A limited- edition Speedmaster, which is truly out of this world, commemorates a special moment for mankind

Originally developed in the mid- 1950s as a chronograph designed for use in field sports and motor racing, the Speedmaster

( it was named for its then- exclusive tachymeter scale that today is a feature of many chronos) became far better known in the late ’ 60s after its adoption by Nasa for its Gemini and Apollo space programmes.

So it’s more than fitting that to mark the 50th anniversary of astronaut

Buzz Aldrin’s moonwalk on July 21, 1969 ( Aldrin – pictured right – strapped his Speedy to his wrist above his spacesuit), Omega has unveiled its own magnificent tribute to this achievement, in the form of the Speedmaster Apollo 11 Anniversary Limited Edition, which is limited to 1,014 pieces. A recreation of the commemorative Apollo 11 Speedmaster of 1969, but in a special gold alloy known as Moonshine, this new 42mm anniversary masterpiece features a gorgeous burgundy bezel with yellow- gold dial and onyx hour markers.

It’s powered by the hand- wound Omega Master Chronometer 3861 calibre with co- axial escapement, which can be viewed in all its gold- plated magnificence through the transparent case back and, beating at 26,100vph, offers 48 hours of power. And, as if to hammer down this particular Speedy’s out- of- this- world heritage, the caseback ring also features a commemorative inscription, as well as beautifully created proportionally sized representations of areas of the Earth and its Moon.