Picts/updated info. on Tom Stafford's Speedmaster…
I received a very informative and fun email from Ricciardo Canova from Italy over the weekend about Tom Stafford's Trice flown Speedmaster Moonwatch:
Date: Sat, 17 Jul 2004 15:15:28 +0200
Hi Chuck !!
My name is Ricciardo and I' writing from Italy; I' m a Moonwatch enthusiast and about one year ago, while searching on the web documents and material on the argument, I discover the "Maddox Site". Hello Riccardo!
The discovery of the “Maddox Site” becomes the financial downfall of many wallets/bank accounts, and chronicles the downward spiral of mine!
Thank to your work my knowledge about Speedy is increased, likewise my curiosity in vintage and "Spaced Speedmasters". Thank you for your kind words. It's been a lot of fun putting stuff together.
I' ve opened a good information channel with Gino Balbi in Milan, Gino is a great guy and he has a spread of moonwatches that are admired by Speedmaster collectors far and wide, including myself.
so I'm working on Tom Stafford's Speedy on show to the Omega Museum in Bienne and I found a mistake in the Imai's "Time Capsule" regarding this reference.
In fact on it is shown the correct caseback but the front of this reference is not correct; enclosed you find some pics taken from an italian watch magazine regarding a visit in Bienne and the consequential study of this specifical moonwatch. Here are Ricciardo's pictures: |
Note:Stafford's plain lugged Speedmaster is on bottom of this picture, note the thickness difference between the older plain lug and the modern display back model. |
|
"what are the referencies of the flown Speedies ???"
(Dear Chuck, a chart about this would be VERY appreciated, you know .... ???) Yeah, I know.... I'm planning on populating the tables like the one below with information as I and others develop it.
However, regarding the Stafford's pictured on pag. 191 of "Time Capsule" we can state that the pic of the dial was not correct (lugs doesn't fit with those of caseback pic !). Ok, so the picture and the picture caption on Page 191 of the Time Capsule is not consistant (at best) and wrong.
So was in doubt the correct ref. -not quoted on the book - of this specific Speedmaster.
And if we have not a correct pic of the dial we can only examine the caseback photo where we find the engraved Nasa serial number SEB1210039-001 , probably (?) the first lot (001 ) tested by Nasa in 1962. Here is an abbreviated version of a table I created with information that came to me during the Steven Morley/Aldrin Moonwatch suit that was recently settled: |
|
Tom Stafford's NASA Issued Speedmasters... |
| Watch | Astronaut | Mission(s) | Case Ref. # | Serial Number | Mission Date | Location |
| 27 |
Stafford |
Gemini 6 & 9, Apollo 10 |
|
|
|
|
| 76 |
Stafford |
Apollo-Soyuz |
|
|
|
|
| 79 |
Stafford |
Apollo-Soyuz |
|
|
|
|
I show that this watch must be No.27.
As up to 1962 the refs producted were only two (three with CK2915), our (because is a joined job with Gino) deduction is that it is possible that the Stafford's is a CK2998 or an ST105.002. Right, it could possibly be a 2998-6 or a 105.002 as well as a 105.003, but the 2998-6 and 105.002 are VERY uncommon, while the 105.003 was a pretty large production run.
But now I can provide the pics of this famous dial taken (by the italian watch magazine "Orologi") during a visit to the Omega Museum in Bienne and we are able to state that the Stafford's Speedmaster is a ST105.003. Very Cool! I'll update the lists! and I'm hosting the information you've provided for further study by Speedmaster enthusiasts thanks to your permission!
I hope this will be interesting for the TZ people and I' ll be honoured if you use my e-mails and pictures, and of course another "lot" of pics refarding this interesting watch is ready if requested ... I'm confident that folks will want to see as many pictures as you care to make available!
Cheers !!! And to you too, Ricciardo!
Thank you for your interest and efforts in this regard.
Ricciardo Cheers...
I should note that this posting is actually two messages from Ricciardo interspersed with my replies edited together (hopefully seamlessly).
Ricciardo also mentioned: “Soonest I' ll contact you for other questions regarding a new Monwatch italian site that I'm working on.”
I look forward to seeing that website and hopefully assisting R with it.
Cheers! |
