This incredible event, organized for the third time by Jordy (@watchstick_81 on Instagram), a true Speedmaster enthusiast, brought together around 60 guests – including two WATCHFID partners, Anthony and Grégoire – from about ten European countries, as well as Canada and New York.
Among the guests, we had the opportunity to discuss with a representative from OMEGA, who brought the latest models from the Speedmaster collection, and Robert-Jan Broer, founder of #speedytuesday.
The stars of the day were, of course, our beloved Speedmasters, numbering several hundred, including some of the rarest pieces.
People had the – probably unique – opportunity to admire some Radial, Racing from the 1960s, Grey / Blue dials, Ultraman, ACP, Apollo-Soyuz, Apollo XI 1980 White Gold, several Apollo XI 1969 Tribute to Astronauts in 18K gold, various tropical dials, and many other extremely rare vintage models. The current and recent Speedmaster line-up was also well represented, including some very precious ones.
Collectors also brought a wide range of objects related to the Moonwatch, such as boxes, badges, magazines, books, etc.
With about thirty collectors bringing their copies of MOONWATCH ONLY, it was also a fantastic opportunity for us to hold a signing session.
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Photo credits:
Jordy, first of all, huge congratulations for this amazing meeting. We all had a wonderful time. How did your story with the Speedmaster begin?
My journey to my first Omega Speedmaster is actually one without the usual romance, Omega marketing machine or the famous Apollo history. I knew nothing about the rich history of this model and that it has remained virtually unchanged – and in continuous production – since the late 1960s when it became the Professional. I didn’t grow up with watches; I am the son of a painter and a housewife, so luxury items were not part of our household. I have always found them interesting, but they never crossed my path at an early stage. With a little nudge from my lovely wife, I started wearing a watch at the age of thirty. It was actually a mechanical watch with a gold PVD coated case and display caseback showing the movement (the brand doesn’t exist anymore)! When it unfortunately broke a year after the birth of my daughter, I wanted to find something new as a worthy successor. After a long search and a few trials in between, I ended up with the blue panda Omega Speedmaster CK2998 from 2016 and I was immediately sold. Everything about it was perfect… but not the price. After saving for a long time, I finally managed to buy it. I remember well how I transferred the money with sweat on my forehead and trembling hands. What was I doing?! But I have never regretted it, and that was the beginning of my Speedmaster rabbit hole.
A year later, I came into contact with Robert-Jan Broer, who showed me his Speedy Tuesday 1. I was immediately sold and had to have one too! And that’s how the ball started rolling and I learned more about the community, the different models, and why this is such an iconic watch. I now own ten Speedmasters in a special custom-made Speedmaster box. I wear every Speedmaster I own and I am also trying to find more focus in the collection. For example, I recently replaced a very nice 345.0809 Speedymoon from 1987 with a slightly better version on a 1447 strap from 1985. It’s remarkable how even the regular moon version has so many differences.
Whether I will manage to stick to 10 Speedmasters… I wouldn’t dare say! Another recent acquisition is a real Mitsukoshi Speedmaster 3570.31, checked by Omega! Every Speedmaster has a memorable story behind it, which is what makes this hobby so special to me. It’s not just a watch, it’s also a reminder of special moments in life. The Omega Speedmaster remains my sweet spot at the moment, despite having tried many other brands and models. I think a Moonwatch looks great on my wrist and has the right look to remain interesting all day long. And it also has enough imperfections to be perfect!
When did you start thinking about organising a Speedmaster GTG?
I am very grateful that I was able to participate in three Fratello/Omega Speedy Tuesday events in 2019 (Biel) and 2022 (Biel and ESA). I didn’t know any other watch collectors in my immediate circle, so I particularly enjoyed the contact with other Speedmaster enthusiasts and found it very informative. It’s also the only way to see other Speedmaster models and hear the stories behind them. The Speedy Tuesday events are a completely different experience and mainly involve interesting lectures and product placements. As a result, participants often wore “only” one or two watches. Unfortunately, the Speedy Tuesday events were discontinued after a few years (hopefully they will return next year!), which meant that contact with other collectors was limited to online conversations and admiring wrist shots.
My attitude in life is that you should treat people the way you want to be treated, and if no one wants to do it, do it yourself. So I decided to organise a GTG myself. In 2023, 20 collectors gathered at the back of a local restaurant. I had guests from Belgium, Germany and of course a majority from the Netherlands. Everyone brought their collection with them one interesting conversation after another followed and time flew by! Robert-Jan Broer wrote a report on Fratello, and then things really took off.
The second GTG was held last year in the coach house of a beautiful castle estate and I had 50 guests from 10 countries. There were even more special references on the tables and the room was buzzing with laughter and positive vibes. Everyone was taking photos or quietly admiring their “grail”. That’s how I discovered which Speedmaster references I had a “click“ with. That’s very dangerous for your bank account, because after the first GTG I bought the Apollo 11 50th in Moonshine gold and after the second GTG, the platinum 321, a Speedymoon 345.0809 and a 105.012-66HF (from you, WATCHFID!). These GTG’s are a great way to discover your preferences and avoid buyer’s remorse.
The third edition this year was also a great success with 57 participants from 13 countries (even the US again and one guest flew over from Canada). Once again, there was a great atmosphere, where mutual trust, respect for each other’s watches and a friendly atmosphere came together. This time, an Omega product manager showed the Speedmaster novelties and you (WATCHFID) were also present to sign the MOONWATCH ONLY books and show the new book MOONWATCH DIALS to all the guests for the first time. It was wonderful to see how even the most seasoned collectors wanted to have their Speedmaster bible signed.
What are your best memories about this special weekend?
I personally invited all guests (many on the recommendation of previous attendees), so it feels like my birthday party where I’m not the birthday boy! It’s great seeing so many watch lovers together. It’s a special vibe that’s hard to explain. There was a security guard present because of the Omega novelties and he didn’t know what had hit him. He saw the most expensive vintage pieces going in all directions and eventually ending up neatly back in the same place where it came from. Everyone always goes home with exactly what they came with, plus a small gift from Omega and me, of course. I’m honored that everyone puts their beloved watch collection on the tables and trusts that everything will be fine. And I ensure that they can rely on this 100%. That’s only possible with a strict security policy. I also found it memorable that some guests had brought a gift.
I also love the participants’ heirloom watches, which they talk about with pride. That’s what cemented my watch hobby: what will you leave behind for your children and/or loved ones, for example? My mother-in-law inherited a 1964 Rolex GMT from her father and there are amazing stories attached to it. Hopefully, it will go to my wife some day and decades later to my daughter. Isn’t that wonderful? My daughter (11 years old) is now crazy about my Snoopy 50th Speedmaster and I’m never allowed to sell it!
I know it’s a difficult question… your preferred Speedmaster?
That’s not difficult at all! Without a doubt, it’s the platinum 321 Speedmaster because of the strong emotional attachment I have to it. I bought this special Speedmaster in memory of my father, who passed away unexpectedly last year (2024). Each dial is unique, and I think this perfectly suits my father, who was also unique in his own way. So this watch is now connected to my father and is unmistakably recognisable. In addition, I was invited by Omega to take a look inside the Atelier d’Excellence. This is where the 321 movements are assembled, as well as the Tourbillons and Chronochime models. I also spoke with CEO Raynald Aeschlimann, who has a real passion for the Speedmaster and always expresses his appreciation for people who share this passion and do something with it. He’s an amazing person! It was a very special day that I will never forget!
Anything else to add?
The Speedmaster GTG NL is my passion project and it’s a non-profit concept.
It is an extension of my hobby, and I enjoy taking care of every detail at beautiful locations in the Netherlands. It requires a lot of preparation time, and the maximum number of guests is around 60. That gives me enough time to talk to everyone briefly and admire their watches.
This GTG is not about the size of your collection. If you have saved for a long time for that Speedmaster Moonwatch and it is the only one in your collection, you are just as welcome as the collector with a very impressive and extensive collection. A mix of all kinds of collectors creates that unique atmosphere of wonder and enthusiasm. I secretly hope we can add even more countries to the list! The mix of cultures is also wonderful to see during a GTG.
We selected 10 special Speedmasters from our collection – available for sale – that we brought with us for this GTG.
2998-5 Grey Dial.
2998-62.
105.002-62.
105.012-63 ACP.
145.012-67.
145.012-67 Racing.
145.022-69 SW.
ST 145.022-69 Racing.
145.022-78 Radial.
145.0052 Apollo-Soyuz 20th.
We had the opportunity to present our latest works:
We extend our heartfelt thanks to @watchstick_81, who masterfully organized this fantastic weekend.
Everything was perfect!!
