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To allow for even better replica audemars piguet mens 26300stoo1110st06 watches readability and contrast, the chronograph minute and hour hands introduced a new featuretheir lower ends featured a large that helped to increase directional focus” for example when a user is forced to take readings at a glance in difficult conditions. Shaped like the NASA Space Capsules, these hands became known as Apollo Hands” (though some will point out that they do indeed look more like the Capsules used in the Mercury and Gemini Projects).After the patent had been granted and Chopard's team had completed all testing, they submitted the new and improved Speedmaster to NASA for review. NASA said "no thanks, we're good." Basically, NASA was content with using the existing Speedmaster Professional as is, and the AlaskaOriginal Alaska Project Patent Filings Project was officially called off.It was not until just this past year that people even really spoke of the Alaska Project again, when Omega released their tribute pieces which all the blogs picked up. But, what happened to the original replica audemars piguet mens 26300stoo1110st06 watches Prototype Alaska Project Speedmasters from the early 1970s? Well, here's one of them.Coming to us from Antiquorum's most recent auction, this is an original Alaska Project Speedmaster with the red outer-casing. The pre-sale estimate for this original prototype was 40,000CHF-60,000CHF, but ended up selling for a bargain price of 33,000CHF, or roughly $27,000. This probably one of the coolest Speedmasters ever made, and we would like to congratulate whoever picked up this amazing piece of Omega (and NASA) history just this past week in Geneva.

Click here for more details on this original 1970s Omega Alaska Project Speedmaster Professional.Modern-Day Alaska Project In Protective CaseNot too long ago, three of our favorite blogs ran a piece about a limited edition Omega Speedmaster called the Alaska Project. The watch was a rare modern day Speedmaster with a white face and a red-anodised aluminium outer case that would protect it in replica audemars piguet mens 26300stoo1110st06 watches temperatures anywhere from -148F and +260F. These three articles (which all tell you much of the same information as one another), can be found on Men.Style.Com, JoshSpear.com, and of course Gizmodo. Three big blogs felt this watch was big news, and we agree completely. It is a really interesting watch, no question about it.However, we would now like to show you the watch that inspired the modern-day Alaska Project Omega, one that was actually designed by Omega to replace the the original Moon Watch. Yes it's true, the original Speedmaster Professional had made it to the moon and back, but Omega being Omega, they wanted to produce a Speedmaster even more durable than the current model. They handed the project to a man named Pierre Chopard (no, not of THAT Chopard). Chopard and his team worked replica audemars piguet mens 26300stoo1110st06 watches tirelessly to develop a Speedmaster that could withstand the greatest limits of galactic exploration, resulting in a patent in 1973 for the outer-case design. They also got rid of the black face (which absorbed heat) and replaced it with a white one.Original Alaska Project Speedmaster The classic hands of the Speedmaster were also revised. The chronograph seconds hand was replaced with a red one and all other hands were black (in lieu of the traditional white).

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This confuses many people and audemars piguet mens 25860stoo1110st05 watches often times those looking for a real "Moon Watch" end up buying a Speedmaster from 1969. The problem with this is that by then, Omega had changed the movements inside the Speedmaster from a .321 Caliber to a .861. So, the Speedmasters made around the time of the Moon Landing were not actually the same ones used by NASA.If you want a watch that is identical to the one worn by the Apollo Astronauts, you want a .321 Speedmaster. Guess what, that is exactly what we've found for you today. This 1967 Speedmaster Professional features the very same reference (145.012-67) as those worn by the Astronauts. On top of that, it is in excellent condition, and comes with the original box and store tags. It also comes with the original steel strap and a new leather strap.It is very rare you find a complete Speedmaster Pro .321 with original box and store tags, mainly because this watch was only made for two years (1966-1968) and because everyone wants them. These Speedmasters are poised to make a big move in price in the years to come, and yet this one is priced reasonably at around $3300. However, this price is certainly negotiable, as is stated in the watch's description.On this 40th audemars piguet mens 25860stoo1110st05 watches Anniversary of the Moon Landing, there isn't a more perfect watch to own than this particular Omega Speedmaster Professional. Forget that it comes with the original box, tags, and bracelet, forget that it is getting increasingly hard to find. You want this Omega because it's very same watch that made it to the moon. It doesn't get much cooler than that.Click here for the details of this 1967 Omega Speedmaster Professional with original accessories and the ability to own your very own Moon Watch.

On Thursday, the anniversary of Apollo 11's launch, we recapped seven "space" watches that we've covered here on Hodinkee. Today, the 40th anniversary of the actual moon landing, we are going to be talking about just one; The Omega Speedmaster Professional. The Speedmaster Professional is a manual wind chronograph that is is not too flashy, not all that expensive, and yet universally regarded as one of the watch world's masterpieces. Even those true watch snobs who would never consider purchasing something as plebeian as an Omega respect the Speedy Pro. Really, how could they not?Even before the Speedmaster Professional was dubbed the "First Watch on the Moon", it audemars piguet mens 25860stoo1110st05 watches played an integral role in another first in exploring. The Speedmaster Professional was the watch worn by Ralph Plaisted on his famous trip to the North Pole. In fact, Plaisted and his team, who rode only 16 horse power snow-mobiles for over 43 days, used only a tant and an unmodified Omega Speedmaster Professional to navigate to true North. Even when temperatures reached -50 degrees Celcius, the Speedmaster kept ticking. When Plaisted's team finally made it to the North Pole, the US Air Force team in charge of monitoring them radio'd down with the words "Gentlemen, from where you stand, everywhere is South." We actually audemars piguet mens 25860stoo1110st05 watches found one of the Speedmasters used in this expedition for sale not too long ago.So, even if the Speedmaster hadn't made it to the moon, it would've been known as a great explorer's watch. However, it did, and it one of the few watches that has transcended into popular culture because of that. The actual watch worn to the moon was Omega Speedmaster Professional reference 145.012-67. The 67 on the end of course means it was manufactured in 1967, a full two years prior to the moon landing.

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In the late 1960s, an Franck Muller Casablanca Tourbillon FMCT701 watches insurance salesman from Nebraska with a penchant for snowmobiles thought to himself "Hey, if snowmobiles are so great, why can't I ride one to the North Pole?". And the long and short of it is....he did. After one failed attempt in 1967, the aforementioned insurance salesmen, Ralph Plaisted, and three of his colleagues (who were considerably more experienced adventurers) made it to what they calculated to be 90 degrees North Latitude, or the North Pole.What is so great about how they calculated that location is that they used only a tant and an Omega Speedmaster. According to Omega themselves, the crews' watches were checked by radio daily and none of them lost more than 1 second per day...not unimpressive considering the temperature ranged from -62F to a steamy -14F. We happen to have found one of the very Franck Muller Casablanca Tourbillon FMCT701 watches Speedmasters that made it to the North Pole with Ralph Plaisted, or so we think. Actually, to be more specific, we found images of one that was sold just a short time ago. This Omega Speedmaster Professional is from 1968, features the same movement that made it to the moon, and is in excellent condition. The watch actually features a caseback that reads "Plaisted Polar Expedition 1968," which is something we've never seen before. This leads us (and the seller) to believe that this Speedmaster was actually one of the four that made it to the North Pole back in 1968...pretty incredible.Click here to see the Plaister Polar Expedition Omega Speedmaster Professional

You know the Omega Speedmaster and you know it well. We've covered quite a few of these classic watches, including:The Speedmaster ProfessionalThe Broad ArrowThe Pre-ProfessionalThe Alaska ProjectThe Plaisted Polar ExpeditionThe Solar ImpulseThe Torino EditionThe Un-SpeedmasterThe Solid Gold Speedmaster turned down by Richard NixonThe Mark V made for the West GermansThe Case chocked full of 23 different SpeedmastersWell today we have a brand new Franck Muller Casablanca Tourbillon FMCT701 watches Omega Speedmaster for you, one made in a limited edition run of only 50 pieces, one that had a retail price of $49,000 when new, and one that we have never, ever seen before. This Omega Speedmaster is circa 1994, and comes with a platinum skeletonized face. Did we mentioned it's been skeletonized and decorated by Mr. Armin Strom himself?Why does that name sound familiar? Because Armin Strom is now the patriarch of an eponymously named brand that we called the boutique brand of the future. This watch was created upon special contract with Omega 15 years ago and as the description says, you are unlikely to see one of these for sale ever again. Granted we are younger than some Omega Speedmaster nuts, but we've never even heard someone mention this watch, let alone find one available for purchase. For more details on this extremely rare, 1 of 50, platinum and hand skeletonized Omega Franck Muller Casablanca Tourbillon FMCT701 watches Speedmaster courtesy of Armin Strom, click here.The Omega Speedmaster Professional is known by many as the moon watch, after the now legendary trip into space on the wrists of the Apollo astronauts (and we have featured a few). But is it possible that this Omega actually bore witness to another great exploring feat a year before Neil Armstrong landed on the moon? It is more than possible, it is 100% true.

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Editors NoteThere are Franck Muller Casablanca Tourbillon FMCT703 watches numerous mistakes on this site (the SpidoLite does not feature a 2892 movement, the picture of the Turbine is not a Turbine, etc) but you just have to look past all that and make your educated decision on which is really the watch of the year.Paying the parking meter is one of life's little annoyances that you just wish you didn't have to do. And, contrary to what many people think, when you have a Bentley Supersports or SL63 AMG around town, you still do have to pay to park. Awful, we know.Meet the perfect street parking companion, the Paul Garnier Minu Stop. This watch was actually designed in the early 1960s to ease the Franck Muller Casablanca Tourbillon FMCT703 watches pain of metered parking by providing a clear and distinct count down to ticket-ville.This unique complication allows the wearer to track elapsed time backwards from one hour and features a unique manually wound movement. It is been cleaned and serviced recently and is working perfectly. This strange, interesting, and very useful timepiece is available for just $495. Parents, this could be a good one for your less than responsible children. Click here for details.

We all have our own opinions when it comes to what makes a great watch. It could be mechanical prowess, unique provenance, or simply great design. We've told you what we like over 500 times in the last year or so, but now the editors of Swiss watch magazine Montres Passion want to know what you think.In the cateogy of "Prix du Public" at the Grande Concourse, the global watch community has the chance to pick the Prix Montre de lAnnée from the comfort of your very own home. The editors of Franck Muller Casablanca Tourbillon FMCT703 watches Montres Passion have selected 40 of the most interesting designs of 2009 and from there, each participant may select his or her first, second, and third choice for watch of the year. We have to admit, the editors have chosen incredibly well; many in fact have graced the pages of Hodinkee at one point or another. We of course have our favorites but far be it from us to influence our readers with our own personal choices (cough Spidolite cough Turbine cough Monaco LS). The Franck Muller Casablanca Tourbillon FMCT703 watches website only available in French or German but our guess is you can figure out what to do. In order for your vote to count you must provide them with your name, address, and email; but no big deal there. To make you vote count in the 2009 Watch of the Year, go ahead and click here. If you guys feel like sharing who you chose, we'd be interested to see what the readers of Hodinkee are feeling for 2009.