Omega is re-releasing the first Speedmaster to ever fly into space

When it comes to Omega Speedmasters, none is more iconic than the “Moonwatch” that walked on the lunar surface in 1969. But Omega has more than just a walk on the moon on his astral-themed resume. Seven years before the Moon landing, in 1962, astronaut Walter “Wally” Schirra carried his personal Speedmaster on the Sigma 7 mission of the Mercury program, giving the model its own place in history. Now Omega releases a track inspired by Schirra’s work titled The First Omega in Space.

The all-new Omega Speedmaster First Omega in Space is not based on a NASA-approved lunar watch, but on the CK 2998 reference model, which Schirra himself purchased. This model was released in 1959 as the second generation of the Speedmaster and has several features that distinguish it from its later, perhaps more “iconic” Moon color references. Firstly, the CK 2998 housing has straight (not “twisted”) lugs and is less than 40 mm in diameter. But the dial with the slim “alpha” handset immediately distinguishes it from more modern models with sword-shaped hands.

The new version of First Omega in Space recreates the look of the old CK 2998, retaining the symmetrical 39.7 mm steel case, black aluminum “Dot-Over-Ninety” tachymeter bezel and convex glass. The dial itself is CVD-coated in chartreuse – replicating the look of some vintage CK 2998 watch dials – and features a yellow Super-LumiNova coating that matches the distressed luminous material on the vintage dial. The original CK 2998 has a triple chronograph display and that is present and included, but it is powered by the modern Caliber 3861 movement, a hand-wound design that inherits the mantle from 2021’s Caliber 361. The caseback also has the cool “First Omega in Space” engraved with Mercury’s 1962 launch date and the Omega hippocampus logo. FOiS has all the lovely details of a true vintage piece from 1959, without the dainty of watches older than 60 years. For a watch with a leather strap, you’ll pay $7,500 or, if you prefer a watch with a steel bracelet, $7,900.