The Omega Buzz Aldrin Bought to Replace His Missing Moonwatch Just Sold at Auction

This story originally appeared in About Time, Esquire's free weekly newsletter dedicated to the world of luxury watches. To get it free into your inbox every Sunday at 8am, sign up hereYou can't buy the Omega Speedmaster Buzz Aldrin wore on the Moon.That watch disappeared – sorry, "disappeared" – on its way to the Smithsonian more than 50 years ago and remains one of horology's great unsolved mysteries.But Wednesday's Sotheby's Space Exploration auction offered the next best thing. Pictured above is Buzz Aldrin's Omega Speedmaster Professional ref. 3590.50.00, which he bought in the 1990s to replace his missing Moonwatch. It was estimated at US$8,000–12,000 [around £6,000–£9,000], which may have been the very definition of modest considering Omega will charge you more than that for a Speedy today.In the end, bidders clearly agreed, pushing the final price to US$44,800 [about £33,000].It wasn't the Moonwatch. But as reminders of the man who made the Speedmaster famous go, it doesn't get much better.(Speaking of the Moonwatch: Omega and Swatch just announced a new £520 MoonSwatch collab made of 18-carat Moonshine Gold, which they've dubbed the MISSION TO THE MOON 1969. The bad news? Getting one will be tough).While you're here, check out our round-up of the very best space-themed watches released in 2026 so far, from Richard Mille's £208k RM 63-02 Automatic Worldtimer to Breitling's much more affordable Navitimer B02 Chronograph 41 Cosmonaute Artemis II.