One Year, One Watch

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One Year, One Watch - Omega
4 minutes read
2015 : Speedmaster Silver Snoopy*

Emoji

This rather odd term was the Oxford Dictionary’s word of the year. And what better than emojis to describe the events of 2015? An emoji could be used to express the sorrow felt in the wake of the Charlie Hebdo shootings. An emoji could sum up the terror of all the horrors experienced in 2015, including the Bataclan massacre. Then too, there’s the dollar emoji, useful to denote the sale of Giacometti’s bronze sculpture Pointing Man, which thereby became the most expensive sculpture in history. Emojis can laugh too – for instance, in response to a few choice soundbites from French President François Hollande, inadvertent winner of a Special Prize at the nation’s Political Humour Awards. Indeed, they can ratchet up to laughing out loud when the need arises, as with his priceless: “I am requesting that citizens refrain from travelling to hazardous areas, because it is dangerous to do so”.

Meanwhile, a ‘puzzled’ emoji looked on as Apple launched the Apple Watch… before being replaced by its ‘worried’ counterpart. The ‘scared’ emoji was apt for those who went to watch The Witch and It Follows – both now rated among the 30 best horror movies in history. The very best is of course The Shining, based on the novel of the same name by Stephen King, who received the US National Medal of Arts in 2015 – the highest honour awarded to an artist by the American government. So much for ‘sad’, ‘terror’, ‘LOL’, and ‘scared’; there’s also the ‘wow’ emoji, at our fingertips when watching SpaceX launch the Falcon 9 – and then land it upright back on Earth: a world first. In cinema, the ‘enjoy’ emoji came in handy for Star Wars fans watching The Force Awakens, as well as to be ‘happy’ for Ridley Scott, producer of 2015 blockbuster The Martian.

One Year, One Watch

Which watch could possibly marshal such a range of emojis: ‘space’, ‘dollars’, ‘wow’, ‘LOL’, and more? One timepiece stands out from the crowd: the highly original Omega Speedmaster Silver Snoopy Apollo XIII.

Why Omega?

In 1965, the Speedmaster was chosen by NASA to become a Space watch – and went on to become the Moon Watch. From that day forward, the history of Omega would be inextricably linked to humankind’s adventures in space. Although the brand did have other stars in its firmament, the Speedy remains its greatest hit.

The Speedy’s charm derives from its simple yet instantly recognisable look, its history, and its universal appeal. It’s characterised by an unwavering design, affordability and availability. It’s also a versatile watch, equally at home whether the wearer is dressed up or down. Over the years, Omega has brought out a large number of limited editions celebrating various milestones in the conquest of space. But this Silver Snoopy has enough unique features to make it a watch with a difference – and generate plenty of emojis.

The Omega speedmaster silver snoopy – “how can you be modest when you’re a Genius?” (snoopy)

On November 2, everyone’s favourite beagle finally earned his own Star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame. However, despite its name, this achievement is not what the Speedmaster Snoopy Award celebrates: rather, it commemorates the role played by the watch in saving Apollo XIII. Following the safe return to earth of the damaged Apollo capsule, NASA awarded the Speedy this unique distinction. It was the only measuring instrument still available to the crew to time their return trajectory precisely, thereby saving the lives of the three astronauts. With its white dial, caseback sporting a silver medallion depicting Charles Schulz’s canine hero, and the unforgettable words “Failure is not an option” inscribed on the dial, the Speedmaster Silver Snoopy earned a special place in collectors’ hearts everywhere. It’s the most sought-after contemporary Speedy – since it was first launched, its price has tripled.

The Take from The Devil’s Advocate

Seriously? A cute little doggie and NASA hero? How do you expect Beelzebub to be the tiniest bit attracted to this Speedy? The Omega Speedmaster Silver Snoopy is a timepiece that fully deserves its unique place in the large family of Speedmasters. Could it be improved? Well, you can’t mess around with a legend, although in my view the white on its dial makes it less versatile than its black-dialled colleagues. But then again, that’s precisely why I like it.

*À l’occasion du 20ème anniversaire de GMT Magazine et de WorldTempus, nous nous sommes lancés dans le projet ambitieux de résumer les 20 dernières années en horlogerie dans The Millennium Watch Book, un grand et beau livre magnifiquement illustré. Cet article en est un extrait. The Millennium Watch Book est disponible sur www.the-watch-book.com, en français et en anglais, avec une remise de 10% en utilisant le code WT2021.

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