====== Omega Speedmaster Professional ======
{{wst>image_cr|Omega|Moon Watch|Omega Speedmaster Professional "The Moon Watch"|250px}}


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== Picture links ==
[[http://watchinghorology.com/2008/03/omega-speedmaster-professional.html|Watching Horology]]:
  * [[http://bp0.blogger.com/_JYWMhf0IkdQ/R9qhtfcTPUI/AAAAAAAAAcs/XU2Zhkb3brw/s1600-h/OSPmovement3a.jpg|Backside of movement, Image 1]]
  * [[http://bp2.blogger.com/_JYWMhf0IkdQ/R9qhc_cTPTI/AAAAAAAAAck/eVGIIxuEr3s/s1600-h/SPEEDMASTERmovement-a.jpg|Backside of movement, Image 1]]
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**Speedmaster Professional** is a [[chronograph]] by [[Omega]] in the [[Omega Speedmaster|Speedmaster]] series.

===== The official watch of the Nasa =====
The //Speedmaster// is a wristwatch with chronograph function, which was put on the market in [[1957]] and was then equipped with the [[manual winding]] movement 27 CHRO of [[1942]]. In [[1965]] the Speedmaster was selected by the NASA as the official watch for the astronauts. Since [[1966]] it bears the name **Speedmaster Professional** and has received the typical design with a contrasting black dial.

The Omega Speedmaster Professional was the only watch which passed the extensive tests at the NASA. These tests included magnetic fields, gravity loss, temperature changes from -18 to +93 degrees Celsius, as well as extreme shocks and vibrations. It had a stainless steel case and was [[waterproof]] up to 50 meters. Initially the [[Omega 321|Calibre 321]] was built in, since [[1968]] the [[manual winding]] movement [[Omega 861|861]] (or 1861) with 21.600 A/h was used.

===== The first and only 'Moon Watch' =====
This watch is known to have been the first and only wristwatch on the moon, and is therefore often referred to as the 'Moon Watch'. On 16 July [[1969]] the Apollo 11 mission took off, and on 21 July 1969 Buzz Aldrin walked on the lunar surface with the Speedmaster his wrist. Thus, the watch of Aldrin was the first watch on the moon, as Neil Armstrong's watch was left behind in the lunar module. When Aldrin later sended the watch to the National Air and Space Museum, it was unfortunately lost and did not appear to this day. The two watches of Neil Armstrong and Michael Collins are now on display.

As another credit this [[manual winding]] chronograph can take, that in [[1970]] it provided valuable support to the crew of the damaged Apollo 13 capsule. After the on-board electronics had failed for good, in a crucial moment it helped to enable the manual ignition of the returning engines.

===== The "Professional" Watch =====
Although most enthusiasts equate the **Professional** name with the [[Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch|Moonwatch]] and its hand-winding [[Omega 321|Cal. 321]] movement, the company has been more flexible in their naming. Just before the moon landing, [[Omega 861|Cal. 861]] was introduced and this soon became the standard movement for the Speedmaster Professional series. These later Professional "moon watches" feature an asymmetrical case that somewhat protects the chronograph pushers.

But the Moonwatch case is not the hallmark of "Professional" either. The [[automatic]] [[Omega Speedmaster Professional Mark II|Mark II]] was labeled "Professional" throughout its run, as was the later [[Omega Speedmaster Professional Mark IV|Mark IV]]. And the [[Omega Speedmaster Mark III|Mark III]] was given the "Professional" label in [[1973]] as well. These watches featured a wide variety of cases and dials along with their automatic movements and all were officially called "Professional".

Indeed, Omega has been notably inconsistent in its use of the "Professional" name over the years, both on the Speedmaster and [[Omega Seamaster Professional|Seamaster]]. Therefore, the only real mark of a "Professional" Omega watch is the label on the dial.

===== Mark Series =====
In [[1969]], Omega introduced the [[Omega Speedmaster Professional Mark II]], indicating that this was a successor to the original Speedmaster Professional. This model used a decidedly different [[tonneau]] case. A [[Omega Speedmaster Mark III|Mark III]] line appeared in [[1971]] with three different cases reminiscent of the [[Omega Flightmaster|Flightmaster]] and [[Omega Seamaster|Seamaster]] and the new 2-register [[Omega 1040|Cal. 1040]] central-rotor automatic movement. The Mark III was not originally marked "Professional", but it gained this name after [[1973]]. The [[Omega Speedmaster Professional Mark IV|Speedmaster Professional Mark IV]] appeared in [[1973]] with a new case style and Cal. 1040. This case was shared with a 3-register non-Professional automatic Speedmaster using the new [[Omega 1045|Cal. 1045]]. In [[1984]], Omega introduced another non-Professional [[Omega Speedmaster Mark V|Speedmaster Mark V]] with another new case and the 3-register Cal. 1045.

===== The jubilee model from 1973 =====
[[1973]], at the 125th anniversary of Omega, followed a limited special edition, the „Speedmaster 125" as [[chronometer]] with modified design, an additional date display and the [[automatic]] Calibre 1041. Later also the regular Speedmaster models were equipped with [[self-winding]] movements.

[[1989]] a contract between Omega and the Russian space agency was ratified that ensured that the Omega Speedmaster Professional was also used as the official watch at the cosmonauts. Between [[1993]] and [[1994]] the Russian space agency conducted tests with various watches on board of the MIR and ultimately decided in favour of the Speedmaster.

Today the Omega Speedmaster Professional belongs to the standard equipment of the astronauts.

{{wst>image_cr|Omega|Speedmaster 50th Anniversary Gelbgold|Omega Speedmaster 50th Anniversary, [[yellow gold]]}}

===== The jubilee model from 2007 =====
[[2007]] with the [[Omega Speedmaster 50th Anniversary]] Omega launched a limited anniversary series of the 'Moon Watch' in stainless steel and three gold versions, which offered a number of useful improvements movement with [[co-axial escapement]] (and higher [[power reserve]]), certified [[chronometer]] ([[COSC]]), [[sapphire crystal]], caseback with sapphire crystal, higher [[water resistance]] and improved steel bracelet.

===== The Speedmaster series =====
The series [[Omega Speedmaster|"Speedmaster"]] has been steadily expanded in recent years and today is one of the four main pillars of the Omega model range. It covers a broad spectrum of different versions and variations of the series, from the [[Omega Speedmaster Broad Arrow|Speedmaster Broad Arrow]] to the [[Omega Speedmaster "Legend"|Editions in honor of Michael Schumacher]], the [[Omega Speedmaster 5-Counter Chronograph|5-Counter Chronograph]] and the [[Omega Speedmaster GMT "Solar Impulse"|GMT "Solar Impulse"]].

===== Video =====
  * [[Omega Speedmaster Professional movement video]], 1 01

===== Data =====

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**Reference:**
  * 3570.50.00 Speedmaster Professional "Moon Watch"

**Movement:**
  * [[Chronograph]] movement [[Omega 1861]] with [[manual winding]] (basis [[Nouvelle Lémania]] 1873), 21,600 A/h
  * [[Rhodinated]] movement
  * 17 [[jewels]]
  * [[Power reserve]] 48 h

**Case:**
  * [[Stainless steel]], polished/[[satinated]]
  * D 42 mm, H 14.3 mm
  * Sheathed [[plexiglass]] (variant with [[sapphire crystal]])
  * Screw-in caseback (variant with [[sapphire crystal]] caseback)
  * [[Waterproof]] to 5 atm

**Dial:**
  * Black, arabic numerals and indexes
  * Hands and indexes with [[luminous]] material [[tritium]]

**Functions:**
  * Hours, minutes, [[small seconds]]
  * Chrono-seconds, 30-minutes and 12-hours counters
  * [[Tachymeter]] scale

**Bracelet:**
  * [[Stainless steel]] bracelet with [[folding clasp]]

**Warranty:**
  * 2 years
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===== Literature =====
  *Omega-Uhren. Kaleidoskop einer bekannten Swiss Marke; Author Anton Kreuzer; ISBN 3853783546
  *Omega-Modelle; Author Anton Kreuzer; ISBN 3853784186
  *Omega Sportuhren; ISBN 3871880817
  *[[Das ZEITGEFÜHL-Uhrenbuch]]; Author [[Gerd-Lothar Reschke]]; ISBN 3-938607-61-0

===== Weblinks =====
  * [[http://www.standop.net/Uhren/Div/downloads/omegaspeedmasterbroschueregstandop.pdf|Omega Speedmaster Professional - Ein Leitfaden zur legendären „Moonwatch", von Gerhard Standop]] (PDF, in German)


{{tag>Watch_models Chronographs Omega_models Omega_Speedmaster}}