Buzz Aldrin’s personal watch collection is heading to auction, giving collectors a rare chance to buy pieces owned by one of the most famous astronauts in history. Twenty-four of his watches are included in Sotheby’s latest Space Exploration auction in New York. Online bidding is already open, with the live sale taking place on July 15.
The most obvious absence is Aldrin’s Apollo 11 Omega Speedmaster Professional, which he wore on the lunar surface. The watch disappeared while being sent to the Smithsonian in the early 1970s and has never been recovered. NASA and the US government have previously asserted claims to the missing timepiece.
Even without that Moonwatch, the sale includes several notable pieces. Aldrin’s Jaeger-LeCoultre Shark Deep Sea Chronograph is among the highlights, with the late-1960s to early-1970s diving chronograph estimated at $10,000 to $20,000.
There is also a 1990s Omega Speedmaster Professional ref. 3590.50.00, which Hodinkee describes as the closest buyers can get to owning one of Aldrin’s personal Moonwatches. The lot carries an estimate of $8,000 to $12,000.
Another standout is an Omega Speedmaster X-33 Gen 2, a quartz analog-digital model closely associated with modern spaceflight. The example in the sale is not currently running, but its connection to Aldrin should still attract collectors.
Other lots include an Omega Constellation Manhattan Day-Date and a group of eight commemorative watches collected throughout different stages of Aldrin’s life and career. The latter may not be the most valuable lot in traditional watchmaking terms, but it offers a more personal look at his collecting habits.
AdvertisementRare references and high estimates only tell part of the story. Each watch is tied to an astronaut who helped make the Omega Speedmaster one of the most famous watches ever produced.
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Karen Carillo
Karen is a news writer covering a broad range of lifestyle, technology, and consumer topics. She has a degree in Creative Writing, where she developed a particular interest in nonfiction. Her previous work includes content writing for a software and services company. She has also written for Trusted Reviews. When she is not writing, she enjoys singing and watching movies.
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