Omega - The Geneva Watch Auction: X Geneva Saturday, November 9, 2019 | Phillips

The Geneva Watch Auction: X

Geneva Auction 9-10 November 2019

  • Manufacturer: Omega
    Year: 1968
    Reference No: 145.012-67 SP
    Movement No: 26'077'198
    Model Name: Speedmaster "Ultraman"
    Material: Stainless steel
    Calibre: Manual, cal. 321, 17 jewels
    Bracelet/Strap: Leather
    Clasp/Buckle: Stainless steel pin buckle
    Dimensions: 40mm Diameter
    Signed: Case, dial and movement signed
    Accessories: Accompanied by Omega Extract from the Archives confirming production of the present watch with an orange chronograph hand in 1968 and its subsequent delivery to Sweden, further accompanied by an Omega presentation box

  • Catalogue Essay

    The success of the Omega Speedmaster reference 145.012 “Ultramam” can be explained by its playful good looks and a "je ne sais quoi" that links us to our younger years.

    Ultraman is the brain child of Japanese director Eiji Tsuburaya (co-creator of the original Godzilla series) who launched the TV series in 1966. Ultraman begins with an intergalactic being (Ultraman) accidentally colliding with and killing a member of Earth’s Science Special Search Party (SSSP), Shin Hayata. Feeling remorseful, Ultraman merges his own life force with Hayata’s and vows to defend Earth against any that would seek to threaten it. Ultraman lives within Hayata, who transforms into Ultraman when the need arises. While Hayata is a normal man, Ultraman is a 40 meter tall silver and red-orange creature. His crested head and large, intimidating eyes became instantly iconic, as did his orange and silver suit. The catch was that Ultraman could only fight for three minutes before his energy was depleted.

    In 1971, Tsuburaya’s son spearheaded the production of Ultraman Returns, where a different iteration of Ultraman – Ultraman Jack – returns to Earth and teams up with the Monster Attack Team. According to Omega, the producers of Ultraman Returns selected Omega’s "Moonwatch" as part of the Monster Attack Team’s monster fighting kit, differing from the other Speedmasters of the time by the adjunction of an orange central seconds hand.

    Not only the wrist wear of choice of alien superheros, the reference 145.012-67 also graced the wrists of astronauts on Apollo 11, Apollo 14, and Apollo-Soyuz. It was the last Speedmaster model to be fitted with the renowned caliber 321 and is set apart from its predecessors by its ‘SP’ (‘SP’ for “Spécial Poussoirs” or “special pushers”) that increased water resistance. Though it is not known why a selection of the reference 145.012-67 were fitted with an orange chronograph hand – legibility is one theory – it is estimated that less than fifty correct examples exist with this bold, colorful detail. In order to be truly called an "Ultraman", the watch must be examined in person by Omega and accompanied with a note on the archival extract. These watches typically fall within a certain serial number range - between 26’076’XXX and 26’079’XXX.

    With the introduction of the immensely successful “Speedy Tuesday” Ultraman limited edition in the summer of 2018, interest in vintage Ultraman Speedmasters has dramatically increased.

  • Artist Biography

    Omega

    Swiss • 1848

    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.

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190

Omega

Ref. 145.012-67 SP
A fine and very rare stainless steel chronograph wristwatch with tachymeter bezel and special orange chronograph hand

1968
40mm Diameter
Case, dial and movement signed

Estimate
CHF20,000 - 30,000 
€18,800-28,100
$20,800-31,200

Sold for CHF37,500

Contact Specialist
Alexandre Ghotbi
Head of Watches, Continental Europe and the Middle East
+ 41 79 637 1724
aghotbi@phillips.com

The Geneva Watch Auction: X

Geneva Auction 9-10 November 2019