Released in 1957 and based on their earlier chronographs from the 1920s and '30s, the Omega Speedmaster is one of the most iconic chronographs ever. Named after the purpose of the tachymeter along its bezel, the Speedmaster was designed for race car drivers and pilots to time events and make rapid calculations. While these adrenaline-fueled activities might not be for the faint-hearted, they weren't what made the Speedmaster so iconic - that was its use in space and on the Moon. Following a gruelling series of tests with several competing brands, the Speedmaster debuted in space as a piece of NASA standard-issue equipment during the Gemini program of 1965. Today the Speedmaster has many forms, but the Moonwatch is by far the most iconic, with its design standing as the prototypical look of the Speedmaster. Of course, like many other areas of collecting, there are many idiosyncrasies within watch collecting, namely the desirability of visually similar traits, a perfect example of one being the Speedmaster’s hesalite crystal. More authentic to the original Moonwatches that the Apollo astronauts wore, the hesalite crystal versions of the Speedmaster carry that heritage rich look and feel, but with their solid casebacks they refrain the owner from viewing their movement, until the ref. 3572.50 that we have here. Launched in the 1990s, the ref. 3572.50 merged the Moonwatch’s signature hesalite crystal with a sapphire crystal exhibition caseback that provides the best of both worlds for the Speedmaster’s fans, with an unencumbered view of the Speedmaster’s manual-wind cal. 1863 movement, and the vintage look and feel that collector’s love through the hesalite crystal sitting atop its black dial.

Watch is in excellent overall condition. There are some scratches visible primarily on the polished areas of the case, ie the chamfers. The crystal has a few scratches as seen in the images. The bracelet has 16 links, 6 of which are removable. There is little stretch.

A legendary watch that certainly needs no introduction, the Speedmaster is arguably one of the most important timepieces in horology and every collector should have one in their collection. Additionally, the ref. 3572.50 has the distinct ability to appeal to both vintage collectors and modern enthusiasts by providing both camps with traits they desire.