The Speedmaster 125 and Cosmonaut Vladimir Djanibekov
The Speedmaster 125 and Cosmonaut Vladimir Djanibekov
Cosmonaut Vladimir Djanibekov wore a Speedmaster 125 during training for the 1978 Soyuz 27 mission, which was his first mission to the Salyut 6 space station. In 1982, he wore his Speedmaster 125 as commander of the Soyuz T-6 mission to the Salyut 7 space station. Russian Cosmonauts seemed to appreciate OMEGA, as other models were chosen, like the Flightmaster and the Speedmaster Mark III.
Djanibekov’s choice of a Speedmaster 125 is notable because other Cosmonauts of the era, like American astronauts, typically wore manual winding Speedmaster Professional Moonwatches. Djanibekov is a Soviet of Uzbek descent, and served as a pilot and instructor in the Soviet Air Force prior to becoming a cosmonaut. He flew on five space missions that spanned over 145 days in space and earned the title Hero of the Soviet Union.
Djanibekov’s watch, along with his flight suit, is on display at the OMEGA Museum in Bienne, still wearing the orange fabric strap that was used to secure the watch during the mission.
