In the pantheon of famous watches, the Omega Speedmaster is one of the elder gods. Originally released in 1957, the original design is still available today, albeit with some modifications to keep it current. With dozens of variations—and even more special editions—the Speedmaster watches cater to all tastes. They come in various design options and materials. Frankly, it's hard to find a watch with a more prestigious history.
Compiling a catalog of all Speedmaster versions would be daunting; to attempt this task, you'd need a small wiki newspaper. However, some variants stand out more than others. Here I will discuss five of the rarest and most desirable Speedmasters. If you're a collector, you'll undoubtedly want to have at least one of these watches in your collection.
Speedmaster Ref. 105.003 "Ed White"
The 105.003 model is much like the Speedmaster Professional “Moonwatch,” primarily due to its broad white hands. These watches are often called “Ed White” since NASA astronaut Ed White wore them during the first-ever spacewalk. In fact, the 105.003 model was the original watch Omega used to qualify with NASA. Most NASA watches eventually became successors to the Moonwatch model, but a few 105.003 models were used, explaining how one ended up on Ed White's wrist.
These watches were released in a limited edition. They were introduced in 1964, following the transitional Omega 105.002 model, and were produced only until 1969. You often find it listed alongside the 105.012 and 145.012 models, which were considered replacements.
Due to its small production run combined with iconic status, the 105.003 model is hard to find. Depending on the exact condition, it will cost between $15,000 and $20,000. Despite this, it is the most accessible Omega watch from the pre-professional era. A more affordable—and almost equally collectible—alternative is the Speedmaster Calibre 321 model. It is based on the 105.003 model but was released in 2020, making it more accessible.
Speedmaster Ref. 2998 CK
The Speedmaster CK2998 is another pre-professional watch. Initially released in 1959, these watches became the first Speedmaster watches to go to space, albeit unofficially. NASA did not certify the Speedmaster until 1965, when it became the official watch of the Gemini and Apollo programs. But the CK2998 model went to space as early as 1962, when astronaut Wally Schirra wore it as a personal item during the Mercury-Atlas 8 mission. By the time Schirra flew again on “Gemini 6A,” Speedmaster watches were officially issued to astronauts. He went to space for the third and final time in 1968 on the “Apollo 7” mission.
One of the most notable features of the CK2998 model is the straight 19-millimeter lugs. Such straight lugs are only found on early Speedmaster models, after which Omega abandoned them in favor of a more elegant curved design. The second hand is straight and needle-like, without the tip seen on later Omega models. You will also find other traits typical of the