Most have duly departed (with the curious Speedmaster Reduced leaving the collection in 2009), but variety still exists within this supremely popular family, with many current models being made from space-age materials that had never even been mentioned in the context of watchmaking when Apollo XI took the Speedy on the trip of a lifetime. Since those high-flying days of 1969, several renditions have been brought out in an attempt to diversify and reinvigorate a collection that needed neither diversification nor reinvigoration. The "Moonwatch" (a humble Speedmaster Professional) forms the basis of most modern models' design. Just as Rolex's position as the market-leading sports watch was confirmed with the creation of a truly water-resistant case in 1926, so too was the model forever blessed the moment Buzz Aldrin's foot hit the surface of the moon (Armstrong, although in possession of a Speedmaster, elected to leave his behind, making Aldrin the first man to wear a watch on the moon). And being the first to do something - by luck or design – is always a great way to write your name into the watchmaking history books. You don't get that kind of respect without earning it. Icons on pedestals as high as the one occupied by the Speedmaster usually require a little boost from history to reach such status. Generations of watchmakers have come and gone, but the Speedmaster, which made its debut in 1957, remains an ever-present superstar as this flight qualified timepiece is spotted on celebrities, space missions, and more.
Reaching the level of visibility that the Omega Speedmaster collection now enjoys does not happen overnight.
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