Mechanical Watches in Space

http://thatwatchandmore.blogspot.com/2013/04/mechanical-watches-inspace.html
Sunday, April 21, 2013

Many consider the Omega Speedmaster Professional to be the ultimate space watch. But there
are many other watches that have been used in space exploration since it's humble
beginnings in the early sixties. And that goes for both sides of the iron curtain. With this in
mind I wanted to compile a list of essential space watches.
I felt I had to set a few criteria before starting to compile the list. First I wanted the watch to be
connected to a specific space flight or mission. Secondly I wanted it to be a mechanical watch, thus
the X-33 and the recent Fiyta was out. And obviously it should have seen actual space flight.
Another interesting aspect to this list is to look at it as a guide to building a space-themed collection.
Then it would be essential to get the right model or reference of the watch. Also, if it is possible to date
the watch, get one produced in the same year or time period as that of the flight or mission. As such,
the production years below are the desired ones, not necessary all the years a particular model was
produced.
Ok, here we go in chronological order:

First Moscow Watch Factory Sturmanskie (Vostok 1 in 1961)

Gagarin's Sturmanskie. Very much faked and replicated. So much in fact, that this one could be exactly that despite my efforts to check it isn't
so.

When Jurij Gagarin April 12 1961 orbited the earth in Vostok 1, he wore his air force (VVS) graduation
watch, a FMWF Sturmanskie. This watch was not especially commissioned for the space program,
but a standard issue watch for Soviet military pilots at the time.

Gagarin preparing for the flight on the 12 of April 1961. FMWF Sturmanskie on his left wrist, strapped on the outside of his flight suit.

The manufacturer was First Moscow Watch Factory who produced these watches in limited numbers
specifically for the Soviet Air Force in the years 1949-1954. These watches were not available to the
general public.

Nice presentation of a Sturmanskie from netgrafik.ch with pictures of the movement, the 17 jewel version.

The movement was produced on old US watch factory equipment bought in the thirties and forties.
Some sources say that these watches also were produced on french factory equipment as well,
bought from LIP in France. The movement is a development of the Pobeda K-26, a movement found
in other FMWF watches at the time.
It is very much faked, and finding an original one from the time period could be a challenge. There are
ways to spot the fakes though, and this thread has a good check list for that.
Milestone: First wrist watch in space
Specifications:
Manufacturer: First Moscow Watch Factory
Model: Sturmanskie, a.k.a. "Gagarin's Sturmanskie"
Reference: N/A
Diameter: 33mm
Movement: 15/17 Jewel, Pobeda K-26 based movement, developed by FMWF
Production Year: 1949-1954

Breitling Navitimer Cosmonaute (Aurora 7 in 1962)

Early Breitling Cosmonaute, without "Cosmonaute" on the dial, ca 1961-62, and believed to be closest to the one worn by Scott Carpenter when
he flew Aurora 7

It is said that Scott Carpenter himself suggested a 24 hour version of the then established pilot watch
Navitimer to the Breitling Company sometime in the early sixties. He got his watch just days before
the flight with Aurora 7 May 24, 1962. This must have been an early example, because it was at the
same time the watch was launched in the market place.

Breitling soon followed with endorsed ads showing the Cosmonaute and its link to Carpenter and the Mercury Space Program

When splashing down in the Atlantic after the flight, the watch got water damaged. It was sent to the
Breitling factory in Switzerland for repairs and was lost after that. As such, no one can with certainty
say what the specifics where with regard to Carpenter's watch.
Most of the Navitimers and Cosmonauts were sold through the AOPA (Airplane Owners and Pilots
Association) in the US and had the AOPA-logo on the dial. It is believed that this was also on the
watch worn by Carpenter, a US Navy fighter pilot who had previously worn regular 12 hour

Navitimers. Since it was a model produced in 1961-1962 it probably would've had the beaded bezel
and the all black sub-dials. White sub-dials came from 1962 and onwards. This tells us there was a
transitional period with beaded bezel and white sub-dials and is also closely linked to the Aurora 7
mission, at least in time.

The Cosmonaute with white sub-dials and beaded bezel, also from 1962. If nothing else, very close in time to the Cosmonaute travelling with
Carpenter on Aurora 7

Together with the slide rule and the chronograph functions it was a handy tool watch and popular
among civilian and military pilots. But the watch was not commissioned as an official watch on this or
future NASA missions, probably due to its lack of robustness. This is also evident in the vintage
pieces of the era, where the damaged ones far outnumber the flawless ones.
This thread on Watchuseek is a good description of the Cosmonaute from its beginnings with Carpenter
and all the way to its modern variants.
Milestone: First Chronograph in Space
Specifications:
Manufacturer: Breitling
Model: Navitimer Cosmonaute
Reference: 809
Diameter: 40mm
Movement: Venus 178, manual wind, chronograph movement
Production Year: 1961-1962

Omega Speedmaster (Sigma 7 in 1962)

Wally Schirra's Omega Speedmaster CK2998, notice this is second generation Speedmaster without "Professional" on the dial.

A litte more than 4 months after Carpenter's flight in Aurora 7 it was Wally Schirra's turn in Sigma 7.
October 3, 1962 he orbited the earth 9 times on the fifth of the Mercury missions. This was the first
time the Omega Speedmaster, later Speedmaster Professional was used on a space flight.
Schirra's Speedmaster was a second generation Speedmaster, reference CK2998. The watch was
equipped with the legendary caliber 321 movement, said to be one of the best chronograph
movements ever made. Although the Omega Speedmaster was not specifically commissioned for the
Sigma 7 flight, it later became a candidate in the selection of an astronaut standard issue
chronograph for future space programs. As most of us know the story ended with the Speedmaster
becoming the first watch worn on the moon.
But that is a different story and another reference, more about that a little bit later. The CK2998 is a
very desirable piece in the collector's market, and would go for double or triple the price of that of a
later reference. They are fairly easy to obtain, but be aware there are many frankens out there, so
caveat emptor.

Wally Schirra wearing a Speedmaster, although this is not the CK 2998 reference but probably a 105.003 or 105.012. Picture from the

preparations for the Apollo 7 flight (1968).

If you like the looks, but do not feel inclined to buy a vintage one there is an option. Omega released a
Schirra "First Omega in Space" tribute that looks just like the CK2998 in 2012. But without the caliber 321
and most importantly without the historic authenticity of a vintage watch.
Milestone: First Omega in Space
Specifications:
Manufacturer: Omega
Model: Speedmaster
Reference: CK2998
Diameter: 40mm
Movement: Omega caliber 321, manual wind, chronograph movement
Production Year: 1962

Poljot Sekonda Strela (Voskhod 2 in 1965)

The Poljot Strela, Sekonda Strela, or just Strela. And to make the confusion complete for us modern collectors, written in both latin and cyrillic
characters.

In the beginning of the cold war space race, the US got beaten not once but twice. March 18, 1965
the Soviets ordered Alexey Leonov out of his spacecraft to endure the hardships of outer space. The
same hardships fell on his Strela chronograph. Leonov's space walk was US second defeat, after
Gagarin's famous first flight in 1961.

The Strela came with black and white dials respectively. Rumor has it Leonov wore the white dialed one on his space walk in 1965.

Leonov's space walk was performed mere three months before Ed White's.
The watch was built by First Moscow Watch Factory, renamed Poljot in 1964 after Gagarin's famous
flight three years earlier. Poljot was the Soviet name, the watch was later distributed in the west as
Sekonda. Sometimes is had just "Strela" on the dial, either in latin or cyrillic characters.
The production of the chronograph started in 1959 and was solely distributed to cosmonauts and
pilots in the Soviet Air Force. They stayed in production until 1979. I'm unsure about the distribution
though. The way I understand it, there are watches from that era with Sekunda on the dial, which
means it was distributed outside the Soviet Union. Clarifications on this matter from you readers are
more than welcome.

Alexey Leonov on his historic spacewalk that lasted over 12 minutes. Unfortunately there are no pictures of Leonov outside the capsule with the
Strela visible to the camera.

The movement in the Strela was Poljot caliber 3017, a 19 jewel based Venus 150 chronograph
movement. The movements made around 1965 have the following serial numbers:

1959 - 1963 Strela, Sekonda, up to 19000

1964 - 1965 Strela, Sekonda, Poljot 19000 to 31000

1966 - 1967 Sekonda, Poljot 31000 to 42000

A correct piece for 1965 would thus be in the 19-31,000 range and with a white dial. Given the
assumption that Leonov wore a white faced Strela. The Strela was produced until 1979 when the
caliber 3017 was replaced by the 3133, a Venus 150-based chronograph movement. Poljot watches
with this caliber was used by cosmonauts well into the 1990s.

I haven't sourced any of these watches, so I am uncertain of the price and availability. A quick google
gave me some hits from 2012, and the watch sold was black dialed one, serial 22,000 (within the
1965 range) going for under a $1,000. Not the most expensive of vintage watches maybe, but very
much faked and frankenwatched, so caveat emptor as always.
Milestone: First Watch on a Space Walk (EVA)
Specifications:
Manufacturer: Poljot (former FMWF)
Model: Strela
Reference: 19,000-31,000 (serial number range)
Diameter: 37mm
Movement: Poljot caliber 3017, venus 150 based movement
Production Year: 1964-65

Omega Speedmaster Professional (Gemini 4 in 1965)

Omega Speedmaster reference 105.003, also called the "Ed White Speedmaster". Made famous when worn on the Gemini 4 EVA in June1965.

Finally on June 3, 1965 the Americans performed their first space walk (or Extra Vehicular Activity,
EVA). The astronaut was Ed White, and he wore the watch with an extended velcro band outside his
spacesuit.

Ed White's EVA, Omega Speedmaster, ref. 105.003 on his left wrist outside the space suit. At this time the Speedmaster was officially the watch
the astronauts was equipped with.

After Schirra's sucessful flight, NASA wanted to select a suitable chronograph for the forthcoming
Gemini program. Already in 1962 they short-listed chronographs from Elgin, Benrus, Hamilton, Mido,
Piccard, Omega, Bulova, Rolex, Longines and Gruen.

NASA Aerospace engineer James Regan getting ready to centrifuge a Speedmaster as part of the rigorous testing of the future NASA space
program chronograph.

After the initial tests, three watches where picked out for further testing; Omega Speedmaster caliber
321, Rolex Daytona with the Valjoux 72 movement and a Longines Chronograph equipped with 13
ZN. Only the Omega performed satisfactorily and was chosen as the official chronograph for the
Gemini program in 1965.

The 105.003 on the original bracelet, probably 1039. The 105.003 was the last Speedmaster without crown guards as can be clearly seen in
this picture

The astronauts in the Gemini program were equipped with the 105.003, the last Speedmaster reference
without a crown guard. This caused the watch to be caught in miscellaneous clothing and equipement
and this was commented upon by the astronauts. The following reference (105.012) and the ones
after that came with a crown guard, eliminating that particular problem.
The reference 105.003 was also the transitional model where the "Professional" was added on the
dial and in the name. This happened around 1965. Both variants of the dial are legit, but be aware of
early 105.003s with Professional on the dial. They could be frankens. The same goes for late
105.003s with only "Speedmaster" on the dial. They could be frankens also.

Catalog listing of Ed White's Speedmaster, sold at auction in 1999. The final and winning bid was $34,500. Not bad considering this
Speedmaster's provenance.

Ed White's personal Speedmaster was sold at auction in 1999 for $34,500. Not only was this the
watch that was used during his EVA, it also survived the fire in the Apollo I capsule in 1967.
Unfortunately Ed White, Gus Grissom and Roger Chaffee perished in that same fire. The seller was
Ed White's son Edward White III.
The 105.003 is equipped with the caliber 321 movement, and is a so-called "pre-moon" Speedmaster.
It is perhaps not that much faked, but there are many frankens out there. It is important to check the
dial and bezel variations and consistency with the year of manufacture given by the serial number on
the movement or as a part of the reference number, e.g. 105.003-65. Often the hands have been

replaced too. For some collectors this devaluates the watch some.
Although this is the second watch to be on a space walk I chose to include the Ed White Speedmaster
on this list. I could've dropped it, but then again I like Speedmasters.
Milestone: Second Watch on a Space Walk (EVA)
Specifications:
Manufacturer: Omega
Model: Speedmaster (Professional from 1965)
Reference: 105.003
Diameter: 40mm
Movement: Omega caliber 321, manual chronograph movement
Production Year: 1963-69

Omega Speedmaster Professional (Apollo 11 in 1969)

The Speedmaster, reference 105.012, the so-called "Armstrong" reference. This is the same reference that was left inside the module when
they made those famous first steps on July 20, 1969.

July 20, 1969 the Lunar Module landed in the Sea of Tranquility and inside the module there were two
Speedmasters. Neil Armstrong wore the 105.012 and Aldrin the 145.012, both equipped with the
Omega caliber 321.

Aldrin on the moon, wearing a reference 145.012 Omega Speedmaster Professional, the original "first watch worn on the moon"

It is reasonable to assume that Neil Armstrong's Speedmaster was the first watch worn on the moon,
since he was the first one on the surface. But not so:
"our mission timer was out, and we decided we had better leave one wristwatch inside in case it (the
one taken outside) got damaged. We would have at least one working watch to back up the mission
timer or to use in place of the mission timer, in case we could not get it going again"
Armstrong, from the 1969 NASA Technical Debrief
As such, the first watch worn on the surface of the moon was Aldrin's watch, reference 145.012.

The Aldrin reference (145.012) from 1967 in excellent condition and with the original 1039 bracelet. Picture courtesy fellow blogger Gian
Vittorio at blogspot.com.

After the Gemini program a new round of tests were performed in order to select the wrist watch for
the next space program (Apollo). Again the Speedmaster was selected as the official wrist watch, and
as a result of that Omega started to use this fact in advertising, in the beginning connected to White's
EVA and how the watch became exposed to outer space.

Advertisement for the Omega Speedmaster Professional, capitalizing on the fact that the watch was chosen by NASA as the official "space
watch".

Although these Speedmasters were the first watches on the moon, they were not the only ones. Dave
Scott (Apollo 15) wore a Waltham Chronograph for his EVA, since the Speedmaster had lost it's
crystal on a previous EVA on the same mission.
Although the astronauts were equipped with Speedmasters some of them also wore other watches
like Dave Scott above. Jack Swigert (Apollo 13) wore a Rolex GMT Master, probably a reference
1675, in addition to his Speedmaster.
Apollo references are fairly easy to acquire, but be aware of replacement parts like hands and bezels
(it should be "the dot over 90"). 145.012 and the 105.012 are so-called "pre-moon" references with the
caliber 321 and are usually advertised as such.
Milestone: First Watch Worn on the Moon

Specifications:
Manufacturer: Omega
Model: Speedmaster Professional
Reference: 105.012 (Armstrong) and 145.012 (Aldrin)
Diameter: 40mm
Movement: Omega caliber 321, manual chronograph movement
Production Year: 1963-1969

Seiko 6139 (Skylab 4 in 1973)

Colonel William Pouge's Seiko 6139, the first automatic chronograph in space. The use of this watch was not sanctioned by NASA. Col. Pogue
used two watches, the Seiko 6139 and the Speedmaster.

After the Apollo program NASA started to plan the next one. The haul to the moon was a long one and
the focus moved closer to earth. As such Skylab became the first space station project. On the Skylab
4 Mission in 1973 the Seiko 6139 became the first automatic chronograph in space.

The Seiko 6139-6002 with the white inner bezel. This is the correct configuration for a "Pogue" Seiko 6139 which came in many variations.

At the time the watch used by astronauts was still the Omega Speedmaster Professional but Mission
Pilot William Pogue also used a Seiko 6139 during training to time engine burns. Equipped with the
Speedmaster only a few days before the launch on November 16, 1973 he wanted to bring his Seiko
also, which he had gotten used to during pre-flight preparations.

Pogue with his Seiko 6139, so far the only picture I have found showing him in his astronaut gear wearing the watch.

Pogue's original Seiko 6139 was auctioned off in 2008 and reached the very affordable price of
$6,000. Not bad, given the extraordinary provenance of the watch. But then again, even better
considering it was bought for the princely sum of $71 on June 13, 1972.

A screen shot of the auction page at Heritage Auctions in 2008. Pogue even had the original receipt and papers accompanying the watch. Quite
a catch for a vintage watch collector.

On a side-note the Seiko 6139 was one of the first automatic chronographs when it was launched into
the market place in 1969. At the time all chronographs were manually wound, and the next big thing
was the automatic chronograph. Other manufacturers developed automatic chronographs at the same
time, so no conclusions as of yet on which watch was the first.

Another very nice example of the Pogue Seiko 6139. Notice how this one is missing the "Water 70 Meters" printing on the dial. Apart from that
identical to Pogue's original watch.

In today's market these watches are often re-built with spare parts, so-called frankenwatches.
Sometimes they have moisture damage to the dial and movement as well, so it is important to check
all aspects of the watch. This thread on WUS is a good place to start if you are planning to buy one.
And it is possible to get a decent piece for a decent price compared to the other space watches.
But beware. These watches are very hard to service and sourcing parts can be very difficult. As such,
an affordable piece can turn out to be quite expensive in the long run.
Milestone: First Automatic Chronograph in Space
Specifications:
Manufacturer: Seiko
Model: N/A, often referred to as "The Pogue"
Reference: 6139-6002
Diameter: 40mm
Movement: Seiko 6139, automatic chronograph movement
Production Year: 1973-1974

Sinn 141/142 (Space Shuttle Challenger in 1985)

PVD coated Sinn 141, believed to be the same model worn by Reinhard Fuller on shuttle mission STS-61-A (D1). This particular piece is dated
1985, very desirable given the year of the mission.

On the eighth and last sucessful mission of the space shuttle Challenger Reinhard Fuller, the
mission's payload specialist wore a Sinn 141 with the Lemania caliber 5012. This is an early
movement in the 5100 family. Challenger was launched October 30, 1985 and lasted for 7 days
orbiting the earth 112 times.

Reinhard Fuller wearing his Sinn 141. Fuller died in a Bf-109 crash at an air show outside Berlin in 1995.

For a long time it was thought that this watch was the first automatic chronograph in space. This was
challenged in 2007 when David Bruno started a correspondance with Col. Pogue regarding his
suspicions that the Seiko was the first one. When Pogue's Seiko 6139 surfaced and auctioned away
in 2008 the matter was put to rest, as discussed earlier in this article.

Although it is not confirmed by photos from the shuttle mission, it is widely believed that Fuller wore the 141 and not the later advertised 142.

There has also been some doubts whether it was the 142 or the more uncommon 141 that was flown
on that particular mission in 1985. There's a lengthy discussion about this in this interesting thread on
WUS.
Personally, I think all photographic evidence and the subsequent research point towards the PVD
coated 141 with the 5012 movement inside. Still, Helmut Sinn himself and the Sinn advertising say
that it was the 142, although the case backs on these "space Sinns" are marked 140/142. So unless
Fuller's original watch surfaces the state of that discussion will be inconclusive.

Sinn advert showing Fuller and the 142, the reference Sinn and Helmut Sinn himself connected to the astronaut and the shuttle mission.

I did a quick search on chrono24 and on the net to see if any 141s were for sale. They seem rather
hard to get by, especially the 141 with the 5012 (day and date not only date). The regular 142s with
the STS-61 engraving on the back are available though. Still it is not similar to the watch that Fuller
wore. A reasonable comparison would be the Speedmaster 3570.50 versus the 145.012 and the
105.012, the latter two being "the right ones" according to many collectors.

Milestone: First German Chronograph in Space

Yes, I know. Maybe the milestone is not that interesting... except for Germans. But the watch is!
Specifications:
Manufacturer: Sinn
Model: 141
Reference: 141
Diameter: 40mm
Movement: Lemania 5012, automatic chronograph movement
Production Year: 1985

Fortis Official Cosmonauts Chronograph (Soyuz TM-19 in 1994)

Fortis Official Cosmonauts Chronograph, ref. 602.10.142 with the 5100 Lemania movement. These watches came in many configurations and
also with a standard ETA 7750 movement (picture courtesy www.finetimepieces.com)

In 1994 Fortis became the official watch for the cosmonauts and astronauts who attended the Yuri
Gargarin Cosmonaut Training Center. The watch's first mission was the Soyuz TM-19 mission
launched July 1, 1994. This was a mission taking the cosmonauts Malenchenko and Musabayev to
the then operational Mir space station.

Cosmonauts Malenchenko and Musabayev. Picture from the walk-out July 1, 1994. Unfortunately I haven't been able to find any pictures of the
Fortis Chronograph used on that particular mission

I haven't found any pictures of the cosmonauts wearing the watch. But I think it is reasonable to
assume that it was a ref. 602.22.142 (or 602.10.142) produced around 1994 with a tachymeter scaled
bezel that was used on that particular mission.

Fortis immediately began capitalizing on the fact that they were chosen as the official cosmonauts chronograph by the Russian Federal Space
Agency in 1994. Picture courtesy of www.finetimepieces.com.

The 602.22.142 was not the first Fortis in space though. That was the Fortis Stratoliner. The mission
first using the Stratoliner is unknown. Maybe someone out there can help?
The watch is still the official RFSA watch, but in a somewhat different configuration than the original
Lemania equipped 602.22.142. As of 2005, the B-42 Titanium Edition has been the official watch used
on the International Space Station (ISS).

The B-42 Titanium, ref 659.27.11 with the ETA 7750 movement. Now the official ISS cosmonauts watch. Some might find this more desirable
than the original as it's diameter is 42 and not 38mm.

The watch was put to a series of tests and was approved for EVAs, and saw extra-vehicular activity as
early as on the Soyuz mission in 1994. As such it was the first automatic chronograph on an EVA.

A certificate stating Fortis as the manufacturer of the official cosmonaut chronograph but it doesn't say anything about type or reference. Quite
fortunate for Fortis from an advertising perspective.

The Lemania 5100 is a very collectable movement and the Fortis Cosmonaut watches mentioned
above are relatively affordable, especially the ones produced in the period 1995-2000. I haven't done
enough research into the watch to judge the amount of fakes and so forth, but as always: Caveat
Emptor.

Fortis Official Cosmonaute Chronograph (B-42 Titanium Edition) free falling inside the International Space Station (ISS).

Milestone: First Automatic Chronograph on a Space Walk

Specifications:
Manufacturer: Fortis
Model: Official Cosmonauts Chronograph
Reference: 602.22.142
Diameter: 38mm
Movement: Lemania 5100, automatic chronograph movement
Production Year: 1995-98

Acknowledgements
First and foremost; Google. This article is the result of a lot of googling. The pictures also. Both the
information and the pictures are mostly from these sites:
Watchuseek.com, the biggest watch discussion forum on the net
Spacefacts.de, information site about missions and so forth
Chronomaddox.com, the best site on Speedmasters
Gevrilgroup.com, distributor of Fortis
Netgrafik.ch, lovely pictures of Soviet space watches
pmwf.com, forum for affordable watches
strela-watch.de, company site for the modern Strela watch
lesmala.net, fantastic information on Navitimers and Speedmasters (and Lemania!)
Hq.nasa.gov, NASA information site
Hodinkee.com, best watch online magazine
Everything is used for information purposes only. If you see your picture and want it removed, please
let me know.

StefanVJune 28, 2013 at 4:52 PM

Yes, great article! Note that it is "Sekonda", not "Sekunda". Sekonda was a British firm that
imported watches from the USSR and sold them under their name, mostly in the UK. Sekonda
still exists, and is in fact the #1 watch seller in the UK, although they no longer sell Russianmade watches.

Speedmaster v Strela: The Battle Of The Moon Watches

Most watch nerds are familiar with the story of the Omega Speedmaster
Professional Moonwatch and the ensuing cult of flight certified and flown
wristwatches. However like many things in the cold war, including the Space Shuttle,
Concord, and the Harrier behind the iron curtain a shadowy mirror image could be
found competing with the western version. In the Soviet Union in the 1960s and 70s
there was another column wheel chronograph strapped to the wrist of a man hanging
in raw vacuum and remorselessly ticking away.

The fable of the Speedmaster, for the uninitiated goes something like this. The
relatively newly formed NASA, an organisation which was a curious mix of beanie
hatted engineering geeks and balls to the wall, all go no quit, steely eyed test pilots
needed to issue their freshly minted astronauts with watches which would stand up
to the frankly
insane demands of spaceflight. NASA took what retrospectively looks like a
characteristically American, pragmatic and capitalist approach to the problem. They let
astronauts choose whichever the watch they wanted from the many commercially
available and as long as it did not look like it might actually blow up inside the
spacecraft all was well. Early Mercury astronauts wore a mixture of watches including
Brietlings, Bulovas and in Ed Whites case, his personal Omega Speedmaster.

Eventually NASA decided it needed to standardise equipment and opted to test a

range of commercially available chronographs to destruction. Astonishingly NASA
independently bought a clutch of watches, including Breiltings and Rolexes off the self
from a local dealer and started sticking them in vacuum chambers, accelerating them
to massive speeds, stopping them suddenly, baking them in ovens and freezing them.
The only watch to survive was the Omega, prompting NASA to order in bulk from the
Swiss manufacturer. It seems crazy in retrospect that Omega were actually paid for the
watches NASA used, given the value that was later derived from this arrangement.

In contrast to this the early soviet space program was presented with exactly the same
problem and took what in retrospect looks like characteristically Soviet, planned and
socialist approach to the
problem. They formed a major state industry to mass produce wrist watches, licensed
technology from a likely looking source (Venus movements which powered early

Breitling Navitimers), built the brilliantly named 1st Moscow Watch Factory and
manufactured a something from scratch to meet their aerospace needs.

Now commonly known as the Strela (Russian for Arrow) this watch was based
around a calibre derived from the Venus 150 movement and dubbed the 3017.
Originally this was issued to Russian air force pilots it became standard issue for
cosmonauts throughout the early days of the soviet space program. Most memorably it
seems Alexi Leonov wore a Strela on the first spacewalk or EVA (extra vehicular
activity) just a few months before Ed White would do the same wearing his
Speedmaster. Unlike Whites flight however, and in keeping with the general lack of
contemporary documentation available in the USSR space program there is some
debate if Leonov wore a watch on the EVA, or if he did whether it was inside or outside
his pressure suit.
In any case Strelas were in heavy use amongst cosmonauts of this ear and were clearly
still being used in space in 1978 with cosmonaut Alexi Gubarev clearly pictured in
Omegas own Time Capsule book on the history of the Speedmaster.

Looking at the two watches side by side today its obvious the Omega is far more
durable and well built. Its chunkier, the feedback from the chronograph pushers is
more positive and the whole package feels like something you would trust to shoot into
space with you. In some respects this difference illustrates the contrasts between
Soviet and Western engineering at the time, particularly in what could be described as

consumer goods. Indeed it seems that at various points cosmonauts obtained

Omegas of various models to replace issued Strelas.
That being said the Strela is a deeply cool and unique looking watch today. The Cyclic
script on the dial adds a degree of exotic charm and the Made in the USSR rather than
the Swiss Made stamp on the dial makes you feel vaguely traitorous as you strap in on
your wrist and venture out into an industrialised western city. Its also a great talking
point amongst anyone who notices that your watch was not made by one of the usual
suspects.
Marketing Dream
Interestingly both the soviets and Omega recognised very quickly the branding value
of the watches for sale to the public. The soviets created the Sekonda brand to sell
watches built in Russia to western democracies, presumably to obtain some useful
foreign currency and offset the massive costs of running a state owned watch factory.
However the soviet marketers were not up to their Swiss counterparts and the
Sekonda brand was sold on and degenerated into quartz powered drudgery in the
1980s.
Omega on the other hand caught up quickly after its initial tardiness and over time
rejuvenated its entire marketing strategy on the back of its use in the Apollo Program.
Even today you can buy a wide array of Speedmaster Professional chronos sold on the
back of its NASA connection. Buzz Aldrin is still an Omega Brand Ambassador and
the modern version of the Speedmaster Pro, the X33 is a titanium cased object of lust
for space watch junkies the world over. Given that NASA originally secretly tested and
then paid for its watches how many Speedmaster professionals has Omega sold since
1969? Or more importantly how much of the Omega brand value is derived from the
history of this single watch. I am fairly sure a man in the Swatch marketing department
can put a pretty exact figure on that one.
Buying one
Vintage Strelas are still available at very reasonable prices and generally seem to go
forever if well looked after. Its a totally wearable everyday vintage watch but prices
have started to creep up for good examples recently, with prices ranging from $300 to
$500. On the modern front clearly someone has taken a leaf out of Omegas book with
an enterprising appropriation of history allowing you to buy modern versions of the
Strela from Strela-watch.de. Without reviewing the watch in detail for a sporty looking
modern mechanical chrono with some interesting pedigree it seems decent value.
Obviously the current Speedmaster Professional range offers a great modern, rock
solid Omega watch with a cool history. However Omega replaced the movement in the
Speedmaster, moving from the column wheel cal 321 to the cal 861, a simpler and
easier to manufacture movement. Inevitably the serious watch geek will always pine
for the intricate, historic 321 which was actually worn on the moon and prices reflect
that. Vintage Omega Speedmasters with the appropriate movement are massively
sought after and good examples go for significant amounts of money. Given the price

band inevitably the unscrupulous start churning our fakes and frankens so its worth
going to a trusted dealer.
Ultimately space watches are the purest expression of the mechanical tool watch
designed to work rather than look good on the wrist. Developed in a time before
quartz swept in a spoilt everything, and benefitting from being at the heart of some of
the most complex and inspiring engineering feats of human history its fascinating to
see the two different tacks the USSR and the USA took in the kitting out of its
personnel. Given the cost of a vintage Speedmaster owning a Strela is a far cheaper
way of obtaining an authentic column wheel chronograph with genuine historic
resonance. And if you already own a Speedmaster (lucky you) its Russian twin would
look very cool next to it in the watch box.
Sources
http://www.netgrafik.ch/russian_space_watches.htm
http://www.chronomaddox.com/35th.html
http://thewatchlounge.com/welcome-komrade-the-russian-made-strela-chronograph/
Russian Space History, Sothebys Catelog 1993
http://www.lesmala.net/jean-michel/speedmaster/index2.htm
http://www.expeditionexchange.com/omega/
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