Zach visits Axiom Space & NASA in Houston with Omega in honour of 60 years of Speedmaster flight certification
Zach BlassThe positioning of the Omega Speedmaster as the most iconic chronograph was cemented in 1969 when it became the watch worn by the Apollo 11 crew during the first Moon landing. But it was four years prior, in 1965, when the stage was set for it to become the Moonwatch, as it was the year the Speedmaster quietly received flight certification by NASA. Omega did not initially know it had won this badge of honour. It was only in April 1966, after seeing astronaut Edward White photographed wearing one during a space walk, that the brand reached out for confirmation and received the news.
It’s truly incredible that a watch made in the ’60s was able to withstand such brutal tests, designed to destroy anything submitted. Of the twelve watches submitted, it was only the Speedmaster that somehow managed to survive a shock test that consisted of the watch being subjected to 40gs of force at 11m/s in six different directions. It’s one hell of an achievement – which is why Omega invited me and a small group of fellow watch journalists to NASA and Axiom Space’s HQs in Houston, Texas earlier this week to commemorate its 60th anniversary.
Though the testing grounds for the Speedmaster remained off-limits, the places we did get to see were pretty remarkable – places that are central to the past and future of space exploration. We first visited Axiom Space to see the next generation of lunar space suits in development. It was funny to hear the watch industry term “in-house” being used very frequently, a source of pride for Axiom Space, understandably, of all it can achieve within its facilities. But Axiom Space also interestingly noted the partners it works with, enlisting the help of legendary fashion house Prada to create the grey fabric seen on the suit, which requires a high level of mastery to stitch, as well as renowned sunglass brand Oakley for the visor of the astronaut suit.
We then headed over to NASA and Space Center Houston, and the place that really moved me during our visit was the very mission control room that oversaw the Apollo 11 lunar mission. Recreated to look exactly as it did on that monumental day in 1969, it is astounding to see what NASA was able to achieve with the technology of the time. Very advanced for the era, we are looking at computers that deal in megabytes – in stark contrast to the terabytes of data the modern world works with today.
Right after, we got to watch the modern Mission Control Center in action, overseeing the International Space Station and learn about what the various desk stations are responsible for to keep things running smoothly.
One Speedmaster fun fact I was unaware of until I had a chat with astronaut Michael López-Alegria, is that many astronauts travel with more than one Speedmaster. “When we started at Axiom in 2016, immediately we thought about a watch partner. And of course, Omega was the one of choice, and we’ve had a partnership with them on all of our private astronaut missions,” López-Alegria explained.
“The X-33 Skywalker, as well as the classic Omega Moonwatch, are the watches the crew members are allowed to use. In fact, we wear them for launch. We generally wear the Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch for launch and entry, and then when we’re on board the X-33 because it has a lot of functionality, a lot of different clocks and alarms – things that are very useful in orbit to help us manage our day,” he shared.
The X-33, as we would later notice on the wrist of Canadian astronaut and Artemis II crew member Jeremy Hansen, is a very useful tool for tracking things like elapsed mission time. However, the X-33’s liquid display and quartz crystal will not function in the vacuum of outer space. It’s an interesting dynamic that the only Speedmaster that is certified for EVA is the Moonwatch itself, and that the obsolete and antiquated technology of a mechanical watch is the only tool that can get the job done outside of the spacecraft.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Zach and the Time+Tide Team
Watch meme of the week: homage or heretic?
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There is nothing wrong with buying a less expensive alternative to an expensive icon or established design. But above jokes aside, one of my strongest pieces of advice to any budding collector is never to buy the homage if it will not completely scratch the itch permanently. Better to save and wait for the day you can make your grail a reality.
Wristshot of the week: Speedy Tuesday
It just so happened that we had our Space Axiom and NASA tour on a Tuesday. Of course, we all had our requisite Speedmasters on (though mine was a loaner). Which would you pick? RJ’s Calibre 321, Zen’s MoonSwatch, TanTan’s Speedmaster with a white lacquer dial, or the Dark Side of the Moon on my wrist?
Time+Tide shop pick of the week: Christopher Ward C12 Twelve (Ti) Non-Fumé
Since its debut in 2023, The Twelve has become a standout in the Christopher Ward lineup. Its steel and titanium variants have followed a distinct design convention: monotone colour dials for steel, and graduated fumé dials for titanium. But in true Christopher Ward fashion, the rules were made to be broken – especially when customers ask for it. This new collection combines the lightweight, ultra-thin sophistication of the (Ti) with a clean, monotone dial finish, previously reserved for the steel models.
Discover the Christopher Ward C12 Twelve (Ti) Non-Fumé range in the Time+Tide Shop, exclusively in-store at our London and Melbourne Discovery Studios. Price: from A$1,473
Our favourite Time+Tide coverage of the week
The Omega Railmaster returns – do we have Cillian Murphy to thank?
When Oppenheimer and Peaky Blinders star Cillian Murphy hit various red carpets wearing his personal Railmaster in 2023, it was, perhaps, a pop culture catalyst that set the stage for the return of the Omega Railmaster via two new references – one with a more modern and monochromatic grey dial and the other vintage-flavoured with a small seconds display. I had the scoop here.
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Andrew jumps on the Standard H Podcast!
Andrew made his long-awaited debut on the Standard H Podcast to chat with host Wesley Smith about the growth of Time+Tide, his move from Australia to England and our expansion into bricks and mortar retail – as well as our future plans. Give it a listen above.