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DTSTAMP:20260404T080615Z
SUMMARY:omega - Date de vente : 08/12/2025
DESCRIPTION:Nom du lots : Omega\n\nDial: 18k yellow gold\n\nCaliber: cal. 8
 61 mechanical\, 17 jewels\n\nMovement number: 28’080’603\n\nCase: 18k 
 yellow gold\, screw down case back engraved ’Astronaut Virgil I. Grissom
  to mark man’s conquest of space with time\, through time\, on time Merc
 ury 4 - Gemini 3’\n\nCase number: No. 4\n\nClosure: 18k yellow gold Omeg
 a bracelet with folding clasp\n\nSize: 40 mm diameter\, bracelet circumfer
 ence is approximately 195 mm\n\nSigned: case\, dial and movement\n\nBox: y
 es\n\nPapers: no\n\nAccessories: Omega special edition presentation box wi
 th plaque engraved ’Astronaut Virgil I. ’’Gus’’ Grissom. Astrona
 ut Virgil I. Grissom - - To mark man’s conquest of space with time\, thr
 ough time\, on time - - Mercury 4 - - Gemini 3 - - No. 4’\, polishing cl
 oth\, and five photographs\n\nOn 12th September 1961\, US President John F
 . Kennedy uttered the famous words\, “We choose to go to the moon. We ch
 oose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things\, not becaus
 e they are easy\, but because they are hard\, because that goal will serve
  to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills\, because tha
 t challenge is one that we are willing to accept\, one we are unwilling to
  postpone\, and one which we intend to win.” NASA’s goal was finally a
 chieved on 20th July 1969 with the moon landing of the Apollo XI lunar mod
 ule – a monumental moment in history. With Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldri
 n\, the Omega Speedmaster Professional became “the first watch worn on t
 he moon.”\n\nReleased that same year to honor NASA’s historic achievem
 ent\, the reference BA 145.022-69 was produced as a limited edition of 1\,
 014 individually numbered pieces. The first two were offered as gifts to t
 he President and Vice-President of the United States\, who were required t
 o kindly decline due to the value of the watches. Numbers 3 to 28 were awa
 rded to NASA astronauts and engraved “To mark man’s conquest of space 
 with time\, through time\, on time”\, along with the name of each astron
 aut\, and the missions on which each served. Omega gifted each Speedmaster
  at the “Astronaut Appreciation Dinner” at the Warwick Hotel in Housto
 n\, Texas\, on November 25\, 1969.\n\nThe present watch\, number 4 of the 
 original 28\, was awarded on that evening to the family of Virgil Ivan "Gu
 s" Grissom\, one of the seven “original” astronauts\, dubbed the Mercu
 ry Seven and downright celebrities at the time – Chevrolet leased six of
  the seven men brand new Corvettes for $1\, just the be associated with th
 e daring men of Project Mercury. Grissom’s 1967 427 Corvette sold at auc
 tion in 2007 for $275\,000. No ordinary astronaut\, Grissom holds the dist
 inction of being both the second American in space (Liberty Bell 7\, 1961)
  and the first man to go to space twice (Gemini 3\, 1965). Tragically\, he
  and his fellow astronauts Ed White and Roger Chaffee were killed in a cab
 in fire during a pre-launch test on January 27\, 1967\, prepping for the A
 pollo 1 mission.\n\nMost likely worn sparingly over the years\, the condit
 ion of this reference 145.022-69 is notable. The caseback engravings are c
 risp and deep\, while the dial and burgundy bezel are vibrant. Considering
  the present watch’s rarity and provenance\, this is among the most coll
 ectable Speedmasters to appear at auction in years.
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20251208
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