What is Speedy Tuesday?It all started in a sunny Cannes in 2012, where I stayed over for a holiday. I also remember it was actually in the Radison Blu hotel there, where I made a wristshot of one of my Speedmaster watches and posted it on-line saying Speedy Tuesday (it was a Tuesday). Then, together with the team, we decided to make it a recurring item here on Fratello Watches. We are all Speedmaster fans, some of us have impressive collections, some of us only have one. But we all love the Speedmaster, for many different reasons.Our first Speedy Tuesday event took place in 2013. An official event with the support of Omega, in the ESA/Estec Space Expo visitor centre. A few more followed, with and without official support, but always with a nice group of collectors to share the passion for this iconic chronograph.Speedy Tuesday Event in Bienne, SwitzerlandLast Friday, a new mile stone took place. An official Speedy Tuesday event together with Omega, at their headquarters in Bienne, Switzerland. Together with Omega, we decided to invite 25 guests for Speedmaster get-together in Bienne. Within just a few minutes after publishing the invitation, we were fully booked. It shows how popular the Speedmaster is, and perhaps even how popular Speedy Tuesday is. We were already happy to see that we had a nice group of enthusiasts willing to make the trip. Some people came from far, to say the least.A group of international collectors and enthusiasts were invited to come visit Omega in Bienne, visit the museum, receive several presentations on the Speedmaster (dial making, accuracy tests and see the new 2016 Speedmaster models as presented in Basel). Also, the guests were treated with a peek behind the scenes regarding the famous Omega archives. The place where they work hard to get you your Extract of the Archives. After the tour and presentation, we would have a QA with a special guest.A Welcome By OMEGA CEO Raynald AeschlimannBut first things first, we were all welcomed by Omega President? CEO, Raynald Aeschlimann. He?welcomed everyone to the Speedy Tuesday Event and explained to us how important the Speedmaster is to Omega, and to him. Also, how important the enthusiasts are to Omega, of which the speedytuesday community is a great example. Omega decided to support speedytuesday on their social media channels and also to support it by hosting this event.Omega CEO Aeschlimann and me, showing Speedmaster watches.Next, I did my word of welcome to the guests, explaining how Speedy Tuesday came to life and how my enthusiasm for the Speedmaster started in 1999, when I bought my first Moonwatch (from Gerard Nijenbrinks, when he had his watch shop in The Hague). How this enthusiasm in fact led to Speedy Tuesday on Fratello Watches. Today, also driven by the on-line Speedmaster community on Instagram and Facebook where fans post the most wonderful images of their Speedies.Next, Raynald Aeschlimann introduced other persons from Omega's management to all the guests of the Speedy Tuesday Event?and gave the word to Petros Protopapas. The curator of Omega's museum. Petros explained his role at the museum and in fact invited us over to the museum.Omega Museum Archives VisitDivided into two groups, we visited the Omega Museum at the other side of the road where the Omega headquarters is located. Although the building is beautiful, it will move to the headquarters in the future.Omega Museum, as seen from the new HQ buildingOne group went with Petros to the museum, to have a guided tour and the other group had a presentation on the new Speedmaster models and to have a closer look at the production process of the meteorite dials, ceramic cases and the Silver Snoopy Award dial and caseback. Also, Omega showed us the effect of magnetism on watches. The guests were also able to have their own watch checked for accuracy and check whether de-magnetizing the movement would improve accuracy (and it did).Museum Curator Petros Protopapas gallery-1 {margin: auto;} gallery-1 .gallery-item {float: left;margin-top: 10px;text-align: center;width: 25%;} gallery-1 img {border: 2px solid cfcfcf;} gallery-1 .gallery-caption {margin-left: 0;}/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */ Product Presentations The Snoop Caseback gallery-2 {margin: auto;} gallery-2 .gallery-item {float: left;margin-top: 10px;text-align: center;width: 25%;} gallery-2 img {border: 2px solid cfcfcf;} gallery-2 .gallery-caption {margin-left: 0;}/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */ Another exciting part of the museum tour was a visit to Omega's archives. Not only is it the place where Omega looks up the serial / movement numbers in order to determine the production year and C if available C information about the original delivery of the watch, but also where they keep historic brochures, press material, manuals etc. A true treasure for any Speedmaster fan. Especially the vintage manuals and brochures could count on some serious drooling by the guests.The Omega Archives, information stored in databases, micro film and books. gallery-3 {margin: auto;} gallery-3 .gallery-item {float: left;margin-top: 10px;text-align: center;width: 25%;} gallery-3 img {border: 2px solid cfcfcf;} gallery-3 .gallery-caption {margin-left: 0;}/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */Speedy Tuesday Event TrophyAfter the two groups finished the tours and presentations, it was time for drinks. We headed back to the main building across the street and everything was set-up for the upcoming QA session. However, not before CEO Aeschlimann presented a super nice reminder of this event to each of the guests individually.A wonderful trophy that says SpeedyTuesday 2016' and features a genuine Flight-Qualified by NASA for all manned space missions caseback engraved with the name of each guest of this Speedy Tuesday event.QA Session With NASAs Jim RaganIt was also time to introduce the special guest that Omega had flown in for the Speedy Tuesday Event. No-one less than James Ragan, former NASA engineer who was responsible for the procurement process and test procedures of the watches that should be used during the Apollo (and later on Space Shuttle) program. Not only for watches, but for all other sorts of equipment that the astronauts would take with them in space (e.g. Hasselblad cameras, the Fisher Space Pen).Jim Ragan entering the roomRaynald Aeschlimann introduces Jim RaganEveryones ready for itThe QA session was kicked off by Petros and Jim Ragan, where they zoomed in on the selection procedure of the watches to be used by NASA and the Alaska project watches. From the first awkward looking model to the digital watches. It was interesting to learn that even after the selection and certification of the Speedmaster Professional, Jim Ragan kept testing the Speedmaster watches for several different purposes and in different circumstances (for example, the bumpy ride in the Lunar Rover of Apollo 15). After Petros finished his last question, the guests were able to ask questions to Jim Ragan. Questions variated from the relationship of the Mark II models and the first Alaska project watch to which other models from other brands were put to the test (no answers given there). The QA session ran out quite a bit, as Jim Ragan tried to answer each question as detailed as possible and is, in all honesty, a great storyteller in general. It was very entertaining and provided a lot of new insights into NASA's Apollo program to many of the guests of the Speedy Tuesday event.Petros Protopapas in discussion with Jim Ragan gallery-4 {margin: auto;} gallery-4 .gallery-item {float: left;margin-top: 10px;text-align: center;width: 33%;} gallery-4 img {border: 2px solid cfcfcf;} gallery-4 .gallery-caption {margin-left: 0;}/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */Up Close With Special?SpeedmastersThere was also time to have a look at some of the special Speedmaster watches that were discussed during the QA. There was the Alaska Project and Alaska Project II watch as well as the Speedmaster 145.022 that flew with astronaut Ron Evans during Apollo 17. gallery-5 {margin: auto;} gallery-5 .gallery-item {float: left;margin-top: 10px;text-align: center;width: 25%;} gallery-5 img {border: 2px solid cfcfcf;} gallery-5 .gallery-caption {margin-left: 0;}/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */Ron Evens Flown SpeedmasterRon Evens Flown SpeedmasterRon Evens Flown SpeedmasterRon Evens Flown SpeedmasterAlaska PrototypeAlaska PrototypeAlaska PrototypeAlaska PrototypeAlaska PrototypeSpeedmaster AlaskaSpeedmaster AlaskaSpeedmaster AlaskaSpeed