Omega Speedmaster*** 186.0004 Alaska IV*** NASA

Omega Speedmaster 186.0004 Alaska IV NASA

OUR ARCHIVE » Omega Speedmaster 186.0004 Alaska IV NASA

OMEGA Speedmaster Digital Display Quartz Ref. 186.0004, NASA Issued Alaska IV, 1979
Serial: Mvt not numbered, Inner Case has caliber number 1621 engraved / Caseback engraved "9"
Circa: 1979
Reference: 186.0004

CASE: 36.5mm, Stainless Steel, mineral crystal. Seamaster logo on the snap back.
Number "9" engraved on the caseback.

DIAL: Digital display screen

MOVEMENT: Caliber 1621, Quartz

BRACELET: Leather racing bracelet with Omega buckle

CONDITION REPORT: Excellent condition and 100% original. The mineral crystal has a few minor scratches.

NOTES:
According to the Omega Museum, within the Alaska series of Speedmasters presented to NASA, Omega created a new prototype the “Alaska IV” based on the Speedmaster Professional Quartz reference ST186.0004 with a calibre 1621 movement which used a system called the BETA light that consisted of two tritium tubes behind the LCD display to illuminate the display. The case of this model was also thicker than the regular model in order to fit the thicker movement with tritium tubes.
A series of 12 examples out of a larger series of prototypes were sent to NASA astronauts in 1979 who tested the watch in training and on the Space Shuttle. Ultimately, they chose not to adopt the watch.