Magnificent gold charm bracelet from the collection of Jo Schirra, the wife of famed NASA astronaut Wally Schirra, featuring an assemblage of twelve golden charms, including four flown on Schirra's missions: Mercury-Atlas 8, Gemini 6, and Apollo 7. The gold bracelet is marked "14K" on the clasp and measures 7.75″ long.
The charms, listed in order of importance:
An ultra-rare 14K gold flown Apollo 7 Robbins medallion, measuring approximately 1.25″ x 1″, featuring a raised design of the mission insignia on the face. The reverse is engraved with the mission's launch date, “Oct. 11, 1968" and serial number, “4,” and is stamped with the Robbins hallmark.
Two identical hexagonal 14K gold pendants carried aboard the Gemini SC6 spacecraft with astronauts Wally Schirra and Tom Stafford during the Gemini 6 mission. The front of each pendant is engraved with the mission’s insignia, and the reverse engraved with the launch date, “15 DEC 65.”
A hexagonal 14K gold pendant carried on board the Sigma 7 spacecraft with Wally Schirra during the Mercury-Atlas 8 mission. The front of the pendant features the Sigma 7 logo, and the reverse is stamped with a "14K" hallmark.
The unflown charms include: a three-dimensional 14K charm modeling a spacecraft launch tower; a gold-filled NASA 'meatball' charm; Wally Schirra's 14K gold 1946 United States Naval Academy class charm, engraved on the reverse with his fiancée's initials, "J.C.F."; a remarkable three-dimensional 14K gold charm modeling the Gemini spacecraft, with doors that open to reveal two astronauts inside; a three-dimensional 14K gold charm modeling the Mercury capsule with escape tower; a 14K gold circular charm for the 20th anniversary of the Astronaut Wives Club, engraved "Wives Class XX"; a handsome sculptural golden charm portraying a cratered lunar surface with orbiting spacecraft, featuring a small diamond inset within a crescent moon on the right edge; and a sculptural 14K gold charm featuring a flower inset with three colorful stones, engraved on the reverse: "A Day to Remember: Book & Needle Club, Oradell, N.J., 10-16-62."
Accompanied by a detailed letter of provenance signed by Jo and Wally’s daughter, Suzanne Schirra, in part: "The charm bracelet that accompanies this COA originally belonged to my mother Jo Schirra (wife to my father, Astronaut Wally Schirra) and was given to me upon her passing. This is the second of two gold charm bracelets that my mother owned. The Mercury, Gemini and Apollo charms along with the NASA charm were my grandmother's Florence Schirra (mother to Wally Schirra). They were given to my mother when my grandmother passed away. There is an additional Gemini charm that was to be mine on this bracelet as well for a total of two. They have all been flown by my father who is the only astronaut to fly all three missions.
As I write this my memories of this charm bracelet go back to early childhood. I remember how excited my mother and grandmother were to receive a charm from each flight. My mother would show me each charm as she added it to her bracelet and I remember taking it out and admiring it many times through the years. It was one of her most treasured possessions and over the years she appreciated it more and more knowing there were only a few like it in the world…
It is most important that the next caretaker of this bracelet remember/preserve the personal story behind it as much as the bracelet itself. Future generations must never forget that our pioneer astronauts were not only heroes to the world but as importantly, sons, brothers, husbands and fathers. To be this very human element will always be the most important part of the overall story."
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