The Omega Speedmaster is hotter than it’s ever been. Prices for vintage pieces are steadily rising to heights previously exclusive to Rolex and Patek Philippe, and modern limited edition pieces sell like hotcakes. Over the years we’ve had the pleasure of shooting many of them. In this article you’ll find our favorites.
Omega Speedmaster Professional Apollo 11 40th Anniversary
The Omega Speedmaster Professional Apollo 11 40th Anniversary 311.30.42.30.01.002 was introduced in 2009 as a ‘limited’ edition of 7.969 pieces. The dial features an engraved patch, which is a cool reference to the older patch models (see one below), and the otherwise monochrome color scheme is highlighted by subtle red accents.
Omega Speedmaster Professional Apollo-Soyuz 35th Anniversary
The Omega Speedmaster Professional Apollo-Soyuz 35th Anniversary 311.30.42.30.99.001 was introduced in 2010 as a limited edition of 1975 pieces. It features a dial made of meteorite, which is surely one of the most fitting materials for the Moonwatch.
Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonphase Aventurine
The Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonphase 311.33.44.32.01.001 was introduced in 2012. Though not a limited edition it is still fairly rare. It has a dial made of blackened aventurine, while the case is enlarged to 44.25mm. The tachymeter ring is made of ceramic. Inside is Omega’s caliber 1866, which features both the date and moonphase at 12:00.
Omega Speedmater Professional Mitsukoshi
The Omega Speedmaster Professional Mitsukoshi 3570.31.00 is a limited edition of 300 pieces created for the Mitsukoshi department store chain in 2003. It was the first Speedmaster Professional with a proper panda dial, which in this case had the added bonus of an applied Omega logo and hour markers. Omega must’ve made a lot of extra dials, as many / most of these out there started their life as standard Speedmasters. As the case back does not show any particularities on the real Mitsukoshi’s, it’s impossible to tell unless the original warranty cards are there.
Omega Speedmaster First Omega in Space
The Omega Speedmaster First Omega in Space 311.32.40.30.01.001 was introduced in 2012 as a numbered (though not limited) edition. It is inspired by the Omega CK2998 as worn by Walt Shirra during the 1962 Sigma 7 Mission, and as such it features a 39.7mm case with straight lugs. The smaller diameter notwithstanding the bezel and dial are exactly the same size as on the Speedmaster Professionals as the millimeters are shaved off the swivel that protects the crown and pushers. Slightly puzzling on Omega’s part is the choice for sapphire on a watch that’s designed to appeal to Speedmaster aficionado’s. After all, plexi is sexy!
Omega Speedmaster Professional Alaska III
The Omega Speedmaster Professional Alaska III ST 145.0022 is by far the rarest Speedmaster that found its way in front of our camera. This NASA-issued Speedmaster was made to comply to the NASA’s preference towards domestically produced items, having a watch case made by the Star Watch Company of Ludington, Michigan. We went in-depth with this watch over at SpeedyWatches back in 2014.
Omega Speedmaster Professional Apollo 13 25th Anniversary
The Omega Speedmaster Professional Apollo XIII 3595.52.00 is a limited edition of 999 pieces introduced in 1995. It features the mission patch on the 9 o’clock subdial, a case back with engraved bevel, and a special box. The 9 o’clock patch was a feature replicated on the 1997 Missions-series watches – though these have luminova rather than tritium dials.
Omega Speedmaster Professional Japan Racing
The Omega Speedmaster Professional Japan Racing 3750.40.00 was created in 2004 as a limited edition of (it is said, they’re unnumbered) 2004 pieces for the Japanese market. It features a grey racing style dial as found on some very obscure Speedmasters from the late sixties and the -less obscure- Mark II Racing of the Seventies. Very funky and very cool.
Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch
This list simply wouldn’t be complete without the standard Speedmaster Professional. New, used, vintage, plexi or sapphire, on bracelet or strap – you can never go wrong with the standard Speedy Pro.
Omega Speedmaster Professional Silver Snoopy Award
The Omega Speedmaster Professional Silver Snoopy Award 311.32.42.30.04.003 was introduced in 2015 as a limited edition of 1970 pieces. It features a white dial with various references to the Apollo 13 mission – and the Snoopy Award it earned Omega. A cool touch are the hour markers, which are blocks of SuperLuminova with black inserts. The ceramic bezel insert is filled with this luminous material as well.
Omega Speedmaster Professional Racing
The Omega Speedmaster Professional Racing 311.30.42.30.01.004 was introduced in 2013 as a limited edition of…. Wait, no, it wasn’t. It is said it was meant to be a limited edition celebrating the TinTin comics, but that never happened. Omega decided to still put the dials to market. Despite a slow start the controversy has made it rather popular now.
Omega Speedmaster Professional Apollo 17 40th Anniversary
The Omega Speedmaster Professional Apollo 17 40th Anniversary 311.30.42.30.99.002 was introduced in 2012 as a limited edition of 1972 pieces. It was controversial from the start. It’s like the Apollo 11 40th Anniversary on the top of this post – on steroids. Now the full dial is a hand-engraved work of art. If you wanna have a bit of fun at a Speedmaster collectors GTG, wear this.
Omega Speedmaster Professional #SpeedyTuesday
The Omega Speedmaster Professional #SpeedyTuesday 311.32.42.30.01.001 was introduced on January 10th of 2017 as a limited edition of 2012 pieces – and sold out a few ours after. It was designed in collaboration with the FratelloWatches team, who coined the SpeedyTuesday hashtag back in 2012. The radial alignment of the numerals on the subdials is a reference to the Alaska III above. Other unique touches included the fully lumed subdials and dial text, the brushed case, and the applied Omega logo on the dial.
Omega Speedmaster 60th Anniversary CK2915
The Omega Speedmaster 60th Anniversary 311.10.39.30.01.001 was introduced in 2017 as a limited edition of 3557 pieces. It is a near perfect facsimile of the original CK2915 of 1957, though it is powered by the current caliber 1861 and features a solid, modern bracelet. With prices of the original on the rise, this is the next best thing.
Omega Speedmaster Professional Apollo 15 40th Anniversary
The Omega Speedmaster Professional Apollo 15 40th Anniversary 311.30.42.30.01.003 was introduced in 2011 as a limited edition of 1971 pieces. Not only does it have a dial with cool (Dutch / French / American) red, white and blue accents, it also has one of the best case backs to ever find its way to the Speedmaster. Period.
Omega Speedmaster CK2998 Pulsometer
The Omega Speedmaster CK2998 Pulsometer 311.32.40.30.02.001 is a 2018 limited edition of 2998 pieces. It’s based on the First Omega in Space platform, but with a cool Panda dial and ceramic pulsometer scale bezel insert.
Omega Speedmaster Professional Apollo 11 45th Anniversary
The Omega Speedmaster Professional Apollo 11 45th Anniversary 311.62.42.30.06.001 is a limited edition of 1969 pieces introduced back in 2014. It features a titanium case, a Sedna gold bezel with ceramic insert, a laser-engraved PVD dial with Sedna gold markers, and a Sedna gold hand-set. It must be one of the most special Speedmaster watches considering the number of parts that are specific to this edition. A fitting end to this list.
All pictures provided by Ace Jewelers, the Authorized Dealer for Omega in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.