Neil Armstrong’s 18K yellow gold Omega Speedmaster Professional chronograph was gifted to him at a gala dinner on November 25, 1969, at the Hotel Warwick in Houston.
To commemorate the Apollo 11 landing, the first of twenty-eight watches produced were reserved for President Richard Nixon (No. 1) and Vice President Spiro T. Agnew (No. 2), followed by the 26 astronauts who paved the way for the moon landings in the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs.
Omega eventually sold 1,000 variations of its first gold Speedmaster, Ref. 145.022, and the watch was also recreated in 2019 as a limited edition to mark the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11.
The original 26 watches made for astronauts (alive and deceased) were known as “Tribute to Astronauts” and each features a caseback specially engraved with a quote, the name and missions of the astronaut, and a unique number relative to when the astronaut flew into space — making each one highly collectible.
Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon (1969), was issued as “No. 17.” This watch’s caseback is engraved, “Astronaut Neil A. Armstrong, Gemini 8 – Apollo 11.” His quote reads: “To mark man’s conquest of space with time, through time, on time.”
Mark Armstrong, Neil Armstrong’s son, is putting this watch — which was worn by his famous father — up for auction. Half of the hammer price from this historic auction will be donated to charities selected by Neil’s son, who said “This watch, which my father liked to wear on special occasions, symbolizes one of the most remarkable achievements in the history of mankind,” said Mark Armstrong, son of the late astronaut. “A substantial portion of the proceeds from the sale of this watch will benefit charitable causes my father believed in, furthering the impact that he and many other Americans made to humanity more than half a century ago.”
Neil Armstrong’s Apollo 11 Omega Speedmaster Professional 1969 “Tribute to Astronauts” (Ref. BA 145.022) features a 42 mm solid 18K yellow gold case and bracelet. The solid gold bezel has a burgundy aluminum tachymeter insert. This commemorative watch’s dial is distinguished by faceted square-shaped onyx, gold-framed hour markers, and onyx hands with gold centers. All are set against a solid gold dial, indicated by “OM” on each side of “Swiss Made” at 6 o’clock.
The manually wound Lemania-based copper-colored caliber 861 beats at 3Hz and has 17 jewels, which powers this incredible chronograph.
Armstrong’s Ref. BA 145.022 Speedmaster is being sold by RR Auction (Lot 7,000) is actively taking bids (already at $159,720 at the time this article was published), and will continue accepting bids until it is sold Live at Royal Sonesta in Cambridge, Massachusetts, at 6 PM ET on April 17, 2025.
Interestingly, RR Auction sold Wally Schirra’s Apollo 11 commemorative 18K gold Omega Speedmaster Professional (Ref. BA 145.022) for almost $2 million in October 2022 (the most expensive Omega Speedmaster ever sold).
It’s also worth noting that Heritage Auctions sold Michael Collins’ example of the Omega Speedmaster Professional Gold 1969 “Tribute to Astronauts” for $765,000 in June 2022.
Both numbers are substantial in the world of Omega watches, and thankfully, Armstrong’s son chose an auction house not infamous for selling a chemically modified Speedmaster dial to inflate the auction price, and then being caught by Perezscope.
This is an important piece of Omega and NASA space history—it was owned and worn by the first man to walk on the moon—and the result should be excellent, even if it does not achieve an astronomically high record-breaking price.
Learn more at RR Auction.
Update: Neil Armstrong’s personally owned 18K solid yellow gold Omega Speedmaster Professional chronograph sold for $2,125,000, according to Boston-based RR Auction.
Photos by RR Auction.
