When it comes to Omega Speedmasters, none are more iconic than the “Moonwatch” that walked on the lunar surface in 1969. But Omega has more than a stroll across the moon on its astral-themed résumé. Seven years before the Moon landing, in 1962, astronaut Walter “Wally” Schirra wore his personal Speedmaster during the Sigma 7 mission of the Mercury program, giving that model its own place in history. Now, Omega is releasing a piece inspired by Schirra’s, called The First Omega in Space.
The brand-new Omega Speedmaster First Omega in Space is based not upon a NASA-approved Moonwatch, but the reference CK 2998 that Schirra bought himself. This model was released in 1959 as the second generation of the Speedmaster, and has several features that differentiate it from later, perhaps more “iconic”, Moon-tinged references. First of all, the CK 2998’s case has straight (rather than “twisted”) lugs and measures less than 40mm in diameter. But the dial, with its slim “alpha” handset, immediately sets it apart from more modern models with sword hands.
The new version of the First Omega in Space recreates the look of an aged CK 2998 by maintaining the 39.7mm symmetrical steel case, black aluminum “Dot-Over-Ninety” tachymeter bezel, and domed crystal. The dial itself is CVD-coated grey-blue—which replicates the looks of certain vintage CK 2998 faces—and has yellow-ish Super-LumiNova to match the aged luminous material on a vintage dial. The triple-register chronograph display of the original CK 2998 is present and accounted for, but it’s powered by the modern Calibre 3861 movement, the hand-wound design that inherited the mantle from the Calibre 361 in 2021. The caseback also has a cool “First Omega in Space” engraving with the date of Mercury’s liftoff in 1962 and the Omega hippocampus logo. The FOiS features all the charming details of a legitimate vintage piece from 1959 without the fragility that comes with a watch more than 60 years old. The watch on a leather band will set you back $7,500 or, if you like it on a steel bracelet, $7,900.
