Manufacturer: Omega Year: 1971 Reference No: ST 145.022-69 Movement No: 32'199'041 Model Name: Speedmaster Professional Material: Stainless steel Calibre: Manual, cal. 861, 17 jewels Bracelet/Strap: Stainless steel Omega bracelet, end links stamped 516, max length 200mm. Clasp/Buckle: Stainless steel Omega folding deployant clasp stamped 4.71 Dimensions: 40mm. Diameter Signed: Case, dial, movement and bracelet signed Accessories: Accompanied by Omega Guarantee dated 27 September 1973 and fitted presentation box. Furthermore delivered with Omega Extract from the Archives confirming production of the present watch with caseback bearing the mention "The First Watch Worn On The Moon" in straight writing.
Catalogue Essay
The present watch, reference 145.022-69 is given the moniker "Straight Writing" due to the straight central text on the caseback, which displays "The First Watch Worn on the Moon". This watch was conceived "post moon". Indeed, Omega capitalized on Apollo 11's successful landing on the moon by referencing the event on their Speedmaster watches. Prior to 1969, Speedmasters were engraved "Speedmaster" on the caseback, along with the Speedmaster and Omega symbol.
The watch features a correct "stepped dial" that is signed "T Swiss Made T" below 6 o'clock. The case is preserved in excellent condition, displaying sharp, sculptural lugs. The watch furthermore retains its original "Dot Close to 70" bezel.
This example is accompanied by its original guarantee, stating the watch was retailed in Pinart-Despinoy in Doaui, France, and desirable "crater" box. The retailer is still in business today.
Omega's rich history begins with its founder, Louis Brandt, who established the firm in 1848 in La Chaux de Fonds. In 1903, the company changed its name to Omega, becoming the only watch brand in history to have been named after one its own movements. A full-fledged manufacturer of highly accurate, affordable and reliable watches, its sterling reputation enabled them to be chosen as the first watch company to time the Olympic Games beginning in 1932. Its continued focus on precision and reliability ultimately led their Speedmaster chronograph wristwatch to be chosen by NASA in 1965 — the first watch worn on the moon.
Key models sought-after by collectors include their first, oversized water-resistant chronograph — the reference 2077, early Speedmaster models such as the CK 2915 and 2998, military-issued versions of the Seamaster and oversized chronometer models such as those fitted with their prestigious caliber 30T2Rg.