First Omega in Space: The Speedmaster Collectors Miss

The 1962 Story: Wally Schirra and Mercury-Atlas 8

The popular story of the Omega Speedmaster starts in 1969, when Buzz Aldrin strapped a reference ST 105.012 to his wrist and stepped onto the lunar surface. But the Speedmaster’s space career actually began seven years earlier, under far less fanfare, on the wrist of a Navy test pilot named Walter “Wally” Schirra.

Schirra was one of the original Mercury Seven astronauts. On 3 October 1962, he climbed into the Sigma 7 capsule for Mercury-Atlas 8 — a six-orbit, nine-hour mission designed to test the spacecraft’s engineering systems. On his left wrist was an Omega Speedmaster reference CK 2998, purchased with his own money from a Houston jeweller. It was not government-issued equipment. It was not part of any brand deal. It was simply the chronograph Schirra trusted.

That flight made the CK 2998 the first Omega worn in space. It predated NASA’s formal chronograph qualification programme by three years — the same programme that would subject watches from Rolex, Longines, Hamilton and Omega to extreme temperature cycling, vibration, shock and vacuum testing. Only the Speedmaster survived every test, earning the “Flight Qualified for All Manned Space Missions” designation in 1965.

The distinction matters for collectors: the Moonwatch story is about institutional selection, but the First Omega in Space story is about personal choice. Schirra, a man whose life depended on his instruments, chose a Speedmaster before anyone told him to. That detail — a pilot buying his own chronograph rather than waiting for NASA to issue one — is what the FOIS reissue commemorates. For more on how the Speedmaster family evolved from there, see our complete Speedmaster guide.

How the FOIS Differs from the Standard Moonwatch

At first glance, the First Omega in Space looks like a slightly smaller Moonwatch. It is not. The differences run through the case, dial, bezel, crystal and strap — and they all trace back to the CK 2998 that Schirra actually wore. Here is the spec-by-spec comparison.

Three details stand out. First, the “Dot Over Ninety” bezel marking — where the dot at the 90 on the tachymeter scale sits above rather than beside the numerals — is a deliberate callback to an identifying feature of the original CK 2998. Vintage collectors will spot it immediately. Second, the hesalite-form sapphire crystal gives you the domed, warm look of acrylic with the scratch resistance of sapphire. It is a genuine best-of-both-worlds compromise. Third, the grey-blue CVD-coated dial is unique in the current Speedmaster range — no other production model carries this colour.

The 2024 Reference: Deep Dive on 310.32.40.50.06.001

Omega refreshed the First Omega in Space for 2024, and the update is significant. The previous FOIS models ran the Caliber 1861 — a capable, hand-wound movement but one without the Co-Axial escapement, METAS certification or silicon balance spring that define Omega’s modern chronometer standard. The new reference changes that.

The Caliber 3861 is the same movement that powers the standard Moonwatch, the Silver Snoopy Award and Omega’s other premium Speedmaster references. In the context of the FOIS, it represents a generational leap: the 2012 and 2016 models ran the Caliber 1861, which lacked magnetic shielding, used a traditional metallic balance spring susceptible to magnetisation, and could not claim METAS certification. The 3861 addresses every one of those shortcomings.

For daily wearers, the 15,000-gauss magnetic resistance is the most practical upgrade. Phones, laptop lids, tablet covers and wireless chargers all produce magnetic fields that can affect a traditional watch movement. The 3861’s silicon balance spring and Co-Axial escapement are effectively immune to household magnetism. You no longer need to think about where you set your watch down at night.

The leather strap is worth noting as well. Unlike the Moonwatch, which ships on a steel bracelet (adding both weight and a certain toolishness), the FOIS comes on a black leather strap with a pin buckle. The result is a watch that reads more like a refined chronograph than a space instrument — which, for many collectors, is precisely the point. If you value strap versatility, the 20 mm lug width takes any aftermarket strap you care to fit.

Previous FOIS Models

Omega has released three distinct FOIS references since 2012. Each one reinterprets the CK 2998 in a slightly different way, and all three remain available on the secondary market. Here is how they compare.

The 2016 numbered edition is the standout collector’s piece. Limited to 2,998 units (a nod to the CK 2998 reference), it carries a premium over the standard FOIS and is becoming harder to find with complete box and papers. That said, the 2024 reference with the Caliber 3861 is the better watch in every measurable way — better accuracy, better magnetic resistance, longer service intervals. Whether you prioritise scarcity or technology determines which one to chase.

The original 2012 model at $5,500–$7,000 is arguably the best-value entry into the FOIS family. It looks identical to the 2024 version at arm’s length, the Caliber 1861 is proven and inexpensive to service, and the price gap means you could buy it and have money left for an aftermarket strap collection. The trade-off is the lack of magnetic shielding and METAS certification — features that matter if your watch lives next to a phone all day.

Why This Is the Speedmaster to Buy Now

The Speedmaster market in 2026 looks something like this: the Silver Snoopy Award 50th Anniversary (Ref. 310.32.42.50.02.001) trades at $16,000 and above, roughly twice its $11,100 retail price. The standard Moonwatch (Ref. 310.30.42.50.01.001) trades at $4,200–$5,000, which is 67–79% of its $6,300 retail. The FOIS sits at $7,000–$8,500 against an $8,900 MSRP — 79–96% of retail.

That pricing dynamic tells you something. The Snoopy is a hype-driven collectible: its secondary-market premium reflects scarcity, social-media visibility and the fact that Omega cannot produce them fast enough. The standard Moonwatch, conversely, is one of the most widely available luxury chronographs on earth, so supply easily meets demand and the secondary market discounts accordingly.

The FOIS occupies a unique middle ground. It is not hyped enough to carry a premium, but it is niche enough that supply on the secondary market is thin. The result is a watch that trades near or slightly below retail — unusual territory for a current-production Speedmaster with the Master Chronometer 3861 inside. For context, comparable Rolex and Omega models on the resale market rarely sit this close to their retail price without a wait-list or production constraint behind them.

There are five reasons collectors overlook the FOIS, and most of them work in your favour if you are buying rather than speculating:

Add it up, and the FOIS is a Speedmaster that gets overlooked for reasons that have little to do with the watch itself. It carries the best movement Omega puts in a Speedmaster, a legitimate space-history pedigree, a case size the market is trending toward, and a price that reflects neglect rather than any actual flaw. That is the textbook definition of an opportunity — and it is the reason we think this is the Speedmaster to buy now.

Sizing and Wearability

The 39.7 mm case of the FOIS is a meaningful departure from the 42 mm standard Moonwatch. On paper, 2.3 mm sounds trivial. On the wrist, it is not. The FOIS wears closer to a vintage Speedmaster or a mid-century dress chronograph than to a modern sport watch.

For wrists in the 6.0″–7.0″ (15–18 cm) range, the FOIS is close to ideal. The shorter lug-to-lug distance means the watch sits flat without overhang, the leather strap follows the wrist curve naturally, and the overall visual weight is balanced. If you have tried a 42 mm Moonwatch and found it slightly too assertive, the FOIS will feel immediately right.

For larger wrists — 7.5″ (19 cm) and above — the FOIS may read as compact, especially under a cuff. This is not inherently a problem (many seasoned collectors deliberately wear smaller watches), but it is worth trying on before committing. The 42 mm Seamaster Diver 300M or the standard Moonwatch may be more proportionate at that wrist size.

One underrated wearability advantage: the FOIS is noticeably lighter than the bracelet-equipped Moonwatch. The leather strap and smaller case combine to produce a watch you can wear all day without fatigue. In summer, when heavier steel bracelets stick to sweaty wrists, the FOIS on leather is a particularly comfortable choice. Use Grailr’s watch identifier to confirm any reference before you purchase, and arrange an independent authentication for pre-owned pieces.

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