This watch will make an astronomical addition to your collection.
Neil Armstrong’s 1969 Omega Speedmaster Professional is hitting the auction block next month via RR Auction, with an out-of-this-world estimate of over $2 million. The watchmaker, long associated with space exploration, made the 18-karat solid-yellow-gold chronograph to commemorate NASA’s historic Apollo 11 moon landing—and now it can be yours.
The Ref. BA 145.022 was given to the first man on the moon at a gala dinner in Houston’s Warwick Hotel on November 25, 1969, mere months after Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the lunar surface. One of Omega’s first gold Speedmasters, the rare collectible is part of the watchmaker’s Tribute to Astronauts line; only 26 timepieces were made under that umbrella, each given to NASA astronauts (both living and deceased) in tribute to their exploration of the cosmos. In Armstrong’s case, he got No. 17, which has the words “Astronaut Neil A. Armstrong, Gemini 8 – Apollo 11” engraved on the caseback with the phrase “To mark man’s conquest of space with time, through time, on time” at the center.
The engraving on Neil Armstrong’s Omega Speedmaster Professional
RR Auctions
Armstrong’s watch mimics the design of the classic steel Speedmaster Professional, but, obviously, done up in an 18-karat-gold, 44 mm case. Of course, since the astronaut wore the watch himself, it has a couple of scratches on the caseback. The special edition offers up a burgundy dial aluminum bezel insert (which has faded in some places), marked with the “dot over ninety,” a hallmark of vintage Omegas. As for the gold dial, it has black hands to indicate the time, as well as faceted onyx hour markers set in gold frames, while the gold bracelet features hollow links and a 14 mm clasp. And, last but not least, the astronaut’s timepiece is completed by Omega’s copper-colored caliber 861.
With the watch, you’ll also get an official certificate from Omega that confirms its authenticity. And, besides nabbing an ultra-rare timepiece, your auction win will be going toward a good cause. Half of the proceeds of the sale—which takes place on April 17 at the Royal Sonesta in Cambridge, Mass. at 6 p.m. —will be donated to charities selected by Armstrong’s son, Mark Armstrong.
“This watch, which my father liked to wear on special occasions, symbolizes one of the most remarkable achievements in the history of mankind,” Mark said in a statement. “A substantial portion of the proceeds from the sale of this watch will benefit charitable causes my father believed in, furthering the impact that he and many other Americans made to humanity more than half a century ago.”
Omega, as we mentioned, has long been creating timepieces destined for space. NASA signed off on the Speedmaster’s use in the cosmos back in 1957, and the famed timepiece became the first Omega in space in 1962. (The company actually re-released that watch last fall.) As for other rare Speedmaster Pros, three made for Apollo astronauts also headed to auction back in 2023. If you’re looking for more modern wristcandy, the Speedmaster Moonwatch, which debuted last year, also pays homage to the watchmaker’s space roots. That might be a tad bit easier to snag than getting your hands on Armstrong’s one-of-one collectible.
