| Brand: | Omega |
| Model: | Speedmaster |
| Reference: | 2998-5 |
| Gender: | male/uni-sex |
| Year: | 1962 |
| Material: | stainless steel |
| Dial Color: | black |
| Dimensions: | 39,7 mm |
| Watch Movement: | manual |
| Bracelet/Strap: | steel |
| Box/Paper: | Handmade Leather Travel Pouch IF ordered at WRIST ICONS |
| Condition: | Good vintage condition |
WRIST ICONS is proud to present you the Omega Speedmaster 2998-5. This is a very important reference in the Speedmaster story. It was the first Speedmaster carrying a black bezel. It is the second Omega Speedmaster reference with straight lugs. The Speedmaster CK2998-5 is the fifth reference of 8, and was introduced in the fall of 1959 as a successor of reference CK2915. This extremely rare reference has only been made in 1962. The CK2998 was also the first Omega in space, on the wrist of astronaut Wally Schirra. It was his own privately acquired watch and joined him on the Sigma 7 mission in 1962.
This watch has the original DON (dot over ninety) bezel as well as a beautiful and sought after JB Champion bracelet. This watch has been bought by a serious Speedmaster collector from a soldier which was based in Germany and has been in their collection for more than 10 years.
Now a bit on the history of the Moonwatch. Since its launch more than half a century ago, the OMEGA Speedmaster has been the classic chronograph, known for its robust reliability and timeless design. And since the 21st of July 1969, when it was first worn on the lunar surface, it has been popularly known as the Moonwatch. This watch was first chosen by astronauts themselves to measure time in space. Three years before the Speedmaster's official qualification for space flight, astronaut Walter “Wally ”Schirra and Lery Gordon “Gordo” Cooper privately purchased their very first chronographs, the second generation Speedmaster with the reference CK2298. Wally Shirra took his personal CK 2998 aboard Mercury-Atlas 8 (Sigma 7) on October 3, 1962 during the Mercury-Atlas 8 (Sigma 7) mission.
At the beginning of the Gemini program in 1964 and on astronauts once again asked the Flight Crew Operations Director, Deke Slayton to provide a watch during training and flight. In October 1964 James Ragan, a NASA engineer, sent out a Request of Quotations Letter to different watch manufacturers. Of the brands contacted, only four reacted. James Ragan purchased three of the four chronographs that met the requirements. After a lot of severe test (high/low temperatures, G-force tests up to 40G, highly corrosive 100% oxygen environment, 130 decibels etc.) from different kind of manual wound chronographs, the Omega Speedmaster had finally been chosen in 1965 to become the official NASA astronaut watch.
Gus Grissom and John Young wore the first officially qualified Speedmasters on Gemini 3 on March 23, 1965. Several months later, Ed White made the first American space walk during Gemini 4 with a Speedmaster 105.003 strapped to the outside of the left-side sleeve of his G4C space suit. In 1966, Speedmaster reference 105.012 was updated to reference 145.012. These two models would be the two Speedmaster references known to have been worn on the Moon by Apollo astronauts, the original "Moon watches."[1] Speedmasters were used throughout the early manned Apollo program, and reached the Moon with Apollo 11. Ironically, these and prior models are informally known as "pre-Moon" Speedmasters, since their manufacture predate the Moon landings and lack the inscription subsequent models carry: "The First Watch Worn on the Moon".
Although Apollo 11 commander Neil Armstrong was first to set foot on the Moon, he left his 105.012 Speedmaster inside the lunar module as a backup, because the LM's electronic timer had malfunctioned.[2] Buzz Aldrin elected to wear his and so his Speedmaster became the first watch to be worn on the Moon. Later, he wrote of his decision:
It was optional to wear while we were walking on the surface of the Moon ... few things are less necessary when walking around on the Moon than knowing what time it is in Houston, Texas. Nonetheless, being a watch guy, I decided to strap the Speedmaster onto my right wrist around the outside of my bulky spacesuit.[2]
This particular Omega Speedmaster 2998-4 has just undergone a full service. This work was carried out by our watchmaker using original parts. They also place a new original Omega plexi-glass with the Omega symbol in the center.
As with all of our pre-owned watches this watch comes with a full 12 month WRIST ICONS warranty that will be invoked from the day of purchase. Further: everything is cleaned before sending the items.
The below information is based on the reference book Moonwatch Only from Grégoire Rossier and Anthony Marquié.