Apollo 11 marked the first time in modern history that humans walked on the Moon. President John F. Kennedy set this national goal and the Apollo 11 mission was executed by an ingenious team who believed man could achieve what seemed impossible.
Mission patch
Apollo 11 astronauts wanted a special way to commemorate one of NASA’s most celebrated missions with a patch that symbolized both their intentions and hopes for NASA and America as a whole – thus, they imagined an eagle holding an olive branch with one claw as an emblem representing both. They wanted the patch worn during Apollo 11 mission to honor both their achievements as astronauts while at the same time symbolizing peace on Earth through NASA.
Patches were sewn onto crew flight suits, jackets, recovery suits and screen printed onto their spacesuit chests with pride; being seen by millions worldwide was an honor that these astronauts took great pride in wearing during their missions to space.
This patch is an exact reproduction of the one worn by Apollo 11’s crew during their historic flight. Crafted using beta cloth – an teflon-coated fabric specially created by NASA to cover their space suits – this 9 inch diameter patch features its mission insignia as its centerpiece and should make for an essential addition for any true space enthusiast!
Apollo 11 crew spent over one month planning their historic moon landing, on July 20, 1969. Commander Neil Armstrong, Command Module Pilot Michael Collins and Lunar Module Pilot Buzz Aldrin all took steps into Eagle’s ladder before setting foot onto the lunar surface for their historic step onto its surface. Armstrong famously stated “That is one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind!” when making their initial steps onto it.
Following in the tradition established by Gemini V crew, Apollo 11 astronauts had an opportunity to design their mission patch themselves, taking inspiration from a National Geographic book on birds and selecting an image of a partially folded-winged bald eagle from National Geographic for use as their design theme. They added details about Moon surface terrain as well as double trajectory trajectory for extra effect; ultimately this patch became one of NASA’s most visible patches ever produced.
This mission insignia represents the pride, commitment and courage of the Apollo 11 crew and will remain an invaluable legacy piece.
Case back
Since ancient times, humans have gazed upon the Moon with wonder. On July 20, 1969, however, all eyes turned towards Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin as they made history on the lunar surface with a historic mission involving manmade technology – something no other race or species had done. OMEGA marked this historic event by unveiling their Apollo 11 Limited Edition Moonwatch; limited to just 1,014 pieces worldwide featuring unique case back design with engraving details as well as special caliber.
The case back of this watch features an eye-catching footprint pattern and quote from Neil Armstrong along with mission number. This design makes the case back stand out from its surroundings and is secured using Omega’s Naiad Lock system. In addition, there is an exquisite gold bevel featuring Earth – symbolizing celestial links between watch and lunar landing!
OMEGA’s Co-Axial Master Chronometer Calibre 3861 movement features antimagnetic properties with its manual winding mechanism and special inscribed plaque to commemorate the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project from 1975, when American astronauts and Soviet cosmonauts united to form an historic moment of international cooperation during spaceflight.
The 50th anniversary edition is different than its gold predecessor from 1969 in terms of its movement – more advanced and precise, featuring silicon balance spring. This represents an improvement over its predecessor designed in the 60s that used cam-operated chronograph mechanism.
Omega’s 50th anniversary watch features a stainless steel case with bezel and bracelet finished in Moonshine gold plating, powered by its new caliber 3861 which uses co-axial escapement technology and sapphire crystal to further increase antimagnetic properties. Packaged in an appealing NASA-themed box containing two embroidered patches as well as two engraving plates listing landing site coordinates and times, it makes a fine memento.
Dial
This special edition Speedmaster dial is constructed of 18-carat Moonshine Gold(tm). This paler hue than standard yellow gold makes this watch especially fitting to commemorate the Apollo 11 mission, while all indices, hands, and the hesalyte crystal also utilize this material – developed for Omega in the late 1960s as a special alloy that resists becoming tarnished like other watches do.
In 2004, Omega released this limited edition Speedmaster Professional watch to commemorate the 35th anniversary of Apollo 11 mission. It marked the first departure from traditional black dial Speedmaster Professional watches by breaking away from tradition by using white registers that have now become standard on most steel moonwatches. Its striking Apollo 11 dial features three engine-turned subdials running small seconds, 30 minutes, and 12 hours; also featuring an iconic Hesalyte crystal engraved with Omega logo and mission patch depicting an astronaut landing on the Moon; these details make its unmistakeable presence unmisakable!
On July 16, 1969, following its successful launch from Cape Kennedy, Apollo 11 spacecraft took flight. A three-stage Saturn V rocket carried Commander Michael Collins and Lunar Module Pilot Buzz Aldrin into an initial Earth orbit of 114 by 116 miles – estimated 650 million people watched televised images of Armstrong taking “one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind”.
On July 20, Apollo 11 docked with Columbia and made its second television transmission. Armstrong and Aldrin used a tunnel from Columbia to Eagle to inspect and transmit information from Eagle about their Lunar Module (LM), before jettisoning it after completion of their flight and remaining in lunar orbit together with Collins as CSM crewmembers.
The Speedmaster features a case crafted of both polished and brushed stainless steel, complete with lyre lugs, black tachymeter bezel, screw-down crown, and pushers that read “Speedmaster Professional.” It comes equipped with a satin-finished stainless steel bracelet. Furthermore, an attractive Corfam-style racing strap completes its design – perfect to accent both its case and dial!
Movement
On Saturday marks the 35th anniversary of an historic moment: when astronaut Neil Armstrong first set foot on the Moon. NASA’s Apollo program had long vied with Russia for control over sending humans to orbit around Earth; to beat their competitor they spent both money and effort to make this dream become a reality, eventually succeeding against all odds and becoming part of history itself.
The historic mission began with a Saturn V rocket’s liftoff from Cape Kennedy. Millions of spectators, including Vice President Spiro Agnew and former President Lyndon Johnson, witnessed its ascent into space. After breaking up into two spacecraft – Columbia piloted by Michael Collins, with Armstrong and Aldrin as Lunar Module Eagle crewmembers; these spacecraft then made separate landing attempts on the lunar surface before collecting samples for about two hours before docking back with Columbia for a series of maneuvers that brought them safely back home before eventually returning Columbia docked with Columbia to complete its journey back towards earth again.
As Armstrong set foot on the moon, he read from a plaque proclaiming: “One small step for man; One giant leap for mankind”. Afterward, he and Aldrin began exploring its surface together; planting an American flag as well as collecting samples of lunar soil for return back home. Furthermore, they deployed a television camera which documented landscape, scientific equipment deployed there as well as each other – creating lasting memories of this historic event for mankind.
After roughly two and a half hours on the moon, Armstrong and Aldrin returned to Earth aboard their Command Module and were doused with disinfectant before quarantining for three weeks to prevent them from bringing back any potentially infectious bugs from the moon. Once reunited with Collins they all headed back toward home – an unforgettable feat in space travel history!
On July 24, 1969, Apollo 11 arrived in Hawaii. Their landing was celebrated as an historic moment that has yet to be repeated by any human endeavor.