Lot 28

Apollo-Soyuz Test Project Today, orbital cooperation has grown to allow for many nations to work together in order to explore planetary worlds beyond our own, the Cold War space race was a time in history that was as a competition between two countries rather than a combined effort. The Apollo-Soyuz Test Project was the mission that began to mend the relationship between the United States and Soviet Union. This decision to unite on a mission was the beginning of a new type of solidarity that set the tone for future space operations. By the mid-1970s, both superpowers had achieved major success. The United States could boast that they were the only successful crew to put the first humans on the Moon, achieving six Apollo landings in just four years between 1969 and 1972. Each side successfully launched space stations (the Russian Salyut and the American Skylab) and both remained invested in their national accomplishments. It became, however, a common realization that it would be mutually beneficial for the two countries to join together in a show of unity for the future of space exploration. After three years of testing and preparation, On July 15, 1975, three American crew members and two Russian crew members overcame political, technological, and linguistic barriers to join together in Earth orbit 140 miles above the Atlantic Ocean. During the two days of the project, astronauts and cosmonauts passed freely between the two spacecraft, where they conducted experiments and practiced maneuvering and docking procedures. During the mission, the men grew close and the mission resulted in a new humorous language being used, affectionately named “Rustan” for Russian and Houston.Apollo-Soyuz included Tom Stafford, Deke Slayton and Vance Brand in an Apollo Command and Service Module to meet Russian cosmonauts Aleksey Leonov and Valeriy Kubasov in a Soyuz capsule. Prior to this mission, the Soviet cosmonauts used different wristwatches for its missions, although the cosmonauts realized that to be in sync with their American colleagues they should also wear the Speedmaster. Cosmonauts have continued to use Speedmasters ever since then. Today, multinational space missions still proudly take place. The International Space Station (ISS) has since been built and currently an American and Russian crew member are aboard a one-year mission that is dedicated to providing important insights into the effects of microgravity on human physiology, a critical issue to prepare humanity for longer missions, such as to Mars, on which, no doubt, the OMEGA Speedmaster will be along for the ride.

Omega. A Limited Edition Extremely Rare and Fine Stainless Steel Chronograph Wristwatch with Bracelet and the American flag Flown on the First International Space Mission Apollo-Soyuz

Signed Omega, Apollo-Soyuz model, Movement No. 39’181’098, No. 209, Case Ref. 145.022, Manufactured in 1976

Details

Omega. A Limited Edition Extremely Rare and Fine Stainless Steel Chronograph Wristwatch with Bracelet and the American flag Flown on the First International Space Mission Apollo-Soyuz
Signed Omega, Apollo-Soyuz model, Movement No. 39’181’098, No. 209, Case Ref. 145.022, Manufactured in 1976
Cal. 861 mechanical movement, 17 jewels, metal dust cap, black dial, black-blue-red Apollo-Soyuz emblem in English and Russian at 12 o’clock, luminous baton numerals, outer fifths of a second divisions, luminous baton hands, three sunken engine-turned subsidiary dials for constant seconds, 30 minutes and 12 hours registers, crystal etched with OMEGA symbol, tonneau-shaped water-resistant-type case, black bezel with tachymeter scale calibrated for 500 units, fluted lugs, screw back with engraved Saturn rocket against a map of the world surrounded with GEMINI APOLLO c??? inscription, OMEGA crown, two large round chronograph buttons in the band, stainless steel OMEGA bracelet stamped 1168/633, deployant clasp, overall approximate length 7 inches, case, dial and movement signed
42mm diam.

Provenance

From the Private Collection of Riccardo Bernard

Lot Essay

Accompanied by an OMEGA Extract from the Archives confirming production of the present watch with the "Apollo-Soyuz" emblem at 12 o'clock in 1976 and its subsequent delivery to Italy.

Further accompanied by Apollo-Soyuz Test Project flown American flag from the personal collection of astronaut Ron Evans. The framed flag is mounted to a certificate with a low-contrast background image of the docked spacecraft. The flight crew presented this to Ron Evans. It reads; This flag was flown on the First International Space Mission Apollo/Soyuz, July 15-24, 1975 and presented to Ronald E. Evans with Appreciation for your effort of the Apollo/Soyuz Test Project. It is signed at lower right; Tom Stafford, Vance Brand, and D. K (DEKE) Slayton.

Furthermore the watch is accompanied by a poster containing the space mission Apollo/Soyuz badge, six US 10c American stamps from 1975 depicting the space mission and the Apollo/Soyuz emblem signed by Tom Stafford, Vance Brand, D. K Slayton. The watch is accompanied by an envelope on which the Apollo-Soyuz emblem in silk is attached. The envelope bears a 10 cent Skylab stamp.

During the 1970s Cold War between powers in the Western Bloc (the United States, its NATO allies and others) and powers in the Eastern Bloc (the Soviet Union and its allies in the Warsaw Pact), a project was developed by NASA for a link in space between an American Apollo and Soviet Soyuz spacecraft. The mission successfully took place in July 1975 and to mark this important historical event, one year later OMEGA's exclusive Italian distributor, De Marchi, sold a very limited edition of 500 Speedmaster examples. This was the first limited edition for an OMEGA watch in steel where the limited production of 500 watches was destined for the Italian market. This is identifiable by the letter I encircled on the case back, followed by the production number and the OMEGA symbol.

The extraordinary accessories included in this lot are increasingly important as they belonged to Astronaut Ron Evans, whose was backup Command Module Plot for the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (ASTP) mission, where he participated along with American astronauts "Deke" Slayton, Tom Stafford, Vance Brand, Russian cosmonauts Aleksey Leonov, Valeriy Kubasov.

The present watch stands out from the other OMEGA Speedmasters as of its notable bracelet. This bracelet is original to the watch and thought to have been used in very few other references during the 1970s. With the 1168, OMEGA decided to use a bracelet with 20mm. end pieces which are marked 633 where the numbers are punched as opposed to etched. Additionally, the OMEGA symbol does not overhang and the number 11 is circled with STAINLESS STEEL next to it and then the OMEGA symbol within a triangle. The OMEGA script and reference 1168 are centered to the clasp.

An example of the present watch is illustrated and described in OMEGA, A Journey Through Time by Marco Richon, 2007, p .615.

More from Omega Speedmaster 50

View All