THE OMEGA Speedmaster Professional Chronograph, dubbed the Moonwatch, is the first watch to have been on the moon, and ultimately served as a lifesaver for astronauts aboard Apollo 13. For this incredible achievement, OMEGA received NASA's coveted Silver Snoopy award.
Dating back to the golden age of space missions, the connection between NASA, Snoopy and the Speedmaster is one of precision and excellence.
"SNOOPING" ON THE LUNAR SURFACE
Everyone's favourite adventurous beagle, Snoopy, first became associated with NASA's space programme because of Apollo 10, a "rehearsal" for Apollo 11. The Lunar Excursion Module was christened "Snoopy" because it had to "snoop around" for safe landing sites for Apollo 11, while the Command Module was called "Charlie Brown".
The linking thread that connects NASA, the Speedmaster and the Peanuts universe is the Silver Snoopy Award. It was created in 1968 to recognise the outstanding efforts of those who have assisted in space exploration efforts, and comes in the form of a lapel pin depicting Snoopy clad in a spacesuit.
Snoopy's ability to keep things light in serious situations was the reason why he was chosen as NASA's unofficial mascot. He also acted as a "watchdog" and emphasised mission success.
Director of Public Affairs for the Manned Space Center, Al Chop, came up with the award to bolster positive experiences among the employees whose main objective was to ensure the missions' success. The Silver Snoopy Award was very unique because it could only be doled out by an astronaut.
Lieutenant General Thomas Stafford said, "They weren't handed out very often. It was a rare thing. So if you had a Silver Snoopy, it meant that you had done something really outstanding to help the programme. Usually an astronaut awards it, because it's their life on the line."
Captain James Lovell added, "Snoopy was a real cartoon favourite who kept showing up in the comic strips wearing a spacesuit. I think the astronauts adopted him because he did everything right."
14 CRITICAL SECONDS
Apollo 13 was the third ever human lunar landing and the next successful chapter of the Apollo project. The three astronauts, Captain James Lovell, Command Module Pilot Jack Swigert, and Lunar Module Pilot, Fred Haise, were each equipped with NASA's official kit for all manned space missions. Each kit contained the OMEGA Speedmaster chronograph as a precision timepiece.
"The watch was a critical backup. If the astronauts ever lost the capability of talking to the ground, or the capability of their digital timers, the only thing they would have to rely on would be the watches on their wrists. It needed to be there for them if they had a problem," confirmed James Ragan, the NASA engineer who first tested and qualified the OMEGA Speedmaster in 1964.
Just two days after launch, the famous Apollo 13 mission made headlines across the world when two oxygen tanks exploded during a routine maintenance procedure, crippling the Service Module.
To conserve energy, the crew had to shut down nearly all power, rendering their digital timers obsolete and leaving the astronauts at the mercy of dark and freezing conditions. This inflicted serious damage to the craft, forcing the astronauts on board to get creative for a chance of survival.
OMEGA's precision was called for when a 14-second burn of fuel was required to manually readjust the course of the craft because it had drifted off-course by roughly 60 to 80 nautical miles. It meant that Apollo 13 would re-enter Earth's atmosphere at the wrong angle, and bounce back into space, making chances of survival slim.
Using the Lunar Excursion Module as a makeshift lifeboat, the astronauts used their Speedmasters to time the burn of the Lunar Excursion Module's rocket engine to help them get on the right trajectory back home.
As Captain James Lovell would later say, "We used the OMEGA watch that Jack had on his wrist and I had to control the spacecraft. Jack timed the burn on the engine to make that correction to get us back home safely."
The crew and support staff were anxious with anticipation in hopes that the astronauts would power through. The Lunar Excursion Module was not created to lead the spacecraft's descent to Earth, but rather, to just support Apollo 13's journey home. However, thanks to the timekeeping precision of the OMEGA Speedmaster, the burn went smoothly and they orbited the moon before making their way back to Earth.
It was a day that has since gone down in horological history. NASA lauded the Swiss timepiece for playing a crucial part in the space expedition. The timing was so accurate that the crew managed to land just a mile away from the actual recovery point in the South Pacific Ocean.
Lieutenant General Thomas Stafford (right) awarding OMEGA SA (left) the Silver Snoopy Award. - OMEGA
Lieutenant General Thomas Stafford (right) awarding OMEGA SA (left) the Silver Snoopy Award. - OMEGA
On October 5, 1970, OMEGA received the coveted "Silver Snoopy Award" from the astronauts at NASA as a token of acknowledgement, as it helped make the seemingly impossible happen.
JOURNEY IN TIME
The OMEGA Speedmaster watches are known to be highly collectible. These watches carry a rich tale that comes with the brand's past, like the original Moonwatch in 1969 and the Snoopy-themed Speedys that were released in 2003 and 2015.
The Speedmaster Moonwatch in the same design worn by the astronauts in 1969. - OMEGA
The original OMEGA Speedmaster witnessed the first manned moon landing in July 1969 and has been on every lunar mission ever since. It features an asymmetrical stainless steel 42mm case and is built in the classic 4th generation style that was worn by Apollo 11 astronauts during history's first moon landing.
A hesalite crystal protects the dial that is enhanced with a 30-minute recorder, 12-hour recorder and small seconds sub-dial. The stainless steel case is presented on a matching bracelet or a black leather strap.
The 2003 edition comes with a very clean chronograph design and a coloured image of Snoopy on its sub-dial and caseback. OMEGA only produced 5,441 pieces of the timepiece, a number that holds special significance based on the amount of time the space mission lasted: 142 hours, 54 minutes and 41 seconds.
The year 1970 held a lot of meaning when it came to the production of the 2015 edition of the Snoopy-themed Speedmaster, released in lieu of Apollo 13's 45th anniversary. It was also to commemorate the Silver Snoopy Award that was presented to OMEGA.
Only 1,970 pieces of this watch were manufactured, and it features a silver Snoopy medallion on the caseback surrounded by dark blue enamel. A thought bubble appears to the right of the image of Snoopy in the 9 o'clock sub-dial with the words, "Failure is not an option". Capturing the tense atmosphere onboard Apollo 13, the words, "What could you do in 14 seconds?" are etched on the seconds track from 0 to 14.
A TIMELY RELEASE
This year, OMEGA rolled out the Speedmaster "Silver Snoopy Award" 50th Anniversary, a distinguished timepiece unlike any other. With an elegant colour palette of astronaut blue, white and silver, this iconic wristwatch is truly a sight to behold.
In an even more impressive display of horological craftsmanship, the Speedmaster "Silver Snoopy Award" 50th Anniversary comes with an animated NAIAD-locking caseback on its flipside.
When the chronograph is running, Snoopy makes a loop around the moon, but his capsule is only visible for 14 seconds.
The quote "Eyes on the Stars" is etched in white on the black background adorned with tiny stars that glint ever so slightly. The details of the Apollo 13 mission are also embossed on the ring around the caseback.
For more information about the OMEGA Speedmaster "Silver Snoopy Award" 50th Anniversary, please visit this website.