An Omega Speedmaster watch owned by German astronaut Reinhard Furrer will lead bids in Bonhams' Fine Watch auction on December 10.
It comes to the London auction with a $48,000 high estimate.
 The watch has been tested by NASA and certified suitable for spaceflight |
The Omega Speedmaster has been the watch of choice for astronauts for years, having been certified by NASA as suitable for spaceflight. The Apollo 11 astronauts wore Speedmasters on the Moon, cementing the model's future as a classic watch.
With all of the NASA watches made by Omega given the code name Alaska, this is from the Alaska III project. It was produced in 1978, but retested by NASA in 1985 for the German-funded Space Shuttle Challenger mission that year - a mission on which Furrer flew.
The watches were worn over the space suits (otherwise known as Extravehicular Mobility Units).
"The Omega Speedmaster has long been associated with Space and it's a privilege to have in for sale such a rare watch with official NASA numbers and Omega verification. Over thirty years later the watch is in excellent working condition, and will provide a fascinating trophy for its next owner," said Bonhams' director of watches Paul Maudsley.
Paul Fraser Collectibles has a Longines Olympic Series watch for sale.
