It seems that omega’s efforts to make the most of the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing have only just begun. The brand’s many other anniversary events aim to mark the era of photography from its admittedly impressive feat of wearing the first replica watches on the moon, which is sponsoring a new exhibition at the prestigious metropolitan museum of art in New York on July 3. There is, of course, a limited edition Speedmaster, dubbed “the first omega in space” : the Met edition.
The $5,200 watch will be available only at the Met store (including online) and at the Omega boutique on New York’s fifth avenue. Measuring 39.7 mm, the “first omega in space”: the Met edition comes with a distinctive red and white striped NATO belt. 
The strap appears to honor the Swiss flag, but the Met’s colors are also red and white. Sporting a watch, black anodized aluminum bezel and black lacquer dial, the aim is to pay tribute to the legendary “Speedmaster” wearing astronaut Wally Schirra on the mercury sigma 7 mission 1962, becoming the first space Speedmaster to wear when sigma 7 circles the earth six times.
“The first omega in space”: the metropolitan museum’s version of the fake watch has the metropolitan museum logo engraved on the strap and printed on a display box. The same logo is engraved on the case, along with omega’s signature seahorse medal. It was powered by an 1861 Omega Caliber, a modern version of the manually-wound movement found inside the original space replica watch.
The exhibition, which runs until September 22, features a series of stunning photographs of the moon, including many images from NASA missions, with omega playing a key role. It covers “extraordinary visual representations” of the moon from the birth of photography to the present day.
Apollo’s Muse, however: “the moon in the age of photography” is not limited to photographs — about 170 visitors to the museum can also see a range of related drawings, prints, paintings, films, astronomical instruments and cameras used by the Apollo 11 astronauts. While the Met logo may not attract much interest from omega collectors, the watch’s relatively low $5,200 price tag may.
