Neil Armstrong's 18K Gold Omega Speedmaster to Be Auctioned in April

Neil Armstrong's personally owned and worn 18K gold Omega Speedmaster Professional chronograph wristwatch will be auctioned live on April 17, 2025. The auction will take place at the Royal Sonesta in Cambridge, Massachusetts, at 6 PM ET. Absentee bidding will close at that time, with the auction continuing live in person, via telephone, and on the Invaluable live bidding platform. To arrange a live auction phone call, bidders must contact RR Auction at (603) 732-4280.

Mark Armstrong, Neil Armstrong’s son, has announced that half of the hammer price will be donated to charities selected by his father. He noted that this watch represents one of humanity’s greatest achievements and that proceeds will support causes his father valued.

Background of the Omega Speedmaster

Presentation and Unique Features

Omega presented this watch to Armstrong on November 25, 1969, at a gala dinner at the Hotel Warwick in Houston. It was part of a special edition known as the 'Tribute to Astronauts' series, created to honor NASA astronauts. The caseback of each watch in this series was engraved with the astronaut’s name, missions, and a commemorative quote. Armstrong’s watch, numbered 17, bears the engraving: “Astronaut Neil A. Armstrong, Gemini 8 - Apollo 11.” The central engraving reads: “To mark man’s conquest of space with time, through time, on time.”

Design and Technical Specifications

The watch features an 18K gold case with the same dimensions as the steel Speedmaster Professional. The gold bezel includes a burgundy red aluminum inlay with the ‘dot over ninety’ detail. The solid gold dial is marked with “OM” (Or Massif), indicating its solid gold composition. The hour markers are made of onyx, set in gold frames, while the hands have black accents with gold centers.

The bracelet (Ref. 1116/575) is also gold, with hollow links and a 14mm clasp featuring stripe decoration. Inside the 42mm case is the Lemania-based caliber 861 movement, running at 21,600 vibrations per hour with 17 jewels. The movement is copper-colored and features a steel brake.

Condition and Documentation

The watch remains in very good cosmetic condition, with scuffs on the bezel and scratches on the caseback. It has not been polished or modified. Multiple photographs show Armstrong wearing the watch during his time as a professor at the University of Cincinnati. The auction includes an ‘Extract from the Archives’ certificate from Omega, confirming it as a special numbered edition commemorating the Apollo 11 moon landing.

Rarity and Historical Significance

This model holds a unique place in space history. After the moon-flown Omega Speedmasters—which belong to the U.S. government—the Apollo XI commemorative 18K gold chronographs are among the most significant astronaut watches. Omega produced a limited number, with the first 28 reserved for President Richard Nixon (#1), Vice President Spiro T. Agnew (#2), and 26 astronauts from the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs.

The public version (numbers 33–1000) had a different caseback design, commemorating Apollo 11 and recognizing the Speedmaster as 'the first watch worn on the moon.' Omega later revived the original astronaut engraving for watches presented to Apollo 14–17 crews.

Previous Record Sale

The gold astronaut chronograph is the most expensive Speedmaster Pro ever sold. In October 2022, RR Auction sold Wally Schirra's Apollo 11 commemorative 18K gold Omega Speedmaster Professional chronograph for nearly $2 million. Armstrong’s watch is expected to draw significant interest due to its direct association with the first person to walk on the moon.