Omega Speedmaster Day Date

The History

So much has been written about the Omega brand, and the Speedmaster in particular, that there is not much for us to add. For those of you earlier in your collecting journey we will give you some of the broad strokes.

The first Speedmaster was introduced in 1957, setting the tone for all of the Speedmasters to follow. It featured a three register chronograph, high-contrast lumed hour markers, and a tachymeter bezel, all of which can still be found on Speedmasters produced today. This watch also featured the famed calibre 321, produced as a joint venture between Omega and Lemania. In 1963, we saw the first iteration of the Speedmaster case that we know and love today with its famous twisted lugs and added padding for the pushers and crown.

All of this history dwarfs in comparison to the event that made and continues to make the Speedmaster famous. The Speedmaster was the watch of choice for NASA; it was the watch that went to the moon. The story goes that  NASA purchased several chronograph watches and put them all to a number of high stress tests to determine which watch could hold up to the harsh conditions of space. The Omega Speedmaster was the only watch that passed the test. The watch would go on to fly on Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo missions and was worn both during space walks and on the lunar surface.

The Reference

The Omega Speedmaster Day Date is a bit of an oddball in the wide world of Speedmasters. In the words of Doug Demuro its long list of quirks and features make this watch so appealing. The case is classic Speedmaster but the blue dial and its various functions set it apart. The watch features the day of the week, month, and 24-hour time functions added in addition to the standard date (viewed as a rotating hand on the dial) and chronograph functions. All of that is to say that there is a lot going on on the dial but it all comes together very nicely and is surprisingly readable and usable. Because the Speedmaster world is all about the details we thought that we would share some of those here with you as well. This watch features a domed sapphire crystal, press on case back with the Speedmaster stallion, Omega calibre 1151 movement, and 39mm diameter. It’s a compelling combination.

This particular example is being sold by its original owner and comes with its warranty card, manuals, and leather folio. The box was not saved by the seller and therefore does not accompany the watch.

The Case and Bracelet

The 39mm stainless steel case is in great condition. The case shows the correct brushed and polished finishes and while small scratches are seen there are no major dings or deep scratches to note. The pushers, crown, caseback, and sapphire crystal are all correct and believed original with no major faults.

The Dial and Hands

The blue dial is in excellent condition with no major flaws or scratches. The deep blue color is a highlight of this watch and plays and shifts color nicely in the light. As mentioned above there are a lot of functions shown on the dial yet the layout is not crowded and legibility is very good.

The Movement

This watch is powered by an automatic Omega calibre 1151 movement. The watch is running well and the service history is unknown. Operations of the movement are as follows: turning the crown in the first position winds the movement, the second position controls the date (and the month), the 3rd position controls the time. The day of the week is controlled by a recessed button on the right side of the case.

PHOTO GALLERY