1970 Omega Speedmaster '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. (If you look closely, you’ll notice a price of $195 for the Speedmaster in question. Try not to let that ruin your day!)

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!