« Limited Editions with Special Ambitions »
To mark the 60th anniversary of the legendary Omega Speedmaster, Omega has released three limited special editions. First unveiled to the public at Baselworld in March 2017, these retro-styled watches recall the origins of the world-famous model line that has decisively shaped the brand's identity for six decades and will likely remain part of the manufacturer's collection for a long time to come. The Omega Trilogy 1957 should appeal above all to watch enthusiasts with a fondness for pairing retro design with modern mechanical watchmaking.
A Tribute to 1950s Classics
It is precisely this combination of modern technology and 1950s design that gives the Omega Trilogy 1957 anniversary edition its special charm. Why the Speedmaster's 60th anniversary in particular is being celebrated so lavishly is easy to understand once you consider how formative this model line was for the Omega brand – and still is. The watch's enormous worldwide fame stems above all from its role as the "Moonwatch" and NASA's official astronaut watch. Astronaut Walter Schirra, who launched into space aboard Mercury-Atlas 8 on October 3, 1962, and orbited the Earth six times, already wore a second-generation model on his wrist during his mission – a direct ancestor of the Speedmaster 60th Anniversary Limited Edition now launched in the 2017 anniversary year.
This had been preceded by a request from the U.S. space agency NASA to various watchmakers to submit rugged, precise watches so that their suitability for space could be tested. The Speedmaster prevailed over its rivals from other manufactures and, in March 1965, roughly two and a half years after Schirra's spaceflight, NASA officially presented it as the only watch qualified for crewed American space missions.
Exhaustively Tested Under the Most Extreme Conditions
The elaborate series of tests that preceded this decision were grueling. The candidate space watches had to prove themselves under strong magnetic fields as well as in zero gravity. On top of that came extreme shocks and vibrations they had to withstand in order to cope effortlessly with the enormous stresses of a rocket launch. Under none of these conditions could the reliability and precision of the test pieces suffer – nor under extreme temperature swings ranging from 18 degrees Celsius below zero to 93 degrees Celsius. As NASA's official space watch, the Speedmaster, a manual-winding chronograph, achieved immortal fame during the first crewed Moon landing in the summer of 1969.
Astronaut Buzz Aldrin wore one on his wrist at that historic moment. Since then, the "Moonwatch" has won a fan base among watch lovers around the world that now spans several generations – and that has no doubt greeted the Omega Trilogy with considerable interest and delight.
Excellent Quality for Decades
Beyond its fame as a space watch, however, it is above all the timeless, sporty-elegant design and excellent quality of the Speedmaster models that have sustained their unbroken popularity for decades. Interestingly, more than ten years after winning the first selection process, the legendary icon prevailed once again in a NASA selection when the agency was looking for watches for the Space Shuttle missions in 1978.
At that time, the tests were even more demanding than in 1965, yet once again the entire competition had to concede defeat to Omega's Speedmaster Professional. The historical forerunners of the Railmaster 60th Anniversary Limited Edition and the 60th Anniversary Limited Edition of the Seamaster 300 were likewise distinguished by exceptional reliability and quality. They are the two other models of the Trilogy 1957 issued for the anniversary, and each also represents a key chapter in Omega's model history.
Limited Production and an Impressive Three-Watch Box in Fine Wood
The Speedmaster 60th Anniversary Limited Edition and its two sister models, the Railmaster 60th Anniversary Limited Edition and the Seamaster 300 60th Anniversary Limited Edition, are each limited to 3,557 pieces. They come in an impressive three-watch box – at least for the maximum of 557 buyers who wish to purchase all three models of Omega's Trilogy 1957 at once. The box is modeled on the original packaging used in 1957. It is made of Swiss oak, lined with beige corduroy inside, and bears a retro logo.
All three models of the Omega Trilogy 1957 are supplied with three different straps that owners can swap themselves. In addition to a stainless steel bracelet, each comes with a NATO strap and a leather strap in various shades. The tool needed to change the strap is included with the purchase of a Trilogy box, and all three watches in a box bear the same limited-edition number. Another component of the exclusive anniversary package is a leather watch roll in which these precious treasures can be stored and carried in style.
Three Anniversary Watches in Profile
At first glance, the Speedmaster 60th Anniversary Limited Edition differs from the "Moonwatch" in its broad arrow hands, which are based on the design of the original 1957 model and also appear on the two sister models in the Omega Trilogy 1957. Incidentally, the "Broad Arrow" was back then not only the very first Speedmaster model, but also the world's first wrist chronograph with a tachymeter scale placed directly on the bezel instead of printed on the dial. This leaves enough room at the edge of the dial for a very detailed minute track that makes precise reading easier. The Speedmaster 60th Anniversary Limited Edition is powered by a caliber 1861 movement. At 38.6 millimeters, its case diameter is so moderate for a sports chronograph that it looks good even on slender wrists.
The Railmaster 60th Anniversary Limited Edition, the second watch of the Omega Trilogy, is slightly smaller still with its 38-millimeter case and at first glance looks like a simple three-hand watch. But it packs a punch: its caliber 8806 movement is not only certified as a Master Chronometer, but also keeps running unaffected by magnetic fields of up to 15,000 gauss.
The third model of the Trilogy 1957 is the Seamaster 300 60th Anniversary Limited Edition. At 39 millimeters in diameter, it is the largest watch in Omega's Trilogy 1957 and is based on the CK2913 model version.
Its main external hallmarks are the black aluminum bezel and the Naïad symbol on the crown, which in 1957 stood for what was then exceptional water resistance to 300 meters. It goes without saying that the 2017 anniversary model is rated for the same diving depths as its 1950s predecessor. This version is also powered by the Master Chronometer caliber 8806.
