Brand
Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Anniversary Apollo XIII
NASA sure has a thing for names. From Apollo and Gemini to Swigert and Houston, these clear call signs and well, names, were a necessity for efficient communication between the cosmos and the Earth. How does Snoopy get involved? Charles Schulz's famous "Peanuts" canine was brought into the space fold in 1968 by the astronauts themselves. NASA's space flyers created the Silver Snoopy Award to be awarded by astronauts "'In Appreciation' for professionalism, dedication, and outstanding support that greatly enhanced space flight safety and mission success." The connection may seem loose now but Snoopy and his Peanuts friends were a cultural lightning rod back in the '60's. A year later, in 1969, Apollo 10's Command Module was called "Charlie Brown" and the Lunar Excursion Module, "Snoopy." From there, the often sleeping dog became a mascot of sorts for the NASA crew. After Apollo 13's heroic return to Earth and the crew's utilization of a Speedmaster to time their crucial 14 second burn, OMEGA was awarded the Silver Snoopy Award.
In 2003, OMEGA first made a real connection between Snoopy, their Speedmaster Moonwatch, and NASA with a limited-edition Speedmaster featuring the cartoon dog in a cartoon spacesuit, doing a cheerful jig against a stellar backdrop, with the words "Eyes On The Stars" above his helmet. A follow-up came in 2015 with another Snoopy Speedy LE, this time with a white dial, prone dog in the nine o'clock sub-register, and those crucial 14 seconds in the chronograph seconds scale highlighted with the phrase "What could you do in 14 seconds?" Both of these first two Snoopy Speedmasters were met with initial fanfare and high demand as well as an extremely strong pre-owned market in the years following.
In a Speedmaster obsessed world as of late, this is one of the most sought-after and difficult to come across editions to burst out of OMEGA's doors. Around every corner, in every detail, this watch really does deliver. The demand is warranted for what OMEGA does here, taking real authentic heritage and blending it with a bit of fun in an extremely classy combination that is sure to keep you coming back for more with every wear. The watch is a limited edition of only 1,970 units worldwide.
This particular OMEGA Speedmaster Apollo XIII 45th Anniversary 'Silver Snoopy Award' Limited Edition is in overall excellent pre-owned condition, meaning there are very light signs of wear and some small scratches on the case that come with being lived with. The case is crisp with strong lines and one small imperfection on the top pusher to note. There is some very light wear to the anti-reflective coating around the edge of the crystal. The rear of the seven o'clock lug is engraved with the serial number "87626XXX." The caseback is marked with the limited edition number "1516/1970." The OMEGA black nylon strap is in good condition with some light wear.
In 1894, La Generale Watch Company developed a system for interchangeable movement parts, which it marketed as the OMEGA brand from La Generale Watch Company. This brand proved to be very successful, and in 1903, OMEGA was spun off into its own company. In the following decades, OMEGA went on to become not only one of Switzerland’s largest and best-known watchmakers but also one of the world's most recognizable global brands. The most pivotal period for OMEGA came in the 1960s when America's National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) chose the OMEGA Speedmaster for the Apollo 11 mission to the Moon. This achievement, paired with its regular timing of both the summer and winter Olympic Games, has bestowed upon OMEGA a global reputation as a maker of precision timekeepers trusted to perform when performance matters most.
