The calibers Omega 321 / 861 : - Loncar
The calibers Omega 321 / 861 : - Loncar
The calibers Omega 321 / 861 : - Loncar
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<strong>The</strong> <strong>calibers</strong> <strong>Omega</strong> <strong>321</strong> / <strong>861</strong> :<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Omega</strong> <strong>321</strong> caliber is the evolution of the 27 CHRO C12 born in<br />
1942, it have been designed by the famous watchmaker Albert Piguet. In<br />
1942 it was the smallest chronograph movement ever made<br />
<strong>The</strong> number 27 indicates the diameter of the caliber : 27 mm, CHRO is<br />
the abreviation of "chronograph" and C12 indicates that the watch has a<br />
12 hour counter (an uncommon feature at this time)<br />
In 1946 the 27 CHRO C12 evolve with minor changes and is renamed<br />
<strong>Omega</strong> <strong>321</strong><br />
Its robust components, produced with maximum precision, not only<br />
offered perfect interchangeability whitout modification, which was<br />
highlty unusual at the time for such an instrument, they were also<br />
appreciated by master watchmakers and collectors.<br />
this calibre equipped the Speedmaster chosen by NASA for its first<br />
manned spaceflight missions and, furthermore, for the first extravehicular<br />
activity in outer space, incoluding on the Moon (see NASA<br />
part of this website). More than 40 000 units of the <strong>Omega</strong> <strong>321</strong> caliber<br />
have been produced.
After the huge sucess of the Speedmaster in the end of the 60's <strong>Omega</strong><br />
decided to introduce on the market a simplified version of the caliber <strong>321</strong><br />
also designed by Albert Piguet : the <strong>Omega</strong> <strong>861</strong>. the <strong>Omega</strong> <strong>321</strong> was<br />
more than 20 years old and it was time to simplify its construction for<br />
mass production : the Speedmaster have been equiped with the <strong>861</strong><br />
movement in 1968 :<br />
1°) the column whell mechanism have been replaced by a cam system<br />
simplifying the assembly of the movement<br />
2°) a nylon pusher is introduced in the movement , which need no<br />
lubrification and easy to produce<br />
3°) a flat spiral glucidur replace the Breguet spiral and the beat change<br />
from 18000 bph to 21600 bph<br />
On the industrial point of view this was a right decision and a huge<br />
sucess : more than 300.000 <strong>861</strong> movements have been produced so far ,<br />
and the movement is still in production<br />
but on the collectible point of view many of my fellow collectors and<br />
myself will regret the move ...<br />
Interesting note concerning "the moon watch" :<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Omega</strong> speedmasters engraved "the first watch on the moon" are fitted with <strong>861</strong><br />
movements , and the previous models have only the sea monster logo : anybody might<br />
think viewing thoses backs that the speedmasters fitted with the <strong>861</strong> are "the moon<br />
watch"<br />
In fact NASA qualification took place in 1965 at this time the <strong>861</strong> movement was not<br />
available and the purchasing for the astronauts speedmasters where bought before the<br />
<strong>861</strong> introduction. So the Speedmasters of Apollo missions which goes on the moon<br />
where not equipped with <strong>861</strong> movement<br />
Very curiously Speedmasters fitted with "the first watch on the moon" engraving are<br />
NOT the moonwatches , the previous ones without the engravings ARE the<br />
moonwatches ! , refer to the NASA section of this site for more details<br />
Macro pics of the <strong>321</strong> and the <strong>861</strong> movement<br />
Caliber <strong>321</strong> Caliber <strong>321</strong> Caliber <strong>321</strong><br />
Caliber <strong>861</strong> Caliber <strong>861</strong> Caliber <strong>861</strong>