No humans have traveled to the Moon since December 14, 1972. The last man who was waking on the lunar surface is the Captain Eugene Cernan, the commander of the Apollo XVII. In tribute to the 40th anniversary of this great achievement, Omega created a remarkable Speedmaster Moonwatch “Apollo XVII” 40th Anniversary watch. Limited to the symbolic number of pieces (1,972), this distinctive model with advanced technology and commemorative design celebrates human ingenuity that led to the fantastic discoveries in space.
The absolute highlight of Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch “Apollo XVII” is a 925 silver, hand-patina dial embossed with the precise replica of the Apollo XVII patch. As you can see on the picture above, it displays the man’s profile, the recollection of Apollo, planets and the American flag. These images are remarkably executed, so that they stand in perfect harmony with the rest of the watch. However, the readability of chronograph counters is pretty much reduced with this interface, but this time, it is less important than the artistic impression.
A nicely polished stainless steel case has the diameter of 42 mm. The bezel incorporates a black disc with the tachymeter scale, like the original Speedmaster. Inside the case, there is the legendary Omega 1861 Caliber. This hand-winding chronograph mechanism deserved the status of the brand’s icon inside the Buzz Aldrin’s Moonwatch. Highly resistant to corrosion, is oscillates at the frequency of 21,600 vibrations per hour and provides 48 hours of power reserve.
NASA’s Apollo 17 program that ended in December 1972 was particularly successful since astronauts passed the greatest distance using the Lunar Roving Vehicle and returned the greatest amount of rock and soil samples. The commander of the mission, Eugene Cernan, also participated in the Apollo 10 mission in 1969, and in the Gemini IX-a mission in 1966, but Apollo 17 was definitely his biggest professional achievement since he is still known as the „Last man on Moon“. These are the exact words that are engraved on the screw-in case-back, along with “DECEMBER 14, 1972”, “APOLLO XVII”, “40TH ANNIVERSARY” and “limited edition number”.
Apollo XVII on Moon
Omega was an even more frequent member of NASA’s space missions than captain Cernan. Its Speedmaster Professional timepieces served as the equipment of all six lunar landings. Off course, the most famous is the one that survived the epic Buzz Aldrin’s walk on the surface of the Moon, in 1969. Three years ago, the Swiss watchmaker celebrated the 4th decade since the first man left his footprints on the lunar surface, by launching the Speedmaster Apollo 11 “40th Anniversary” Limited Edition. Earlier this year, Omega created another Speedmaster in the Limited Edition – the “First OMEGA in Space” watch. The series of great commemorative timepieces is now completed with the new Apollo XVII Moonwatch. It will be available in November, at a price of $7,200.
