Omega Releases A Brand New Speedmaster "First Omega In Space"

In what seems like a mini-eternity ago, way back in 2012, Omega released a watch called the “First Omega in Space.” It was a Speedmaster that honored the – well – first Omega Speedmaster to ever go to space, on the wrist of astronaut Wally Schirra. He wore it on NASA's Sigma 7 mission on October 3rd 1962, during which he orbited the Earth six times. 

Schirra's vintage Speedmaster, the Ref. 2998 (Speedmaster reference numbers have since grown to unfathomable lengths) was known for its guardless crown and straight lugs, among other pieces of Speedy pedantry that we’ll get into. The FOIS (short for First Omega in Space) watch released over a decade ago now went on to become a bit of an underground hit among hardcore enthusiasts. Sure, the standard Speedy was still the standard, but I knew quite a few folks who preferred the FOIS because it measured just over 39mm (compared to the 42mm of the classic Speedmaster Moonwatch) and had that vintage-inspired charm at a time when that wasn’t the norm yet.

The 1962 Speedmaster CK2998

The FOIS was discontinued about four years ago as we saw Omega update the Moonwatch with a METAS-certified caliber – the 3861 – and saw the introduction of another throwback model, the “Ed White 321” Speedmaster (named for the astronaut whio wore it), which brought back a legendary movement into a watch with a classic dial format and a flat-link bracelet style coveted in Speedmaster fan clubs worldwide.

All of this preamble brings us to today, October 3, 2024 — 62 years after 1962. Omega has chosen today to release the all-new First Omega in Space, only this time it re-creates the vintage Schirra watch even more faithfully in its design — with some little deviations, of course.

What we get here is a 39.7mm case, like the old model, with straight lugs, and a dial that pays direct homage to Schirra’s in vintage form. The case is 13.4mm thick with a lug-to-lug of 48mm. The choices made on this dial might surprise some, but I happen to think they look pretty cool, and they also put a spotlight on the unique forms some of those old Speedy dials took over time.

If you look at this watch head-on, you might think you are looking at the Ed White 321 model. And in many ways that is a good thing — because, man, is that a beautifully simple execution of a Speedmaster dial layout. To that point what we see here is the applied, vintage Omega logo, the printed throwback Omega wordmark, and the old-school Speedmaster typeface. And that’s it; no more text.

The central seconds hand is straight-tipped and white, allowing for added legibility. One seemingly small detail related to legibility is the small seconds hand, which is done in an alpha style – something not present on Schirra’s CK2998 model – in order to differentiate it from the subdials tied to the chronograph. 

Unlike the Ed White, which faux-aged the dial markers slightly, this watch opts to go full vintage with an aged Super-Luminova that mimics the tritium of the 1960s. This dark color is present on the painted markers and inside the Alpha hour and minute hands.

Tying this whole vintage look together is a grey-blue, sunray finished dial that may seem odd, considering that the first FOIS had a conventional black dial. But in reality this is a direct nod to the way in which some 2998 models have aged, taking on a blue-grey appearance. In fact, Schirra’s own watch appears this way and is no doubt the reason behind the choice. Of course, I imagine Omega also wanted to draw a clearer line between this and its other current-production Speedmaster models.

Inside this watch beats the same METAS-certified Caliber 3861 found on the current-gen Moonwatch. Its a manually-wound movement, good for 50 hours of power reserve, with added chronometer certification, beating at 3Hz. You can find this (but not see it) beneath an engraved, closed caseback with the traditional Hippocampus and text that reads “The First Omega in Space."

The watch comes in two strap configurations (priced at $7,500), but no doubt fans are going to love the addition of a flat-link bracelet with an adjustment system built it (priced at $7,900). All in all, this watch really lives up to the billing. The dial on this FOIS is more faithful to the original historical model than its 2012 predecessor and will certainly speak to a subsection of Speedmaster lovers that find 42mm a touch too large. I am eager to see this one in the metal and will certainly report back with more once I do. For now, let us know what you think of the new First Omega in Space.