Omega Speedmasters that Went to the Moon

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Fifty-one years ago, on July 20, 1969, NASA Astronaut Buzz Aldrin stepped on the Moon with his Omega Speedmaster. While the Speedy has been a notable and reliable chronograph even before then, it became an icon and a bestseller ever since. It was not just the Speedmaster anymore, but also the Moonwatch.

Today, one will find a wide selection of watches under Omega’s Moonwatch family. For Omega purists and history buffs however, the only Moonwatches are those that actually went to the Moon. Which models are those and which modern Moonwatches represent them best? Check out our quick guide to the original Moonwatches:

Now we get to the reference that turned the Speedmaster into the Moonwatch – the reference 105.012 worn by the Apollo 11 astronauts. Neil Armstrong, the first man to step on the Moon, was also provided with this timepiece, but legend has it that it stayed on board of the Lunar Module.

It was Buzz Aldrin, who followed Armstrong on the Moon’s surface, who was wearing the 105.012, therefore making it the first watch on the Moon.

This reference was updated to a 42mm case (versus it’s predecessor’s 39.7mm), with a symmetrical shape and crown and pusher guards that flow seamlessly into the lugs.

The reference 145.012 was produced in 1967 and 1968, making it a Pre-Moonwatch. It was worn by astronauts more than any other Speedmaster, but it wasn’t until the Apollo 14 mission that it made its way to the moon’s surface, on astronaut Alan Shepard’s wrist.

The 145.012 is a slight upgrade to the 105.012 with its taller caps and screwed in pushers. It was also the last to use the renowned second generation calibre 321, before it was revived by Omega in 2019.

One of the questions we often get asked is, “Which of the modern Omega Speedmasters is closest to the original Moonwatch?” Basically, some clients prefer to wear a newer Moonwatch but with the features of the original 105.012 or 145.012.

The Moonwatch per definition is a hand-wound watch with a Hesalite or plexiglas crystal and a stainless steel case back. One can also follow the succession of models in the Moonwatch line to get a direct descendant of the original Moonwatch:

145.012 – replaced by 145.022 in 1968
145.022 – replaced by 145.0022 in 1982
145.0022 – replaced by 3590.50 in 1988
3590.50 – replaced by 3570.50 in 1996
3570.50 – replaced by the current 311.30.42.30.01.005 in 2014

Of course, if heritage is of utmost important to you, nothing will beat the original 105.012 and 145.012 models. Rest assured, however, that their descendants are considered Moonwatches as well.