, ESA arranged an awesome setting and guided tours and NASA’s Jim Ragan was there to enlighten us about the Moonwatch and how it exactly became the Moonwatch. A day to remember. The image above shows our own Gerard Nijenbrinks next to NASA’s Jim Ragan. A photo report with lots of images (also of Speedmasters from both the Omega Museum as well as from guests) can be found here, in this article from October 2013.

Three Different ’57 Speedmaster Models

As written before, we love both vintage and new models. On that last day of 2013, we published an article about three different models that have something to do with the first Speedmaster, including a CK2915 of course, from one of our readers and Speedmaster enthusiasts. In the end, we also published an in-depth review of the Speedmaster ’57 Caliber 9300 of course. The Replica from 1998 and the original CK2915 have been covered a couple of times in our Speedy Tuesday feature. Original post from December 2013 and can be found here.

Speedmaster ’57 Caliber 9300 Review

One of our first Speedy Tuesday posts in 2014 was this review of the aforementioned Speedmaster ’57 Caliber 9300 timepiece. With a size just below 42mm and therefor smaller than the regular 9300 (or DSotM/GSotM/WSotM) a wonderful alternative while you can still enjoy the beautiful in-house developed and produced chronograph movement. The images used were also one of the first where our photographer used some stacking techniques for FW. This year, Omega released another ’57 Caliber 9300 model that comes even more close to the original due to the use of faux patina as well as the typical Broad Arrow hands. Article was published in January 2014 and can be found here.

Speedmaster Pro 145.022 – Straight Engraving

Contributed by one of our friends, Christopher Beccan of Bexsonn.com, who shows his love for the Omega Speedmaster Professional 145.022 with horizontal – or straight – engraving. A wonderful article about the watch he cherishes. The 145.022 was introduced in 1968 and especially the models from early years have these beautiful stepped dials and – later on – horizontal engravings in the case back. It was also the reference that used the caliber 861 movement for the first time in a Speedmaster. One year later, Omega also introduced the Speedmaster Professional Mark II with the same movement. Original article was published in February 2014 and can be found here.

Speedmaster Apollo XI 45th Limited Edition

One of last year’s best read articles on Fratello Watches was this Speedy Tuesday’s article on the Speedmaster Professional Apollo XI 45th Anniversary Limited Edition. A watch that made our eye-brows frown as we saw it on display in Basel but as soon as we had it in our hands a few minutes later, we were hooked. Sold out quickly and try to get one now.. Either very difficult or very expensive. Article appeared March 2014 here.

Car Journalist Ben Oliver’s Speedmaster Mark III

We bumped into car journalist Ben Oliver last year in Como while being there for a car event sponsored by a watch brand. Ben Oliver was wearing a Speedmaster Mark III and a very nice one as well, you rarely see them on the wrist of people due to the height and size. However, they are beautiful and come in a few variations. We asked Ben Oliver about his Mark III and that resulted in this Speedy Tuesday article, published in May 2014.

The Dutch King and his Omega Speedmaster Professional

A little image in one of The Netherlands largest news publications was enough to start digging to get a confirmation on what he’s wearing on his wrist. We thought we saw the contours of a Speedy there and then we are difficult to be convinced otherwise. After a few hours of digging, we finally came up with better images of Dutch King Willem-Alexander van Oranje wearing an Omega Speedmaster Professional. He even operates the chronograph on one of the images. Originally published June 2014, here.

Moonwatch Only Book Review

One of the exceptions of Speedy Tuesday that wasn’t about a particular watch is this publication of August 2014, where we did a review on the best printed book on the subject to date, Moonwatch Only. If you have a hard time spending 250 Euro on a book, consider this: 250 Euro is only a small amount of money compared to the mistake(s) you can make when buying a vintage or rare Omega Speedmaster (Professional). It is merely an investment to prevent you from much higher bills. Besides that, it is a great read. Original article can be found here.

Speedmaster Liberace Grail

If you are a Speedmaster enthusiast – and you probably are otherwise you wouldn’t be keeping up till this sentence – you are familiar with the Holy Grail Speedmaster. We covered that one a couple of times and it basically comes down to a Speedmaster Professional case fitted with a Lemania 5100 movement ditto dial (layout). An amazing combination and was nicked Holy Grail by the late Chuck Maddox. The Liberace Grail is the Italian version of the Holy Grail due to its bi-color case. Only 200 pieces were made and delivered to the Italian market. The original article was published here, in November 2014.

Blue Dial Speedmaster Pro 145.012-68

The mysterious blue dial Speedmaster Professional 145.012-68. The Omega museum showed us their (then) recently acquired Speedmaster Professional 145.012 from 1968 with that blue-ish dial. Very difficult to capture with the camera, but it was definitely blue. They left the factory like this, no discoloration. Find the full story on this blue dial 145.012-68 here, published December 2014.

Story Behind David Bowie’s Lodger Album Speedmasters

David Bowie fans knew it for a long time already, the Lodger album-art has a Speedmaster and a Flightmaster inside. How did they end-up there? Were these watches that belonged to David Bowie personally or to the photographer of the album-art? Our reporter did an interview with the photographer and found out! Article published February 2015 and can be found here.

Omega Introduced The Silver Snoopy Award

The watch that was sold out on the first day to retailers and boutiques and has a waiting list with +4000 people on there. It will be delivered starting September and was already seen on the wrist of George Clooney during the Speedmaster Event in Houston that we covered here last week. A 0000-version probably, that are travelling around the world with Omega to show the BaselWorld novelties. An amazingly cool white dial Speedmaster that has even a more amazing caseback. Our event report of Houston shows a few images on how it is being made, but this initial article – published March 2015 – was our introduction of the Snoopy and contains a few comparisons with the previous Speedmaster Snoopy. Click here.

And let’s finish this overview with something vintage! A beautiful Omega Speedmaster Professional 105.012-66CB.

Speedmaster Professional 105.012-66CB

Contributed by one of our readers, this wonderful and rare 105.012-66CB. The CB (Le Centrale Boites) is the catch of course, as it was one of the two case makers that produced the beautiful Speedmaster cases for Omega. This particular watch was bought from its first owner and even came with the original papers. A rare find, and starting Speedmaster collector Rob was able to secure it. This particular reference was made between 1966 and 1968 but the papers date this 105.012-66CB back to 1967. Originally published in April 2015 and can be found here.

No Stopping!

We didn’t want to repeat some of the more recent articles from late 2014 and 2015, as you’ve probably seen them. If not, click Speedy Tuesday in the menu and there is the overview with +160 articles.

We have no plans on stopping the Speedy Tuesday feature, but we do need your input as well to keep it interesting and bring enough variation. If though you might feel your story isn’t interesting, your watch is too new or whatever, do not hesitate to share it with us nevertheless. We are still looking for some nice stories on Speedmaster watches – even though we’ve covered the same reference already – as we feel the best part is to share the stories on why you purchased a Speedmaster. Or perhaps you received it as a gift. We want to hear all about it. Please contact us here.