July 20, 1969, was not only the day man first landed on the moon. It was the day that a timepiece was first used on the moon, as well. In particular, it was worn by astronaut Buzz Aldrin. Ever since, people’s interest in the moon exploration just started to snowball, with countless watchmakers commemorating the celestial body.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Lunar landing, and we’ve listed five of the best watches to honor the occasion. Take a read!
Limited Edition Omega Speedmaster Apollo 11
Undoubtedly, there’s no timepiece more closely affiliated with moon exploration and probe than the Omega Speedmaster.
Ed White first wore the watch in 1965 on the very first American spacewalk, and then the timepiece became the very first worn on the moon in the course of the Apollo 11 lunar landing. It’s no doubt why it earned the appellation “moon watch.” Additionally, to commemorate the Apollo 11 lunar landing’s 50th anniversary, Omega has released an edition of a moon watch that’s limited to a certain number of production.
Honoring the Apollo 11, the Omega Speedmaster highlights a number eleven in 18-karat moonshine gold on the watch‘s dial and a 9 o’clock laser-engraved sub-dial with the portrait of astronaut Buzz Aldrin landing on the moon’s surface.
Moreover, the 42mm case is made or built from stainless steel with a polished black ceramic bezel ring, which is decorated with an Omega tachymeter scale inscribed around the bezel. Its watch hands, logo, bezel, and indexes were made from 18-karat moonshine gold.
Xeric Apollo 11
There are many watches available today to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing. As such, there’s no lack of options if you want a watch for yourself. If you are looking to own a significant, poignant timepiece, then the Xeric Apollo 11 on Kickstarter is one of the best watches that’s a nod to the accomplishments of the Apollo 11 team.
Kickstarter offers a collection of timepieces that glows like the solar system to commemorate the NASA Apollo 11 lunar landing’s 50th anniversary. Each watch from the collection has silkscreened dials for stargazing, luminous hands, and has almost twice the amount of watch lume than other timepieces to guarantee it glows in low-light environments.
Additionally, these watches are equipped with 82S0 Miyota automatic movement. This particular movement will kindle power when you wear it. The Xeric Apollo 11 collection will undoubtedly be one of the best watches in your collection with a power reserve of about forty-two hours.
Lange 1 Moon Phase
The Lange 1 Moon Phase is newly released this year and is the 6th of ten timepieces A.Lange & Söhne is making to commemorate the 25 years of the Lange 1. This watch is shaped and designed after the Lange 1 Moon Phase in 2017.
Mounted in a white gold case, the A.Lange & Söhne Lange 1 Moon Phase “25th Anniversary” features blued hands and a blue-printed argent-colored watch face. Also, it features a smaller dial that has a moon phase that acts as a day/night indicator, representing and portraying the moon against a starry darky sky at night and a bright blue sky in the day.
An L121.3 automatic movement powers this anniversary piece, and only twenty-five watches were made.
Hermès Arceau L’heure de la lune
This good-looking moon phase watch was presented at Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) this year. The Swiss brand Hermes made this watch that features two smooth, shining pearl moons along with a pair of floating lacquer watch face. These features rotate to demonstrate the present moon phase in the Northern and Southern hemispheres.
The watch is mounted in a 43mm white gold case, and a starry blue aventurine or grey meteorite watch face adorns the background from some sky-gazing or stargazing on your wrist. Plus, the Hermès Arceau L’heure de la lune functions on the H1837 movement with a 28,800 vph frequency. What’s more, only 100 were produced of each design.
HM Perpetual Moon
The HM Perpetual Moon is a smartly made moon phase watch. The moon disc is about 29mm in diameter and frames an 11.2mm golden moon. Surrounding the aperture is the aventurine stone watch face that glows like a starry night sky. Additionally, it is encased and detailed in 18-karat red gold.
Takeaway
Fifty years ago, the Apollo 11 mission was launched, the first to set a man onto the moon’s surface. And on this very same day, the first watch was worn on the moon, which was the Omega Speedmaster. This year, as we honor and salute that momentous event, Omega and other watchmakers have released tribute timepieces that remember that moment in history. These watches are designed and made to fete the occasion.