Omega has this almost irritating habit of introducing Limited Edition Speedmasters for about every event. However, try to get a NASA patch model (such as the Snoopy Award edition or any of the Apollo 11 editions) and you probably feel stupid for not see that one coming

Speedmasters are, besides being linked to the NASA programme, also connected to racing. Initially, the Speedmaster was created as the watch for car drivers, as you can see on the picture below (pre-NASA programme).

In 1968, Omega even produced a Speedmaster Professional with a so called ‘racing’-dial. Not to be confused with the later 1970s Speedmaster Professional Mark II with racing dial. This 145.012 (1968) model is printed in the Time Capsule (by Imai) book and in the Omega Journey Through Time book (page 604 in the English version). I found a low-quality picture of this particular model somewhere on the web, so forgive me for being unable to credit and being unable to provide you with a better picture:

This was the first and last Omega Speedmaster Professional with a racing dial. Later on, as I wrote before, a Speedmaster Mark II was equipped with a racing dial and muchos later on, Omega introduced the Speedmaster Reduced series. These series were focussed on Racing as well. Just recently, when the Omega - Schumacher connection was established, Omega started to create some ‘Racing’ / Schumacher Legend models with caliber 3303 (Broad Arrow caliber). However, non of these are marked as a ‘Professional’ model.

In 2004, Omega produced a limited number of 2004 Speedmaster Professional (ref. 3570.40.00) watches with a racing dial. Compared to the original 145.012 with racing dial, the hands are ‘inverted’. The hour and minute hands are orange of the Japanese model, as where the original model’s hour and minute hands are white and the chronograph hand is orange. The same goes for the hands of the chronograph subregisters.

Pictures by JK.

If you are a Speedmaster collector, this piece might be missing in your collection, as I think 2004 pieces are really limited. I wonder how many actually left Japan, as Japan is a Speedmaster-collectors country. There is currently one for sale on Chrono24, for approx 3000 euro.

I hope you don’t get tired of my Speedmaster posts and rants..

The Omega Speedmaster Professional is the watch that seems to be the back bone of my watch collection and interest in mechanical wrist watches. It is the watch that started the whole madness for me. That’s probably why it is in the header picture of this website anyway I have to admit though, that there are periods that I almost never wear mine and that it gets almost no attention at all. However, with the slightest trigger the whole obsession with this watch start all over again. The latest trigger has been a small GTG with a few long time watch friends. One of the guys was wearing this very rare Speedmaster Professional ref. BA 145.022. He also brought the original box which is a relief “Lunar surface” box which is probably even more rare. Although this watch is not considered to be Omega’s holy grail Speedmaster, it is highly sought after.

In 1969, after the moon landing, Omega created a gold version of the Speedmaster Professional (caliber 861) to commemorate this spectacular event. This watch has been produced in only small numbers (1014 in total), from august 1969 till somewhere in 1972. The first 28 pieces were given to the president of the United States (Richard M. Nixon at the time, who received number 1), the vice-president and the active NASA astronauts. According to Omega’s Journey through Time book, Richard Nixon refused the watch because it was a gift of too high a value. I guess the White House had a Compliance department in 1969 already.

The first 28 pieces had the following inscription in its caseback: “to mark man’s conquest of space with time, through time, on time”. Including the number of the watch and the name of the recipient. The other watches had the “the first watch worn on the moon” text (horizontally) engraved.

During a gala dinner on the 25th of November 1969, at the Hotel Warwick in Houston, approximately 26 pieces were offered to the NASA astronauts. The number 1 and 2 watch, offered to the president and the vice-president (Spiro Agnew), is on display in the Omega Museum since 1999.

Last saturday I had the opportunity to observe one of these 1014 special time pieces, and its original box. Please see the pictures below. This model has the “First watch worn on the Moon” engraving, filled with the maroon color. The first time pieces with this engraving, had a smaller font type and were only engraved (not filled-in).

The owner of this watch wants to remain anonymous. Inquiries are not appreciated.