Omega
Speedmaster 321 Pre Moon Right-Stuff - programme nasa mercury gemini

Omega Speedmaster 105-012-66 pre-moon from 1967

Rare vintage chronograph Omega Speedmaster 105-012-66 pre-moon from 1967, equipped with the calibre 321 movement. The legendary Moonwatch featured in *The Right Stuff*, here in its original and early version. A collectible timepiece that made history in both watchmaking and space exploration. A watch worn by pilots, astronauts and racing drivers since 1957, it quickly became one of the most sought-after watches. So beloved was this model that it graced the wrists of many celebrities in the 1970s — and even the current US president Joe Biden wore one at his inauguration.

An aviation and extreme-condition watch, this model rivalled the Breitling Navitimer and Rolex GMT Master. Today, it is experiencing a surge in popularity, its market value starting to mirror the rise of the Daytona. Powered by the calibre 321 movement, it accompanied Neil Armstrong to the Moon, as well as most NASA cosmonauts during the Mercury program (Gordo Cooper, Alan Shepard, Gus Grissom, Ed White…). It also stood out during the Gemini, Skylab and Space Shuttle missions. Singer Jacques Brel never parted with his. These NASA programs inspired limited editions of the Speedmaster Professional that are now highly sought after.

This movement, recently revived in a new 2020 generation by Omega, is part of the historic legacy of the Bienne-based manufacturer. Produced from 1946 to 1968, this calibre was the result of a collaboration between Lemania and Omega. It began its career under the reference CH27 C12 and was catalogued by Lemania as calibre 2310, also supplied to prestigious brands such as Audemars Piguet, Vacheron Constantin, and Patek Philippe. In 1957, Omega chose it to power its Speedmaster "Broad Arrow", a partnership that would last until 1968, when the calibre 321 was replaced by the calibre 861 after having powered many of Omega’s most iconic chronographs.

Omega-signed movement calibre 321 number 24-XXX-XXX, with 17 jewels and a 44-hour power reserve, operating at a frequency of 18,000 vph. Protected by an anti-magnetic inner case between the movement and the screw-down caseback, it uses a column wheel to drive its three subdials: 30-minute, 12-hour and 60-second counters. The central hands for hours, minutes and chronograph seconds are easily readable on the minute track, featuring the iconic "Big S" and the applied Omega logo. It remains one of the most visually stunning and historically significant movements from Omega.

The Speedmaster featured here is reference 105.012.66, with a 42 mm case and the iconic metal ring at the top centre of the dial. It comes with its original angular-style steel bracelet, Omega reference 1039, the entire set in exceptional collector condition with matching serial numbers and markings on both the caseback and the movement.

You can learn more about the history of the Speedmaster Moonwatch by following this link.

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