Manufacturer: Omega Year: 1967 Reference No: 105.012-66 Movement No: 24’953’710 Model Name: Speedmaster Material: Stainless steel Calibre: Manual, cal. 321, 17 jewels Bracelet/Strap: Stainless steel Omega bracelet, endlinks stamped "516", max length 190mm Clasp/Buckle: Stainless steel Omega deployant clasp stamped "1067" and "1.72" Dimensions: 42mm Diameter Signed: Case, dial, movement and bracelet signed Accessories: Further accompanied by Omega Extract of the Archives confirming its production on August 8, 1967 Literature: For other examples of the reference 105.012 see OMEGA, A Journey Through History by Marco Richon, 2007.
Catalogue Essay
The Omega reference 105.012-66 was released in 1964 and has been affectionately named the “Moonwatch” as lunar module pilot Buzz Aldrin wore this model on his space mission, which landed himself and Neil Armstrong on the moon for the first on July 20, 1969. The reference was the first to feature the “Professional” signature on the dial and became one of the leading watches wore by NASA astronauts during the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Manufactured in 1967 and sold to Japanese market, the present example is in lovely original condition with unpolished case and a dial that has aged with beautiful brownish yellow lume plots. The “lyre” style case by Huguenin Frères, Lelocle has strong proportions and facets and features the correct “dot over 90” bezel. The Speedmaster is a must have watch amongst collector today and this example is sure to impress savvy buyers for its originality.
Omega's rich history begins with its founder, Louis Brandt, who established the firm in 1848 in La Chaux de Fonds. In 1903, the company changed its name to Omega, becoming the only watch brand in history to have been named after one its own movements. A full-fledged manufacturer of highly accurate, affordable and reliable watches, its sterling reputation enabled them to be chosen as the first watch company to time the Olympic Games beginning in 1932. Its continued focus on precision and reliability ultimately led their Speedmaster chronograph wristwatch to be chosen by NASA in 1965 — the first watch worn on the moon.
Key models sought-after by collectors include their first, oversized water-resistant chronograph — the reference 2077, early Speedmaster models such as the CK 2915 and 2998, military-issued versions of the Seamaster and oversized chronometer models such as those fitted with their prestigious caliber 30T2Rg.