Omega “145.022-69BA Grissom” Speedmaster

Description

Offered here is a very special watch – a literal piece of history – a 1969 Omega Speedmaster in 18kt yellow gold (reference 145.022-69BA) produced and gifted by Omega to the astronaut, Virgil “Gus” Grissom.  In 1969, four months after the success of Apollo XI (the Moon Landing), a gala was held, wherein Omega presented 26 gold Speedmasters to various astronauts associated with the mission.  The first two watches were given to President Richard Nixon and Vice President Spiro Agnew; as they could not legally accept the gift, the watches were placed in the Smithsonian Museum.  The watch presented here today is number 4 of the 26, and was given post-humously to Gus Grissom.  Gus Grissom was the second man in space, and tragically died during a pre-launch test for Apollo 1, along with astronauts Ed White and Roger Chaffee.  Mr. Grissom’s family was given the watch, and owned it for a long time, before selling it years later.  In 2023, this Grissom Speedmaster was auctioned by RR Auctions – an auction house based in Boston, Massachusetts, well known for selling space memorabilia – for $375,000.

The watch itself remains in amazing condition, likely the best-preserved astronaut Gold Speedmaster, as most of them were worn by the astronauts themselves upon receipt.  The case of this important Speedmaster remains unpolished and sharp, with very light wear.  Likewise, the dial and bezel remain in excellent shape; the original gold bracelet shows some light stretch from use, as is common on this particular model.  Further, this is the only example that we know of that still retains its original Omega box, which has a plaque on the front, mimicking the engraving on the caseback, which reads: “Astronaut Virgil I Grissom. To mark man’s conquest of space with time, through time, on time. Mercury 4 – Gemini 3”