[All posts](/blog/) [ History](/blog/categories/history/) ## The Story of the Omega Speedmaster “Ed White” Published on June 10, 2022 ![An Original Speedmaster 105.003 “Ed White”](/_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fa.storyblok.com%2Ff%2F321609%2Fx%2Fe90feb5590%2Fan-original-speedmaster-105-003-ed-white.avif&w=3840&q=75) The fact that the Omega Speedmaster qualified to become the official watch issued to astronauts at NASA, the US Space Agency, is well known. The toughness of the tests it had to pass is not. They were crazily difficult and the competing watches from Rolex and Longines-Wittnauer failed at least one of them. The tests included high temperatures of 93 Degrees Celsius (200 Fahrenheit), a temperature fluctuation in a pure vacuum test to mimic space, and very aggressive acceleration, decompression and vibration tests. That any watch survived them is remarkable, but the Speedmaster came through them ticking. This model, the Reference 105.003, entered the history books and is now known as the “Ed White”. ![a steel omega speedmaster Ed White lying on a black table with black bezel and dial and steel lumed hands and white chrono seconds hand](https://a.storyblok.com/f/321609/x/e90feb5590/an-original-speedmaster-105-003-ed-white.avif) ## **How did an Omega Speedmaster become the Moonwatch?** On March 1st 1965, the watch became the official Flight Qualified watch for all Manned Space Missions and therefore NASA ordered watches directly from Omega to give to astronauts during training for their missions. Previously, astronauts had supplied their own watches. ![a nasa astronaut in space with the earth behind him the white suit on and the american flag on his upper arm and two watches strapped around his lower arm](https://a.storyblok.com/f/321609/x/9f7c142041/speedmasters-in-space-astronaut.avif) Ed White on the first spacewalk conducted by an American. He is wearing two Speedmasters strapped around the outside of his spacesuit. ## **Who was Ed White?** Ed White was an early member of the NASA Astronaut program in the 1960s. He is remembered for being the first American to “walk” in space. This means he undertook activities outside the small spacecraft in which he was orbiting the Earth. Most excitingly of all, he used a small gas-powered gun to move through space away from the vehicle, and he timed this movement using an Omega Speedmaster strapped to the outside of his spacesuit. In fact, [he wore two Speedmasters](https://www.fratellowatches.com/why-ed-white-wore-two-speedmaster-105-003-watches/#gref) on that trip, a journey known as the Gemini IV mission. As the first mission after the Speedmaster had passed the NASA tests and become the official watch for astronauts (which it remains to this day), it was very successful and proved that Omega had chosen correctly. The Spacewalk was 23 minutes long and proved the equipment was good enough to survive the tough environment of space. This test directly led to the momentum for the Moon landings four years later. A tragedy cemented Ed White’s legacy as a pioneering astronaut. While conducting a test for the Apollo 1 launch an accident on the launch pad saw the crew cabin containing three astronauts burst into flames. All the men died quickly, and the Speedmaster Ed White was wearing then was destroyed. His son inherited the other, and today it survives in a watch collection in Japan. The Speedmaster worn by the other astronaut on the Gemini IV mission, James McDivitt, is now held in the collection of the Smithsonian Museum in Washington D.C. ![a spcae capsule in the smithsonian museum with aluminium and steel surface visible and the hatch open to see the pilots seat](https://a.storyblok.com/f/321609/x/5b355f2c5b/gemini-4-capsule-from-smithsonian-website.avif) ## **Vintage versus Modern Ed White Models** The original Ed White is called the Speedmaster Reference 105.003 and is one of the most collectable Omega watches. There are plenty of them available as they were made in great numbers to celebrate the certification by NASA. There are many good and bad examples, so it is important to be careful if looking to [buy a vintage watch](https://thewatchcollectorsclub.com/blog/a-beginners-guide-to-buying-vintage-watches/). The most useful reference website for all Speedmasters of this period is the [Speedmaster 101](https://www.speedmaster101.com/) website. In 2019, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Moon landing, Omega recreated the famous Calibre 321 movement by exactly copying one from an Ed White belonging to another astronaut, Gene Cernan. He flew with this watch on the final Apollo mission, Apollo 17 in 1972\. The following year they released a brand new version of the Ed White model, which is an exact copy but made to modern standards. You get the [321 Calibre](https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/omega-resumes-production-caliber-321-speedmaster-movement) but made of modern materials, such as the Sedna gold coated base plates. It has modern lubricants and also the case is now 50m waterproof with a Sapphire case back. This has proven an exceptionally popular offering from Omega and is a great premium Speedmaster for those looking for something new. ![Front view of the 60th Anniversary of the Moon Landing model of the Omega Speedmaster. Photo courtesy of fratello.com](/_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fa.storyblok.com%2Ff%2F321609%2F1800x1201%2Fe783371f2a%2Fomega-speedmaster-grail-6286.jpeg&w=3840&q=75) Front view of the 20th Anniversary of the Moon Landing model of the Omega Speedmaster. Photo courtesy of fratello.com ## **Conclusion** The Watch Collectors’ Club believes exploring the history of Speedmaster watches is worthwhile precisely because there are so many of them, and their involvement with NASA’s various space programmes means there are many fascinating stories. Understanding the differences in the details can be a lot of fun. The Ed White remains one of the most popular amongst collectors, and we hope we’ve explained why that is. For more content like this to help you learn more about the watch world, join our [monthly watch events](https://www.thewatchcollectorsclub.com/events/) and make sure you follow us on [Social Media](https://www.instagram.com/thewatchcc). ## Subscribe to newsletter Subscribe to receive the latest blog posts to your inbox every week. Subscribe Subscribe By subscribing you agree to with our [Privacy Policy](/privacy-policy). ## Featured articles [ How ToWhat to expect at a Watch Show](/blog/what-to-expect-at-a-watch-show/) [ HistoryThe TAG Heuer Carrera Story](/blog/the-tag-heuer-carrera-story/) [ The ClubHighlights from our Geneva Experience](/blog/highlights-from-geneva-watch-experience-april-2026/) ## Continue exploring Dive into more content from The Watch Collectors Club. 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