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Could Astronaut Wally Schirra’s UK Top Omega Speedmaster Fake Watches Set A Speedy Record?

Let me tell you about the coolest watch I’ve tried on this year. It was one of those commemorative gold “Apollo XI” Omega Speedmaster replica watches for sale, the ones Omega gifted to astronauts to celebrate the successful lunar landing of Apollo XI. This particular example had been given to Michael Collins, the astronaut who stayed back and flew the command module while Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin took that “one small step” onto the Moon.

Collins’ AAA UK fake Omega Speedmaster watches ended up selling for $765,000 in June, which, I believe, makes it the second most expensive Speedmaster ever, after that chocolatey Speedy that Phillips sold for $3.4 million about a year ago. But as luck and interplanetary travel would have it, another gold Apollo XI Speedmaster (ref. BA 145.022) is up for auction right now, this one gifted to astronaut Wally Schirra. If I had to bet, I’d guess Schirra’s Speedmaster is about to hit a similarly astronomical number.

You might know the story, but in case not: Omega gifted these gold Speedies at a fancy gala shortly after the successful Apollo XI mission. The first couple went to then-President and Vice President Richard Nixon and Spiro Agnew (who couldn’t accept them), while the next 28 numbered watches went to mission astronauts. In total, 1,014 of these best Omega Speedmaster replica watches were made, with most of the rest offered for commercial sale; it makes these first examples gifted to astronauts the most special.

By the time he was gifted the high quality Omega copy watches, Schirra was already an established badass, the first (and only) astronaut to go to space three times (being the only astronaut to fly in the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs). Schirra was gifted commemorative Speedmaster No. 8 in recognition of his first spaceflight on the Mercury-Atlas 8 mission. On the caseback, it’s personally engraved “Astronaut Walter M. Schirra, Mercury 8—Gemini 6—Apollo 7,” along with the kind of corny phrase you’ll find on all of these commemorative Speedies: “To mark man’s conquest of space with time, through time, on time.”

Early this week – October 3 – actually marked the 60th anniversary of Schirra’s Mercury-Atlas 8 mission. If you’re into luxury Omega Speedmaster replica watches, you already know what that flight is famous for: Schirra had an Omega Speedmaster ref. CK2998 on his wrist, making it the “First Omega in Space.”

At the time, the Speedmaster wasn’t yet qualified for spaceflight by NASA – it was just Schirra’s personal watch, as he’d also explain in an interview with collector Chuck Maddox years later. With that Omega connection already in place, the commemorative gold cheap Omega Speedmaster fake watches was a nice bookend for Schirra’s career as an astronaut: He’d made his third and final visit to space a year earlier aboard Apollo 7, and he’d go on to serve as a TV anchor for subsequent Apollo missions.

Schirra the Pioneer

Lucky for us, Schirra’s gold Speedy is being consigned by world-class space historian and collector Larry McGlynn, who developed a long friendship with Schirra.

“NASA sent Wally in when things needed to be fixed,” McGlynn told me over the phone. As just one example: Schirra was called on to pilot that Apollo 7 mission a year after the fire that killed all three astronauts on Apollo 1. After Schirra died in 2007, his widow eventually contacted McGlynn to see if he’d be interested in buying the perfect Omega super clone watches. He was, and he bought it.

When talking about Wally, McGlynn kept using one word: pioneer. He was a Naval Academy graduate; a World War II vet; he flew 90 combat missions in the Korean War; he became a test pilot. A true “jet jockey,” as McGlynn put it.

“He was a pioneer. Wally was funny and he had a sense of humor, but he was also serious about what he did.”

Just A Big Gold Watch

This brings me back to trying on Collins’ Apollo XI Speedmaster earlier this year. Sure, it was cool just because it’s a big-ass gold watch, and those are always cool. I don’t get too sentimental about other peoples’ Swiss movements replica Omega watches, but something about snapping on Collins’ watch felt different than anything I’ve put on recently. This wasn’t a watch that went to space or anything – it was just a trophy watch, really – but still. It wasn’t a prop or some movie star’s watch, just a trophy from a guy who happened to earn it by going to space three freaking times.

I guess that history, or maybe just that big-ass gold watch, weighed on me – the weight of expectations and all that. After reading more about Schirra, looking at old photos, and talking to McGlynn, I know I’d have the same feeling if I put on Schirra’s 1:1 Omega Speedmaster fake watches.

As for Schirra’s Speedmaster: McGlynn had it cleaned by Omega and he was able to obtain one of the last original ’69 burgundy bezels directly from Omega (Schirra lost the original bezel years ago), but it’s otherwise original. The listing at RR Auction even has a few photos of Schirra wearing the watch over the years; McGlynn, too, said he had memories of Wally wearing the gold Speedmaster. Many of the astronauts viewed these China replica Omega Speedmaster watches, gold as they were, as just watches, and wore them quite a bit – we love to hear it.

I’ve enjoyed reading about Schirra these past few days and talking to McGlynn about his old buddy, so here’s one more story of how Schirra used his chronograph onboard, also from that interview with Chuck Maddox: “The real key was pre-setting them to T plus 20 seconds,” Schirra said. “Before we got into the spacecraft, before we tied up everything, we’d advance the stopwatch to 20 seconds. And then after liftoff, they’d say ‘Standby – Mark!’ and then you’d start the watch again because you were too busy with hands on switches to start the watch [at liftoff].”

I hope whoever wins Schirra’s best quality replica Omega Speedmaster watches, once in awhile sets the chronograph to 20 seconds, a little wink to how Schirra would use his Speedmaster during take-off. No matter what, at least they’ll get a big gold watch, and that’s always cool.

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‘Holy Grail’ Apollo 11 Fake Omega Moonwatches UK Online Goes Under the Hammer

When sci-fi author J.G. Ballard suggested that the moon landings had exhausted the public appetite for space exploration, he couldn’t have been more wrong. Check out the figure that astronaut Michael Collins’ solid gold commemorative Swiss made Omega Speedmaster replica watches recently fetched. It went for an eyewatering USD $765,000 – proof that we still love anything to do with that era. And for once, this rare AAA UK Omega fake watches didn’t end up in Omega’s famed museum. Instead, it will take centre stage in a private collection making the huge price tag even more notable.

So why is this particular watch so desirable when Michael Caine’s Rolex Day-Date went for less than $40K a few years back? It’s because, aside from being solid gold high quality replica Omega watches, this piece has an unrivalled backstory. Along with Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, Collins was part of the three-man team that pulled off the first moon landing. The Apollo 11 mission was a high point of human achievement and cheap copy Omega Speedmaster watches was NASA’s chosen watch. Omega had seen off competition from Rolex and Longines to be the official watch for the mission. Buzz Aldrin wore his on the surface of the moon, cementing the Speedmaster as one of the century’s most iconic watches.

Later, to acknowledge those who made the impossible possible, Omega created a unique line of solid gold luxury replica Omega Speedmaster chronograph watches (Ref BA145.022). These were presented at Houston’s Astronaut Appreciation Dinner with Michael Collins one of the 32 astronauts who received a watch. His was engraved with his name, the watch’s number and the two missions he completed – Apollo 11 and Gemini 10 – plus a poetic line referencing the moon landings. Only 1014 top Omega super clone watches were manufactured between 1969 and 1973, making this series a holy grail for collectors.

In 2019, to mark the 50th anniversary of those steps on the moon, Omega recreated this enigmatic watch with another limited edition of, you’ve guessed it, 1014 pieces. This perfect fake Omega watches wholesale again featured a gold case and a vertically-brushed gold dial, along with the distinctive burgundy bezel. It’s another rare and collectable watch, but still a more realistic buy than Michael Collin’s unique piece.

His watch went for a staggering price because it has everything. The China Omega Speedmaster replica watches was judged, at the time, to be the best watch on the planet when a watch was needed in space. And the watch sold at auction is gold, rare, engraved and was worn by one of space exploration’s bravest pioneers.

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Strap Check: The $280 Rubber B VulChromatic® For The $260 UK Perfect Quality Replica Omega × Swatch Speedmaster MoonSwatch Watches

Today, I am checking out the Rubber B VulChromatic® strap for the best replica Omega × Swatch Speedmaster MoonSwatch watches. The blue stripe in the center matches the Mission to Neptune’s blue Bioceramic case. A contrast to the primarily black strap, the blue is a separate rubber mass that is molecularly bonded for life thanks to the VulChromatic® technology. The strap also includes solid inserts at the ends, known as “blocked integration”. This rigid structure allows the curved ends to sit flush against the case with no gap or articulation for a bespoke feel. All this technology is excellent for a $280 rubber strap. But does it suit the intended $260 watch? Let’s find out.

These days, I have little time to read other cheap UK fake watches publications. Seven or eight years ago, however, I was constantly bouncing between the most prolific watch blogs on the web. I’d do my best to keep up with the latest articles on Fratello, Hodinkee, WatchesBySJX, ABlogToWatch, and others. The recent announcement that Jack Forster is leaving Hodinkee for WatchBox caused me to reminisce on one of Forster’s early articles, “The Value Proposition: A Seventy-Five Dollar Watch That Looks Like A Million Bucks”. On the surface, the article serves the needs of budding watch buyers clamoring for an easy path into the mechanical-watch hobby. But the writing went a layer deeper than that, which is why it echoes in my mind seven years later. Rereading it was a good reminder that Forster spins a good yarn, of course, but it also had me trying to figure out why it sticks with me to this day.

A clash of worlds

I reckon the article resonates as the strap on the Seiko 5 costs three times what the perfect replica watches does, according to Forster. The rolled-edge crocodile strap elevates the plain-Jane aesthetic of the Japanese watch with a Malaysian movement. It’s the exotic leather that you often see paired with a Patek Philippe or F.P. Journe. The combination shouldn’t work on paper, but true to Forster’s word, the Seiko 5 “looks like a million bucks” as a result. Today, I find myself in a similar predicament where the strap is more costly than the watch. Although it’s only 20 bucks more rather than three times as expensive, it’s still an unusual situation. Will it provide the same thrill of taking a watch upmarket?

The watch in question is the Swiss made copy Omega × Swatch Speedmaster MoonSwatch Mission to Neptune watches. I opt to use the full name as it’s often argued whether it’s an authentic Omega or only a Swatch. I suppose Swatch runs production, but the design is notably from Omega (and it says so on the dial), so choosing the collaborative name is the safest option. By now, the MoonSwatch is relatively well known by the readership. Fratello has been at the forefront of unveiling the MoonSwatch and providing as many details as possible via text, audio, and video. But if you’ve been under a rock since March 25th, here’s the lowdown. Nick Hayek, CEO of the Swatch Group, was keen to promote the Bioceramic material utilized at Swatch. His shortlist included many brands and models to collaborate with, but the stories and iconic lines of the China 2022 Omega Speedmaster replica watches were too strong to ignore.

Top-secret mission

In secrecy, with only a few senior officials taking part, the MoonSwatch was formed in eleven distinct executions representing eleven celestial bodies in the Solar System. The Bioceramic case has a powdery matte surface that follows the lines of the latest Omega Speedmaster super clone watches wholesale with caliber 3861. The 2021 Speedy bases itself on the fourth-generation Professional Moonwatch case that succeeded the straight-lug designs of the late ’50s and early ’60s. The MoonSwatch retains the classical cues such as lyre lugs, a dot-over-ninety bezel, and even the stamp (“S” in this case) in the center of the glass. It’s a fun accompaniment to Speedy owners and a gateway for potential buyers — if you can get a MoonSwatch, of course. But if there’s one component that owners agree is lacking on the MoonSwatch, it’s the Velcro® strap.

The strap is similar in style to the previously announced Velcro® strap for the Moonwatch. The luxury Omega replica watches strap was a scaled-down version of the ones astronauts wore over their spacesuits. The strap features the NASA “meatball” logo and has metallic hardware to hook and loop to the wrist. While the MoonSwatch’s strap shares the concept, the execution and feel are entirely different. As you should expect, at €190, nearly the cost of the MoonSwatch, the top Omega fake watches strap is far more substantial with neater stitching and better materials. Conversely, the MoonSwatch strap feels cheap and plasticky as the hoop is of the same Bioceramic material as the case. I understand the simple strap helps the MoonSwatch remain attainable at $260, yet most wearers select an alternative option.

Rubber B bespoke feel

I’ve tried a few straps, from the Artem Sailcloth to NATOs and even leather straps. But each one felt like the MoonSwatch was a disservice to the strap. It possibly comes from the lack of aftermarket options even months after release. Such was the shock and surprise release of the MoonSwatch; many makers did not cater to Swatch at all. That was until Rubber B, the top rubber-strap manufacturer based in Switzerland, offered its services to the humble Swatch. The curved-end rubber strap with solid inserts is a mighty feat of engineering for such basic 1:1 replica Omega watches, but there’s no arguing about the results. The premium rubber strap elevates the MoonSwatch by having a bespoke feel. It helps that it is custom-fit for the MoonSwatch with matching stripes depending on the MoonSwatch variation.

Suddenly, I experienced the same clash of worlds as Forster did with the Seiko 5 and crocodile strap. It shouldn’t work in principle, but the Rubber B strap takes the MoonSwatch to another level. As mine is the Mission to Neptune, naturally, I chose the blue-stripe version. But what surprised me was how similar the shade of blue was despite the different materials. The Rubber B is now my strap of choice, opening up the inevitable question of price. At US$280, the strap is $20 more than the MoonSwatch, which is dear regardless of AAA Omega fake watches choice. But many are willing to pay $500 and upwards for a MoonSwatch pre-owned. Paying over the list price for a MoonSwatch is pointless. It’s not limited but just requires careful planning and patience. I suggest waiting for the right time to strike and using the leftover funds for a nice strap like the Rubber B.

Final thoughts

Of course, with the MoonSwatch and Moonwatch sharing such similar dimensions, I thought I’d try the strap on my caliber-3861-powered Omega Speedmaster replica watches for sale. The Rubber B strap fits securely but has a little more wiggle than on the MoonSwatch due to the placement of the lug holes. While it’s a reasonably snug fit that works well on the wrist, the Rubber B feels more at home on the MoonSwatch.