The OMEGA Speedmaster is one of the most recognisable chronographs ever made. One reason for its popularity is its association with NASA and the lunar landing in 69’. At the time, the Speedmaster was a race car driver’s watch not something designed to leave orbit.
Upon the return of Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins, OMEGA found out that their watch had been to the moon. They promptly got to work making a new version of the Speedmaster with the intention of making it a true spacefairing timepice. And thus, the tonneau shaped Mach II Speedmaster was born. The original run lasted until 1973 but the company released a new version for Baselworld 2014.
This example, from 2017 has a 42mm case measuring 14.9mm thick. The symmetrical Tonneau or barrel shape case is made from 316L stainless steel (with the crown and pushers that are in 18ct Sedna gold) and has a depth rating of 100m. A flat sapphire crystal with an anti-reflective coating on both sides protects the dial which features an internal tachymeter scale for working out average speed over distance. It also features painted luminous indicies, a matte grey background with high contrast bright white hands for excellent legibility on earth or in the darkness of space. There is a date complication at 6 with a darkened date window. Three Sedna gold sub registers handle chronograph duties and the running seconds is at 9.
The case is attached using a three row two-tone bracelet in 316L stainless steel and matching solid (as ooposed to plated or capped) 18ct Sedna gold. Sedna gold is OMEGA’s proprietary rose gold alloy containing Palladium which stops the warmly hued gold turning yellow with time and wear. It is secured to the wrist with a folding steel clasp with a twin-trigger release.
Prior to it's discontinuation, the Sedna Mach II had an RRP of $17,500AUD making this exceptional value.
Powering this unusual timepiece is the OMEGA calibre 3330 with a solid 52 hour power reserve beating at 4Hz.
LMR
