One of the joys of working with fine timepieces here in New York City is the opportunity to see history in motion. Watches aren’t just accessories; they’re artifacts—mechanical links to the people, moments, and milestones that shape our culture. That truth hit home again recently when I read a historically intensive article in WatchTime magazine: “Flight-Qualified for Space: The Story Behind NASA’s Choice of the Omega Speedmaster” (May 16, 2025). As someone who has repaired and serviced his fair share of vintage Omega Speedmasters, I found myself nodding along with every paragraph.
WatchTime, by the way, is one of my favorite reads—always sharp, always passionate, and always on time (Pardon the pun). This recent piece reminded me of just how rigorous NASA’s testing process was when it came to qualifying a wristwatch for space travel. In 1965, after subjecting chronographs from several brands to extreme temperature shifts, high G-forces, vacuum environments, and more, only one watch came out unscathed: the Omega Speedmaster. What I found fascinating (and what vintage watch owners should take note of) is that the model NASA certified was the same one you could buy in a store! There was no souped-up version just for astronauts—what you saw on the shelf was what flew to space.
As I walk the streets of Midtown Manhattan (where our watch repair shop is located) and look at the variety of people sporting both new and vintage watches, I’m often reminded how important it is to keep these legacy pieces running smoothly. The Speedmaster that flew with the Apollo missions is a prime example. Today’s collectors value these early “flight-qualified” models not just for their looks, but for what they represent—bold innovation, trust in craftsmanship, and a moment in time when human beings literally reached for the stars.
SERVICING AN OMEGA WATCH
What many collectors sometimes overlook, however, is the need to keep these mechanical marvels properly serviced. I’ve had vintage Speedmasters come into the shop that hadn’t been looked at in decades. The hesalite crystal was scratched. Or, the gaskets were brittle. In some cases, the chronograph hands weren’t even functioning. These OMEGE watches may have survived space, but here on Earth, they still need TLC.
Luckily, Omega builds these watches with longevity in mind, and with proper servicing—something we specialize in here at Ron Gordon Watch Repair—they can function beautifully for another 50 years or more. Whether it’s calibrating the chronograph, replacing worn parts with Omega-authorized components, or restoring the finish without compromising originality, vintage watch repair is both an art and a science.
New York is a city that thrives on history while always looking ahead. I like to think the Speedmaster, and watches like it, reflect that spirit. They’ve marked time through some of humanity’s greatest achievements, and with the right care, they’ll keep ticking into the next generation.
So if you’ve got a Speedmaster tucked away in a drawer, especially one with some age and character, now might be the time to bring it in for a little care. After all, if it was good enough for NASA, it’s good enough for the streets of New York.