Omega Creates Speedmaster Professional Apollo-Soyuz "35th Anniversary" Chronograph

The year 2010 has brought the 35th anniversary of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project mission that highlighted the history of space exploration by its political, technological and historical importance.

On July 17th 1975, astronaut Lieutenant General Thomas P. Stafford (USA) and cosmonaut Lieutenant General Alexei A. Leonov (USSR) shook hands in the docking hatch that linked their respective spacecraft, having marked the beginning of an era of cooperation in space. Both Stafford and Leonov were wearing Omega Speedmaster watches. Omega fans are aware that Speedmaster watches still represent standard equipment for the astronauts on the International Space Station.

The mission is also remembered as it marked the last launch of an Apollo spacecraft.

Omega decided to commemorate the anniversary of the historic handshake by the creation of the Omega Speedmaster Professional Apollo-Soyuz “35th Anniversary” chronograph watch. The timepiece is released in a limited series of 1975 pieces.

The new Omega watch stands out from the crowd due to is dial that has been crafted from a meteorite that entered the Earth’s atmosphere and survived, having successfully reached the terrestrial surface.

The meteorite boasts unusual structure formed under extremely high temperature when it entered the Earth’s atmosphere, and then, came through a period of cooling.

The dial of the Omega watch represents a single piece cut from the meteorite. Its black color is explained by a surface oxidation process. The silvery seconds hand and chronograph counters are presented in the natural shade of the meteorite.

Considering that you will find no two pieces of the meteorite that are exactly alike, it is thrilling that each piece in the limited edition of the Omega Speedmaster Professional Apollo-Soyuz “35th Anniversary” chronograph watches is absolutely unique.

Look through a fine selection of Omega Speedmaster watches: