Speedmasters Without the Moonshot: Part Deux of Uncovering More Overlooked Icons

In the world of horology, the Omega Speedmaster is synonymous with space exploration and lunar legends. Yet, as we explored in our first journey beyond the moonshot, there are Speedmasters that, despite never gracing the cosmos, still deserve some serious recognition.

Back when I was a budding enthusiast—long before my name appeared on any masthead—one of my favorite daily rituals was scouring the internet for the obscure, the overlooked, the wild, and even the forgotten watches in horology’s vast timeline. There’s something innately programmed in me to seek out the hidden gems, the pieces that history has nearly passed by. And with centuries of watchmaking to dig through, I never found myself at a loss for discoveries.

The writers who showcased these hidden horological treasures were the ones I gravitated toward, shaping my voice and perspective within the field. It’s this viewpoint I aim to bring forward: despite today’s over-marketed and homogeneous world of watches, there are remarkable pieces slipping through the cracks, waiting to be rediscovered.

Which brings us back to the Speedmaster. When I wrote the first article, one of my biggest challenges was choosing from the roughly 194 non-moonwatch variants. It felt right to follow up with another round of Speedmasters “without the moonshot.” Just for clarity, the quintessential “Moonwatch” is essentially the Speedmaster Professional model, which must be manually wound with either the caliber 321 or 861/1861 movement. Purists, myself included, believe it’s only a true Moonwatch if it has the Hesalite crystal. Outside of these criteria, all other models are fair game for this list.

Omega Speedmaster Flight Qualified Pilot’s Watch

The Omega Speedmaster Flight Qualified Pilot’s Watch is perhaps my favorite non-Moonwatch Speedmaster of all time. That’s a bold statement, especially as it’s also the newest addition here. This past Fall, leaked images of this model started making their rounds on social media, sparking plenty of entertaining discussions. This is a watch not accessible to the general public—or, as fans of The Wire might put it, not available to “gen pop.” And, as psychology would have it, we often want what we can’t have. Add me to that list.

Upon first sight, the Speedmaster Flight Qualified Pilot’s Watch immediately recalled the Omega Flightmaster series from 1969 to 1977. Like the original Flightmaster, designed for pilots rather than astronauts or drivers, this Speedmaster leans heavily into aviation-inspired features. The chronograph seconds hand, tipped with a plane shape, is a nod to the Flightmaster’s dual-time hand.

1972 Omega Flightmaster. Image: Christies.

There’s even a nod to the Speedmaster “Ultraman” with its straight-lug case style, though my favorite detail has to be the lack of crown guards. This gives the watch such a clean, vintage look.

The buzz on forums about this model suggests it’s powered by a chronograph movement based on the Caliber 9900, with two subdials. What’s impressive is that despite its robust in-house, Master Chronometer-certified movement, the watch maintains a sleek 40.85mm diameter. Omega has answered the community’s call for a smaller Speedmaster with recent releases like the FOIS (First Omega In Space), and this model fits right in with its compact, comfortable size.

With its near-perfect dimensions, matte textured gray dial (almost reminiscent of the Vacheron Constantin Overseas Everest Limited Edition), striking orange and yellow accents, and advanced co-axial chronometer movement—not to mention the fact that “gen pop” can’t get their hands on it—this is almost a grail-worthy watch. But, if you’ve learned anything from my writing, you’ll know I’m anti-grail. Nonetheless, this is one watch worth the hunt if you can find one.

1985 Speedymoon

It is no secret that I am a major fan of the moonphase complication. To me it harkens back to the romantic days of horology before social media — when watches were truly tools and instruments and not flashes of wealth or status. Omega integrated a moonphase into their Speedmaster lineup in 1985 with the Speedymoon.

And despite having a moonphase complication, this is far from a Moonwatch.

Twenty years after the Speedmaster first set its sights on the moon, the moon itself found its way onto the Speedmaster dial. Dubbed the “Speedymoon,” this unique model was released in a limited series of 1,300 pieces, featuring a moonphase complication adorned with a painted moon and stars. Notably, on some rare versions of this model, the moon includes a painted face, adding an extra layer of character to the design (and collectibility).

Powering the Speedymoon is the Omega caliber 866 which was derived from the caliber 861, the movement powering many Moonwatches of its era. The key enhancement, as already stated, was the addition of a moonphase complication. Operating at a frequency of 21,600 vibrations per hour, this movement featured a shuttle cam and incorporated a chronograph brake made from Delrin—a low-friction polymer designed to boost the movement’s durability and lifespan. (I will leave the chemistry breakdown to Jack).

Interestingly the reason this was not considered a “moonwatch”and fell outside of NASA’s certification requirement was because of the moonphase complication. As a result, the caseback lacks the usual “FLIGHT QUALIFIED BY NASA” inscription found on most Speedmasters.

1973 Speedsonic

I love a good nickname in all facets of life. In watches they can be especially polarizing. And as a born and bred New Englander — a watch nicknamed “the lobster” is imperative to have on my radar. The 1973 Speedsonic was the first electronic Speedmaster made by Omega and a rare gem in the lineup. Come to think of it — I don’t believe I have ever even seen one of these in the wild.

This model earned the nickname “lobster” due to its bracelet design, which resembles a crustacean’s tail. (I have always said “Complicated Crustaceans” would be a great 90’s punk band name). This is a bit subjective but I can see it. In 1973 the Quartz Crisis was about to move into hyperdrive and interest in electronic watches surged. In turn, Omega introduced the Speedsonic, with a pioneering electromechanical movement that aimed to deliver enhanced precision and reliability.

The crown was intentionally downsized to highlight the reduced need for manual adjustments of time or date. Inside the watch is the caliber 1255. This electronic chronograph movement was designed specifically for Omega’s Speedsonic models and came with an official Chronometer Certification. Its tuning fork mechanism set it apart, delivering impressive accuracy. Operating at a frequency of 300 Hz, it showcased advanced engineering for its time.

The “sonic” in Speedsonic refers to the sound waves generated by the watch’s tuning fork movement, which are audible to the wearer. (I am sorry, it’s not a reference to the famed blue hedgehog, which would be a lot cooler in my humble opinion). Notably, this was among the first Speedmasters to feature a day/date display, available in various languages. Some of these models were even issued to NASA astronauts, but a Moonwatch, it still is not.

Speedmaster Chronoscope

Chronoscope is defined as an instrument that can measure small time intervals and in 2021 Omega released the Speedmaster Chronosope, which took the entire watch world by storm. I phrase it this way because saying it was love at first sight for everyone, would be lying. The reason being, that despite the exhausting variations of the Speedmaster that all generally follow the same design ethos (with few exceptions along the way like the Alaska Project watches), this Speedmaster was a call back to the early Omega chronographs of the 40’s. It was completely unexpected at the time and if I may say so myself, despite the 43mm size — it’s absolutely stunning.

On first glance, despite having only two subdials, the watch could look a bit cluttered and busy but there is a reason for the madness. There are three chronograph scales present in what is called “snail design” stolen specifically from the chronographs of the early 20th century. As with almost all Speedmaster variants there is a tachymeter that measures speed based on distance. The scale measures average travel time between two points regardless of whether you measure in miles or kilometers.

The second chronograph scale is the telemeter that can be used to tell how far you are from something visible and audible such as a thunderstorm. And finally there is the pulsometer, which is exactly what it says it is — a tool to measure someone’s heartbeat/pulse.

The telemeter scale is by far the rarest of them all, and the only other Omega model it appears on that I am aware of is the 145022-69 ST reference. This specialized scale was originally designed to measure the distance of an object based on sound, making it especially practical for soldiers who used it to estimate the distance of enemy artillery. They would start the chronograph when a shell was fired and stop it upon impact, giving an estimate of the distance. Although it has limited application in modern times, as per the majority of our horological wonders.

All of these scales have been featured on previous models in some form, but it was the Chronoscope that put them all together. That fact alone makes this a worthy addition to any collection.

Inside, Omega opted for the manually wound co-axial caliber 9908 (yes, the same one mentioned above for the Flight Qualified variant), allowing them to reduce the watch’s thickness. This movement brings a unique twist: while the watch looks like a two-register chronograph, it actually functions as a three-register. The subdial at three o’clock cleverly combines two hands to track both chronograph minutes and hours.

The Omega Speedmaster Perpetual Calendar

Disregarding my continued practice of brevity, I have to include one more model. The Omega Speedmaster Perpetual Calendar, released in 1991, is one of the most elusive and intriguing Speedmaster models ever produced. Limited to just 50 pieces, this model celebrates the 700th anniversary of Switzerland.

A note on Switzerland’s history because I could not resist: The Old Swiss Confederacy was essentially an alliance formed by communities in the central Alps—specifically among three key regions or cantons: Uri, Schwyz, and Unterwalden. These areas joined forces to protect their shared interests and maintain peace, particularly along important mountain trade routes. The alliance’s formation is traditionally marked by the signing of the Federal Charter in 1291. This charter is an agreement that formally established cooperation among the rural communities of the three founding cantons, though it’s likely that informal alliances had existed among them even earlier. This 1291 agreement set the foundation for what would later grow into modern Switzerland.

Now back to our regularly scheduled programming…

The Speedmaster Perpetual was also made exclusively for the Japanese market. Why just the Japanese market?… Because they had a big Speedmaster following according to Omega’s website. It is considered one of the rarest Speedmasters on the market, with few examples surfacing in the secondary market. In fact, the last two recorded sales that I could find were in 2013 by Antiquorum and 2017 by Phillips. They fetched $22,000 and $16,000 respectively. That said, I could not find any documentation as to its original price.

This model is distinguished by its incredible complexity, as it is considered the most complicated Speedmaster Omega has ever produced. Housed in a 39mm solid 18K yellow gold case, it’s powered by the caliber 1160. Another notable aspect of this Speedmaster is its caseback, which omits the traditional seahorse medallion, a detail that further sets it apart from other Speedmaster models.

For collectors, this Speedmaster represents an exceptional piece of horological history. Its rarity, the unique occasion it commemorates, and its high level of complication make it a hidden gem in the well documented annals of Speedmaster history and lore.

Coming Back to Earth

The Omega Speedmaster is a watch that often finds itself pigeonholed as “just the Moonwatch,” and as a Moonwatch owner, I completely understand why. The historic NASA connection and its role in lunar exploration are iconic. But what I find so remarkable about the Speedmaster is not just its journey to the moon but its evolution—a story told through an incredible array of styles, sizes, complications, movements, and materials. This diversity makes the Speedmaster a timepiece that deserves a place in any collection, not only because of its moon-bound legacy but because you can’t tell the story of horology without it.

To some, especially newer collectors of the “new watch order,” the constant association with NASA might feel overplayed, or they might roll their eyes at yet another Speedmaster release each year. But taking a step back reveals how much this watch has influenced the industry—mechanically, aesthetically, and commercially. It has continually set new standards while preserving the charm of its origin.

With this two-part exploration of the lesser-known Speedmasters, I hope to have shown that there is a version of this watch for every enthusiast. It’s far from just “Moonwatch or bust.” The Speedmaster family is a rich, varied lineage that speaks to different tastes and eras, proving that this iconic model truly has something for everyone.