It is very hard to not get excited about this incredible Omega Speedmaster Mk2 - It was 1969 we had just had one of man's finest achievements with stepping on the moon, Omega felt they needed to design a watch that encapsulates the future, showcasing their commitment to a modernist innovative design, step forward to our 1970 Omega Speedmaster Professional Mark II 145.014 with a 41.5mm tonneau-shaped case, its lines between polished and brushed seamlessly transition, the sides have polished chamfered edges with a brushed centre and radially brushed top surface, making the case a much more dynamic case than you normally find on a Speedmaster. A lug-to-lug length of 45mm and a case thickness of 14mm give the watch an impressive wrist presence, down the right side, we have pushers and a signed crown, more flush with the case than on other models. The flowing lines continue as the case encircles the flat crystal without the need for a bezel, the matte black dial has a raised outer Tachymetre above the white second's track with baton indexes marking the hours coated in Tritium, at 3 o’clock a 30-minute register, at 6 o’clock 12-hour register and finally, a running 60 seconds register at 9 o’clock, each register is slightly recessed creating depth and interest to the dial. Slim white baton hands with Tritium infill complete with an arrow point chronograph seconds hand. On the reverse, we have a screw-down case back with an engraved Hippocampus in its centre, a seahorse that represents Neptune the God of the sea, it was conceived by Pierre Borie after seeing a picture of Neptune riding a chariot pulled by seahorses, it is the reason why the seahorses are wearing a bridle. Inside a manually wound Omega Cal. 861, 17 jewels based on the Lemania 1873 and is the direct Calibre replacement to the 361 Omega used on the moon. The watch comes paired with a 20mm Omega bracelet with a signed folding clasp, the bracelet is full-sized and can be sized,
Unsurprisingly, for a watch of this magnitude, the dial has a lot going on, yet Omega have still managed to make it look unfussy and it's easy to read. At 12 o'clock we have the Omega name and logo, along with the anniversary edition '125' in applied steel, while 'Speedmaster' is painted. a 12-hour recorder at 6 o'clock and 24-hour recorder with continuous seconds are at 9 o'clock. The tachymtre scale is on the outer dial ring.
Founded by Louis Brandt in 1848, Omega started out as La Generale Watch Co., an unassuming, but international business. It wasn't until 1885, when the company had been taken over by Louis' sons, that the first mass-produced caliber, the Labrador, was released. By 1903, the company had renamed itself Omega and only two years later were they the official timekeepers at many sporting events across Switzerland. Omega stepped onto an international stage in 1932 as the official timekeepers at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles, the first of over 20 Olympic Games. Omega were one of the 12 companies, now known as the Dirty Dozen, commissioned to produce watches for the British Military during the Second World War. One of Omega's most iconic watches, the Seamaster, was introduced in 1948 to celebrate their 100th anniversary. Over 70 years later, it is still one of Omega's best selling watches. Omega made headlines in 1962 when Wally Schirra wore the Speedmaster as part of NASA's first crewed spaceflight programme, making the Speedmaster the first watch to enter space. It was only a few years before the Speedmaster became the official chronograph for the American space missions and was worn by Buzz Aldrin as well as the Apollo 13 crew. Omega are still involved with NASA and have been instrumental in creating vital pieces of equipment for space exploration.
Chronographs have often had historical significance, timing and calculating some of the world's most important events, and one watch that always comes to mind when discussing these notable occasions is the Omega Speedmaster, as it was the first watch to be worn on the moon (it was actually the watch of choice for all six lunar missions), and it's from here that it has, rightly, earned its nickname of 'the Moon Watch.'
This watch comes fully serviced by our on-site workshop and with a 12 month, non-waterproof service cover.
What we think
As a massive fan of alternatively shaped watches, the MKII has always held a space in our hearts. This pristine example has the most fantastic dial and has undergone a full referb via Swiss time service the uk omega service center. comes with 24 months service warranty dated .../.../ Better snap this up fast as we do not expect it to hang around long!
Spec Stuff
Serial : 2960****
Reference : ST 145,0014
Movement : Cal. 861, 17 Jewels
Age : 1961/1970 Specific Age : 1970 Case Size : 41.5mm Case Thickness : 14mm Lug to Lug : 45mm Lugs : 20mm Condition : Pre-Owned Box & Papers : Box Case Material : Stainless Steel Service History : Our 12-Months NON-Waterproof Warranty
1970 Omega Speedmaster Professional Mark II 145.0014 fully renovated with fantastic original dial
