From SwissWatchExpo…
Spotlight on: the Omega Speedmaster ‘Snoopy’ Watches. How did Snoopy end up on the Speedy?
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The Omega Speedmaster and space exploration are intrinsically linked.
After having been used by astronauts for their personal use, it was certified by NASA
as the official watch for manned space missions – eventually becoming the first watch on the moon.
Since then, the Speedy has faithfully served astronauts on space programs,
and even played a life-saving role. Loved on Earth and beyond,
the Speedy is widely recognized for its contributions to space exploration.
The most unique honor bestowed to it has to be the Silver Snoopy Award, given by NASA in 1970.
What does the famous cartoon beagle have to do with NASA, and how did it end up on
the Speedmaster? Let’s track the history of Omega Speedmaster ‘Snoopy’ watches.
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The Silver Snoopy Award is a special recognition given by NASA astronauts to the agency’s staff
and partners, to honor achievements in mission success or ensuring flight safety.
Why did NASA choose Snoopy as the mascot? In the 1960s,
Charles M. Schultz’s Peanuts characters, Snoopy in particular, were highly popular.
NASA sought a widely recognized and well-loved symbol for the award,
so that employees and contractors can feel their impact on the space missions’ success.
Omega was given the Silver Snoopy Award on October 5th 1970,
in recognition of the Speedmaster’s vital support during the rescue of Apollo 13.
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Two limited-edition Speedmasters were created to recall this moment in history - one in 2003,
followed by another version in 2015.
The pioneer Omega Speedmaster Silver Snoopy watch commemorates the Apollo
13. It was made available in 5,441 pieces, which represents the length of the mission.
The dial is in a jet-black hue, protected with Hesalite crystal – which is a classic
Speedmaster trait – but what gives this model away
is the small seconds sub-dial featuring NASA’s signature “Eyes on the Stars” Snoopy badge.
In 2015, Omega launched the second edition at Baselworld, produced in 1,970 pieces.
What sets this model apart is the black and white colorway,
which mirrors the monochrome coloring of the original Peanuts cartoons.
What we see here is an inverted Speedmaster color scheme, with a white dial that makes the
blackened baton hands, and fallen-over Snoopy illustration pop. Flipping the watch over,
you will find a silver Snoopy medallion that looks like the rare Silver Snoopy Award pin.
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This brings us to the new Snoopy Speedmaster introduced in 2020. It celebrates the Golden
Anniversary of Omega’s Silver Snoopy Award with a cool blue and silver colorway, and a little
surprise on the caseback. Unlike the previous versions, this watch is in standard production.
In front, it features a silver dial and a complementing blue ceramic tachymeter
scale and subdials. Again, there’s a reason for this color scheme,
with blue and white being the color of the patches worn by the Apollo 13 astronauts.
As with the previous editions, the Snoopy illustration appears on the 9 o’clock subdial,
but this one shows Snoopy wearing his spacesuit with pride and a 50th-anniversary emblem on top.
The real star of the show is on the caseback. A photo-realistic image of the lunar landscape is
shown with the Earth in the background, and when the chronograph is actively running,
we see Snoopy in flight aboard the Command Service Module.
Count on Omega to add a fun and incredibly charming
detail to celebrate an important milestone.
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Omega Speedmaster ‘Snoopy’ watches are all fitting tributes to the brand’s
enormous contributions, to man’s journey in space.
Explore our selection of Omega Speedmaster watches at SwissWatchExpo.com.
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