News: The Snoopy Omega Speedmaster With A Trick Up Its Sleeve

By Jon Richford

In 2019, Omega celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 by creating an updated version of the beloved, all gold reference BA145.022. This year, Omega has produced a blue Speedmaster to commemorate the 50th anniversary of receiving the prestigious Silver Snoopy Award from NASA.

The Silver Snoopy Award is presented by NASA to an individual or contactor for their significant achievements related to flight safety and mission success. Omega, therefore, received the award for its contribution to timekeeping across multiple space missions—but particularly during Apollo 13.

The new Snoopy Omega Speedmaster marks 50 years since NASA presented Omega with the prestigious Silver Snoopy Award

The new Snoopy Omega Speedmaster marks 50 years since NASA presented Omega with the prestigious Silver Snoopy Award

For those who don’t know, the Apollo 13 mission nearly ended in tragedy. An explosion in one of the oxygen tanks severely disabled the spacecraft. This meant the mission could not land on the moon as intended. Instead, a new flight path had to be constructed if the crew were to safely return home. This is where the Speedmaster comes in. The watch was used to time an engine burn which successfully corrected the course of the craft, bringing it back to earth; hence the award.

From the outside, this new Snoopy Speedmaster may look just like the old one—except with a splash of blue—but I can assure you, that is not the case. Speaking of the case, spinning the watch around—don’t worry I’ll come back to the front in a minute—reveals a sapphire case back. But no ordinary sapphire case back—rather than showing off the Omega Calibre 3861—the newest edition to the Moonwatch calibre series—it shows the Apollo 13 command module traveling around the Moon.

The new Snoopy Omega Speedmaster features a small Snoopy riding the Apollo 13 command module around the moon

The new Snoopy Omega Speedmaster features a small Snoopy riding the Apollo 13 command module around the moon

The Earth rotates, one full rotation per minute—being that it is linked to the second hand—and the Snoopy-manned Apollo 13 command module—linked to the chronograph—travels around the perimeter of the case back, disappearing under the Moon occasionally to give it the effect of flight around it. Continuing the homage to the Apollo 13 mission, the strap is embossed with the corrected flight path. Now you know why I started at the back of this watch.

As ever, this Speedmaster is 42mm, and unlike the Moonshine, is made from good ol’ stainless steel. Similar to other Snoopy models, this watch features the character on its dial—in this case, as an embossed silver medallion on the seconds sub-dial. But where the other Snoopy Speedmasters were silver and black, this one silver and blue, and boy does it look good—especially with that blue and white contrasting ceramic and enamel bezel.

The Omega Speedmaster helped to time an engine burn that redirected Apollo 13 and saved its crew

The Omega Speedmaster helped to time an engine burn that redirected Apollo 13 and saved its crew

Searching for a Snoopy Speedmaster would usually drive you barking mad—they were incredibly limited and hard to find. Fear not! This Snoopy Speedmaster is not a limited edition. While it does cost £8,250—quite a bit more than the “basic” Moonwatch—you do get one hell of a watch for your money.

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