"The Omega Speedmaster Apollo 13 Silver Snoopy Award pays homage to the unforgettable mission 45 years ago" - that is the official tag-line to this commemorative watch the Biel-based manufacture presented during this year's BaselWorld watch fair.

It is, as I suggest, a thoroughly lunatic interpretation to "celebrate the teamwork, quick thinking, ingenuity and courage that brought [Apollo 13] commander Jim Lovell, command module pilot Jack Swigert and lunar module pilot Fred Haise home safely."

So what is the story behind it, and why 'Snoopy'? The gospel goes like this: 

1. The Snoopy Award

The Snoopy Award "is a special honor awarded to NASA employees and contractors for outstanding achievements related to human flight safety or mission success. The award depicts Snoopy, a character from the Peanuts comic strip created by Charles M. Schulz."

 

(Original Silver Snoopy pin flown during STS-116. Source: Wikipedia)

"The award consists of a sterling silver spacesuited "Silver Snoopy" lapel pin flown during a NASA mission, a commendation letter (stating the mission the Silver Snoopy pin was flown on) and a framed Silver Snoopy certificate, signed by two astronauts who accompanied the mission the pin participated. The pin was based on a drawing by creator Charles Schulz.

The award is given personally by NASA astronauts as it represents the astronauts' own recognition of excellence." [Wikpedia, abriged and edited]

2. The Omega Speedster and its life-saving role aboard the Apollo 13 Mission:

Apollo 13 was the seventh manned mission in the American Apollo space program and the third intended to land on the Moon. Following an in-flight explosion two days after launch, the plan of the lunar landing was aborted since the damage inflicted to the space module (energy, electricity and life support systems) made safe return from a lunar landing impossible.

The damage also required that all electrical circuits save for the radio to be switched off. This included the time keeping circuits as well. Thus, the crew was forced to resort to their Omega Speedmasters to time the firing of the engines for re-entry into the earth's atmosphere. They had a 14 sec timeframe with a margin of error of 10%.

Command Module Pilot John L. "Jack" Swigert and his Speedmaster did an excellent job!

For this and its other contributions to the Apollo program, Omega was awarded NASA's Silver Snoopy Award. During a ceremony in Biel NASA Astronaut Tom Stafford presented Omega with its Silver Snoopy Award:

There are three distinct characteristics of the Apollo 13 edition of the Speedmaster: (i) 14 small squares between zero and 14 seconds reminding on the first 14 seconds as the critical time frame the crew had to fire the space-module's engines; (ii) of, course, Snoopy in one of his most typical retreats into a fanciful world in order to survive the real one, (iii) dreaming up the words, "Failure is not an option," referencing the quote delivered by actor Ed Harris, as flight director Gene Kranz, in the 1995 film "Apollo 13."

Oh, btw, the image above is in full colour, its not a b&W rendition... We'll dig into the secret later! Before, a few more details of the otherwise quite faithful representation of the typical Speedmaster face and its black ceramic [ZrO₂] bezel ring: 

The Speedmaster Apollo 13 Silver Snoopy Award has something of a second life, a different personality by night. Its best appreciated and enjoyed with a bit of speed (or acid ) UV light:

Suddenly, the visual perception dramatically changes, patters, shapes, textures and colours appear... if I would not know better its like being on a trip...

Dog as a ghost...

... signs on the walls...

"Foreign powers command... "

The mind-boggling effect seems be cause by LEDs under the dial, but is isn't. Its the intrinsic luminosity indeed!  

"Night fever, night fever. We know how to do it. Gimme that night fever, night fever. We know how to show it..." (reference to the Bee Gees)

On the back you won't see the movement (which is, btw, the same Omega Calibre 1861 manual-winding chronograph used in the original “Moonwatch”, and its coaxial-escpament powered modern cousins). This is a legendary. space-tested movement (you might want to read more about it in Jack Forster's excellent in-depth review here ):

 

(a side note: A decade or more ago, I was a student in Zurich, and saved a year to buy my then dream watch, an Omega Speedmaster Mark II (with the same movement inside). It came on a plastic strap I did not like. There was only one shop (that I knew) in Zurich (a renowned watch restoration workshop) who carried bespoke Camille Fount straps. I went there explaining my desire. The owners comment: 'a watch with such a movement is not worthy being inside my shop' - what an ignorant and movement snob! Of course he was happy to take my order and my money...)

In place of a movement view, you can admire a truthful representation of NASA's Silver Snoopy Award pin. Snoopy is crafted from Sterling Silver and is mounted on a plate surrounded by dark blue enamel. Silver pounds helps to create the illusion of deep space.

Gorgeous classical and idiosyncratic Omega Speedmaster case shape:

Its (under normal conditions) absolutely secret special effects destine this watch as a 24/7 wrist pal mastering all different tasks such as business meetings, travelling, cooking of playing with (kids, dogs, lions...). Its also versatile enough to integrate into more casual or decidedly business-like attires. 

'Professional' also means that all controls are protected from harm.

So, to sum up Omega has made excellent choices to commemorate one of its finest hours (and most crucial tests) with a watch that technically is equal (in its core elements) to the famous ancestor and aesthetically a very fine and very well chosen interpretation.

I particularly appreciate the fact that although it is quite special it does not shout out its uniqueness. Instead, it goes all under the radar - unless you start to party. Then, and only then, its exuberant other self surfaces. But at this time (latest!) you are up dancing, and you know you have a partner with a matching spirit all by your side.

With only a 20% price premium over the standard Speedmaster the decision should not take more than 14 seconds. In fact, given the handwork involved (see above) these 20% (of an already not overboard price) are a steel.

Gentlemen, start your engines rockets!

Thanks for reading,

Magnus