zOwie Omega Discussion Forum

Be sure to check out the hi-res pic of Neil w/ the hammer.

Neil (left) and Buzz during training in Houston. Note the OPS activator on the left side of Buzz's RCU mockup and the camera bracket on the front. Neil's pressure gauge and Omega watch can be seen on his right forearm. Journal Contributor Karl Dodenhoff notes that both Neil and Buzz are wearing protective covers on the front of the suit where we would normally see the various connection ports for oxygen and water. Photo is dated 23 April 1969 but was undoubtedly taken on 22 April 1969 during the "Lunar Timeline Demo for Dr. (George) Mueller". Scan courtesy NASA Johnson.
hi-res pic:
http://www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/a11/ap11-S69-32234HR.jpg

Neil examines a rock sample during the Sierra Blanca trip. He is holding a geology hammer in his left hand and is wearing an Omega Speedmaster watch, which is showing a time of 1:07. 24 February 1969. Scan courtesy NASA Johnson.
hi-res pic:
http://www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/a11/ap11-S69-25197HR.jpg

NASA supplied each of the Apollo astronauts with a standard issue Omega Speedmaster Professional manual-wind wristwatch (pictured above) together with Velcro strap. Unlike almost all other Apollo equipment, the watch was not manufactured for use specifically by NASA or in space but had been on sale in retail outlets in Houston and all of the United States from 1957-c1966 as the "Speedmaster" and as the "Speedmaster Professional" thereafter. Beginning in about 1962, NASA purchased examples of a number of commercially available watches for evaluation.

Aside from its primary and obvious function, the Omega Speedmaster Professional also incorporated a chronograph (stopwatch) via the large third hand on the watch dial. The three interior dials on the face provided respectively a) a second-hand, ancillary to the conventional time function b) a minute elapsed counter for the chronograph and c) an hour elapsed counter, again related to the chronograph function. The outside of the dial included a fixed bezel incremented to act as a Tachymeter (to measure miles per hour) in conjunction with the stopwatch function, hence the title "Speedmaster".
http://www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/omega.html