Why isn't the GMT also known as "The Moon watch"

[Watchgeek5000]

In 1971 the entire NASA team wore Pepsi GMT's on their mission to the moon.
This seems to be an important moment in Rolex history, doesn't seem to get mentioned much.

http://www.rolexmagazine.com/2008/06...story.html?m=1

[Leejjay]

Possibly because the name The Moon Watch is used by Omega as they were there 1st. 1969 if I’m correct?


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[Watchgeek5000]

Originally Posted by Leejjay

Possibly because the name The Moon Watch is used by Omega as they were there 1st. 1969 if I’m correct?


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Yes, understood. But the fact that three astronauts wore a Rolex GMT on a moon mission is pretty cool and worth recognition. Not that Rolex really needs more recognition, but as an owner of these watches it adds to its history.

[hulkalicious]

Originally Posted by Leejjay

Possibly because the name The Moon Watch is used by Omega as they were there 1st. 1969 if I’m correct?


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Correct. However Omega decided to ruin that by creating a new moonwatch for every bl**dy launch since which kinda spoils it imo. You can choose the buy the original Heslite moonwatch which is like a plastic screen they actually used or the same but with standard Crystal. The Heslite version is extremely light so much so it didn't work for me.

[chrito]

Originally Posted by Leejjay

Possibly because the name The Moon Watch is used by Omega as they were there 1st. 1969 if I’m correct?


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yes you are

[HogwldFLTR]

Originally Posted by Leejjay

Possibly because the name The Moon Watch is used by Omega as they were there 1st. 1969 if I’m correct?


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To be specific it was 7/20/69. I remember it well because it was my mother's birthday. We talked on the phone as I was up in Maine at camp. Everyone was tuned in to the unfolding events.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_11

[FTX I]

Humm let me guess

[omx5o]

No prizes for coming second.

[Watchgeek5000]

Originally Posted by omx5o

No prizes for coming second.

Can't always be first! But cool information anyway, personally I didn't know about this story.

[joli160]

Originally Posted by omx5o

No prizes for coming second.

Especially after failing NASA's test

[faaaaaaaasterrrrr]

Originally Posted by joli160

Especially after failing NASA's test

This. It’s not like Omega won a raffle.

[breitlings]

Originally Posted by joli160

Especially after failing NASA's test

to be fair the gmt master didn’t fail the test. the daytona did and iirc it was due to the use of a gold second hand warping.

no rolex afaik failed on the moon/space though unlike 2 known omega failures.

and to be honest going to the moon, the watched were an after thought according to many interviews.

[ROLMARINER]

Originally Posted by breitlings

to be fair the gmt master didn’t fail the test. the daytona did and iirc it was due to the use of a gold second hand warping.

no rolex afaik failed on the moon/space though unlike 2 known omega failures.

and to be honest going to the moon, the watched were an after thought according to many interviews.

Good points, but here's another one:

The GMT wasn't tested and the Daytona wasn't designed for anyone other than a weekend racing enthusiast so it stands to reason that if Rolex were given a spec and a year to build a watch to meet that spec, they could easily have been the designated official NASA watch.

Omega won the bake-off via good luck, that's all. Their racing watch passed a heat test that the Rolex racing watch failed, neither was a moon travelers watch as there was no such thing in 1963 or 1957 when the Daytona and Speedmaster were designed.

A chronograph was needed in the early years of the space program because of burns and navigation requiring precise timing. By the time we get to 1972 and the end of the space program the computers were powerful enough and redundant enough to make a chronograph unnecessary, thus the reason so many astronauts switched to GMT's with NASA's blessing.

[Justinmg]

Originally Posted by ROLMARINER

Good points, but here's another one:

The GMT wasn't tested and the Daytona wasn't designed for anyone other than a weekend racing enthusiast so it stands to reason that if Rolex were given a spec and a year to build a watch to meet that spec, they could easily have been the designated official NASA watch.

Omega won the bake-off via good luck, that's all. Their racing watch passed a heat test that the Rolex racing watch failed, neither was a moon travelers watch as there was no such thing in 1963 or 1957 when the Daytona and Speedmaster were designed.

A chronograph was needed in the early years of the space program because of burns and navigation requiring precise timing. By the time we get to 1972 and the end of the space program the computers were powerful enough and redundant enough to make a chronograph unnecessary, thus the reason so many astronauts switched to GMT's with NASA's blessing.

Someone is just peanut butter and jealous a true test is not knowing your product is going to be tested, fact Omega passed and the rest FAILED. it’s only luck when it doesn’t go there way right I know this is a Rolex forum but wow, always a good laugh!

[_speedmaster_]

Originally Posted by ROLMARINER

Omega won the bake-off via good luck, that's all.

Ah yes. It couldn’t possibly be because omega made a better product...

[dubins930]

Originally Posted by breitlings

to be fair the gmt master didn’t fail the test. the daytona did and iirc it was due to the use of a gold second hand warping.

Yes, every single watchever made that was not part of NASA testing didn’t fail the test. No one is going to include the Rolex GMT in the “moonwatch catagory”, unless people want to sit at home trying to make themselves feel good.

My G-shock DW5600 is more qualified for being called a moonwatch according to NASA

[HogwldFLTR]

Originally Posted by joli160

Especially after failing NASA's test

Bingo; only one watch passed NASA's testing and it bears the title. Omega even created a watch especially for it in the Alaska project but NASA wouldn't spend for retesting, The Mark II was what came out of that effort but was never certified. Rolex never made the cut. From my understanding watches weren't requested by NASA; they were bought at stores and just tested.

[chrito]

Originally Posted by omx5o

No prizes for coming second.

lol

[DonBateman]

Originally Posted by omx5o

No prizes for coming second.

Bingo

[jlovda]

Originally Posted by omx5o

No prizes for coming second.

This

"This was Apollo 17's Ron Evans personal Rolex GMT flown to the moon and auctioned off in 2009."

Even Apollo astronauts flip their watches rather than handing them down as heirlooms.

[ROLMARINER]

Originally Posted by jlovda

This

"This was Apollo 17's Ron Evans personal Rolex GMT flown to the moon and auctioned off in 2009."

Even Apollo astronauts flip their watches rather than handing them down as heirlooms.

Mr. Evans passed away in 1990.

[Yoda_Eating_Pizza]

Originally Posted by jlovda

"This was Apollo 17's Ron Evans personal Rolex GMT flown to the moon and auctioned off in 2009."

Even Apollo astronauts flip their watches rather than handing them down as heirlooms.

I wonder if the AD held on to the warranty card.

[_speedmaster_]

Originally Posted by omx5o

No prizes for coming second.

And yet, even some watch enthusiasts have no idea what a fifty fathoms is, but my grandmother can spot a sub.

[blackhawks-fan]

Originally Posted by omx5o

No prizes for coming second.

That's right. Second place is the first loser.

[traf]

They could pull an omega and engrave the caseback “second watch worn on the moon”


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[schoolboy]

Originally Posted by traf

They could pull an omega and engrave the caseback “second watch worn on the moon”


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[rolex75216]

<-- because of this.

[Watchgeek5000]

Tough crowd!

[rolex75216]

Originally Posted by Watchgeek5000

Tough crowd!

Just having fun of coarse! I actually did not know about the travel to the moon and what they wore on their remarkable journey. Definitely cool! Not sure why "The Moon Watch" did not catch on?

[Watchgeek5000]

Originally Posted by rolex75216

Just having fun of coarse! I actually did not know about the travel to the moon and what they wore on their remarkable journey. Definitely cool! Not sure why "The Moon Watch" did not catch on?

Cool story, again it's pretty interesting.