Posts: 4706
Location:
Chicagoland (GMT-6 Winter...
Registered:
November 2003
Ah,
I can finally talk about this
one...
Mar 30, 2005 - 12:17 PM
Jorge
Merino Posts: N E W M o
d e l &endash; Omega
Speedmaster Gemini 4
Special Edition [Mar
30, 2005 - 07:54 AM]
This
special Speedmaster
model, created for
Baselworld 2005,
commemorates not only
the 40th anniversary of
the first space walk,
but also the 40th
anniversary of the
Speedmaster's flight
qualification for manned
spaceflight missions.
These important
milestones are
celebrated with a
distinctive model with a
blue dial and matching
blue aluminium ring on
the steel bezel. Only
2,005 pieces will be
made. The Gemini 4
limited-edition
Speedmaster is
characterised by its
blue dial and silver
counters for the
30-minute and 12-hour
chronograph counters and
continuous seconds. The
blue theme is also
continued on the bezel,
with the familiar
tachymeter scale
reproduced on a blue
aluminium ring. The
commemorative nature of
the timepiece is
indicated by a subtle
red engraving 1965-2005
below the Speedmaster
name at 12 o'clock on
the dial. The applied
Omega symbol above the
name, as well as 12
rhodium-plated hour
markers, also add a hint
of luxury and indicate
that this Speedmaster is
special.
Ah,
I can finally
talk about this
one...
I
asked Marco Richon
back in December or
January if they were
going to do something
to commemorate the
40th Anniversary of
Ed White's spacewalk
and he swore me to
secrecy and assured
me that Omega was
going to do
so.
So
I've had to be mum on
this possibility
since I was sworn to
secrecy.
In
all other respects, the
watch remains a classic
Speedmaster, with the
same case, bracelet and
hesalite crystal found
on the "Moon Watch" -
the standard Speedmaster
Professional model.
Movement is the
hand-wind Omega caliber
1861. However, one of
its most striking
features is destined to
remain hidden most of
the time, since it is
the distinctive Gemini 4
mission patch, bearing
the names of the crew,
McDivitt and White, and
an illustration of the
first space walk, that
is etched in colour on
the sapphire crystal
case back with the
engraving "First Space
Walk 40th Anniversary"
and the limited-edition
number (0001/2005).
Well,
there is a bit of a
logical mistep
here... In the first
sentence Omega (I
assume) states:
“In all
other respects, the
watch remains a
classic Speedmaster,
with the same case,
bracelet and hesalite
crystal found on the
"Moon Watch" - the
standard Speedmaster
Professional
model.”
and
then
“However, one of
its most striking
features is destined
to remain hidden most
of the time, since it
is the distinctive
Gemini 4 mission
patch”.
For
the most part the
watch looks much
better than I had
expected based on the
rumors I couldn't
comment upon. The
only thing I don't
care for are the
rhodium subdial
hands, which will be
hard to read on the
silver subdials. A
mistake Omega made on
the Mitsukoshi and
35th Anniversary
edition Speedmasters
as well.
On
the other hand this
leaves the door open
for Omega if they
wish to produce any
of these models in
the standard product
line, they can change
the hands and proceed
full speed ahead.
Thanks.
Jorge.
For
my part, I believe
(unless something
else pops up betwix
now and then) this
one will be #10 and
I'll have to do a new
Moonwatch Spread
before the end of the
year.
THANK
YOU Jorge for your
postings!
For
those of you who are
not familiar with the
significance of the
Gemini 4 mission I
post a portal and
link to my article
"35 years ago
today…" which
was literally the
only mention of the
Ed White Spacewalk
anniversary anywhere
in the media with the
possible exception of
NASA's website nearly
5 years
ago...
Back then, I
was very disappointed
that I was the only
(or nearly only) one
to note the 35th
anniversary, I'm very
pleased that Omega is
noting this important
anniversary this time
around.
Mar 30, 2005 - 12:17 PM 
- Jorge
Merino