'Would NASA Select Second Best?'
The 1969 Moon landings were a public relations coup for Omega — and how could they not be? The first men to walk on the lunar surface were wearing Omega Speedmasters. (Well, one was — the other left his in the landing module.) And as this 1970 advertisement thoughtfully points out, these were no specialized, souped-up, space-going models; rather, they were the same ordinary Omega chronographs that anyone could purchase in the local jewelry store. If these watches were good enough for NASA, then they were certainly good enough for the watch-buying public at large.
Beautifully composed and executed in deep blue and black tones, this vintage Speedy ad calls to mind the blackness of space and the desolation of the lunar surface, forever associating them with the chronograph that has become perhaps the most famous wrist-borne stopwatch in history.
This great ad from Ad Patina is presented in a 14” x 17” natural wood frame with an opaque black painted finish. It features a custom-measured, hand-cut 4-ply border in a shade of white, complimenting all the ad tones. Every material used is acid-free and the glass is anti-reflective and offers UV-protection to keep this precious ad preserved no matter where you decide to hang it up. Speaking of which, hanging your newly purchased ad is a seamless task, as this particular frame comes with an additional hanging wire and felt pads for wall protection.
This 1970s ad is the perfect addition to any wall space or book shelf and will most certainly inspire you to keep learning about and collecting Speedmasters.
PS: Here’s a little easter egg — look closely, you’ll notice a price of $195 for the Speedmaster in question. Those were the days …
About our collaboration with Ad Patina
We're thrilled to be collaborating once again with our longtime friend Nick at Ad Patina to bring you a selection of the most-popular and hard to find original vintage magazine advertisements curated specifically for Analog:Shift!
Scouring the world for forgotten marketing treasures, Ad Patina's raison de être very much mimics our own — to hunt down these wonderful bits of history, preserve and restore them as needed, and share them with an enthusiastic community.
These documents of horological and advertising history have entered the collecting conversation as the ultimate accompanying accessory to go along with hobbies and passions. They have found themselves framed in homes and offices around the world.
Every one of these wonderful pieces is a genuine, vintage advertisement that has been professionally framed to ensure years of enjoyment to come — no reprints or reproductions here!
Much like a traditional piece of art — a painting or photograph – an original advertisement can be appreciated for its design as well as for its power to evoke nostalgia. Something vintage enthusiasts know all about!
