Bonhams close up shot of Fred Haise's Apollo 13 velcro watch band.

[Kizzi]

Bonhams, the auctioneers, now have a better zoom facility for their 2009 "The Space Sale" catalog.

Original link: Bonhams 1793 : FLOWN APOLLO 13 WRIST WATCH STRAP.


Lot 242 -FLOWN APOLLO 13 WRIST WATCH STRAP.
Wrist watch strap, 22 inches long, ¾ inch wide. With 18 inches of Velcro loop and 3 inches of Velcro hook material on one side. A rectangular metal loop is at one end, and a dark green nylon identification tag at the other, read: "P/N SEB 12100030-202, S/N 1074."
Sold for US$ 4,575 inc. premium

Couple of things from my perspective:

1. I think there's a similarity here with Persian rugs. The more they're used and battered, the better they are.
2. It's certainly faded as would be be expected after half a century, but this one looks as if its had a lot of use beyond the couple of days to the moon a back.
3. For the Speedy, shouldn't all NASA velcro watch straps that went to the moon look like this, even if cut shorter?

[Schirra]

The Real McCoy ;)

[Kizzi]

My version:



The original (non-faded) color of the ribbon is Olive Drab (as is also the thread, which was changed to black only as recently as November 1988 in Revision "L" of Dwg. SEB1210030). Also, the font is slightly bigger (10 char/in) which is the specified Pica type, as opposed to 12 char/in which is IBM Elite font in the Bonhams example). The velcro pile, no longer commercially available, is exactly the same.

Finally, I've no basting stitches for the tab that holds the stainless steel ring - though trying this myself I know why they used them!