Although the 1966 Omega Seamaster 145.006 already came with a "radial dial" design, in a reverse panda version with white subdials contrasting beautifully against the black main dial, it took another 12 years before a "regular" Speedmaster came with a radial dial setup, be it in full black design.
It looks like, in November 1966 after 10 Gemini missions, astronauts had given feedback to NASA engineer James Ragan who started working together with Omega to make some changes to the Speedmaster chronograph... Among others, NASA requested a redesign of the chronograph subdials to improve readability, so Omega initiated the "Alaska" project to create the "perfect" astronaut watch...
By September 10, 1972 the Research & Development department of Omega, under SSiH (Société Suisse pour l’Industrie Horlogère), had redrawn the design for a new clearer dial to be used by astronauts and the Speedmaster radial dial design was born.
In 1978, the radial design was incorporated in the Alaska III prototype, passed NASA's tests and was delivered to be used on the STS-program (Space Shuttle - Space Transportation System). The first Radial dial Speedmaster flew onboard Space Shuttle Columbia, mission STS-2 in November 1981, used by astronauts Joe Engle and Richard Truly. And as far as I can tell up to STS-61C in January 1986
...
However, one of the requested changes was the replacement of the Tachymètre bezel by a clear "60 minutes" bezel.
Following NASA engineer James Ragan's input, Omega designed a clear "60 minutes" bezel with clear 5-minutes intervals and a triangle at the 12 o'clock position. This was probably the best change to improve readability as the Speedmaster main dial itself has no numbers.
Time-period NASA photos already show this "60 minutes" bezel in use by the Apollo astronauts, as Apollo 15 Command Module Pilot Alfred "Al" Worden wore it for some time on a regular 105.012 (145.012-67 ?) Speedmaster in June & July 1971.
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1971 Apollo 15 Al Worden "60 minutes" bezel
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However, the clear "60 minutes" bezel was not used onboard Apollo 15 and we want to find out why it was "abandoned" as the 1978 radial dial Speedmaster chronographs delivered to NASA came with a Tachymètre bezel with no use in space ?

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1986 STS-61C Bill Nelson Tachymètre bezel
...

 

Have those 60 minutes bezels ever been seen in the wild?

 

The last flight I can confirm the use of a radial dial Speedmaster with a picture is on STS-32 worn by Dan Brandenstein in January 1990. Brandenstein says he wore his Speedmaster on all 4 of his missions his last being STS-49 in May 1992. His Speedmaster has logged over 11.2 million miles.



The 35 Group 8 astronauts selected in January 1978 were the largest recipients of the radial Speedmasters for their missions. A good number of the radial dial Speedmasters are still worn by the astronauts they were issued to. From my exchanges with them Brandenstein still wears the watch seen above as well as Fred Gregory and Joe Engle (Group 5)

 

Indeed I have that exact photo and just noticed that the STS-34 (1989) also wore Speedmaster chronographs...
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1990 STS-32 Brandenstein
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As far as I noticed, the earliest photo clearly showing the "60 minutes" bezel was taken in May 1971, showing the Apollo 15 crew aboard NASA recovery training craft MV retriever... So Al Worden at least wore the regular SpeedyPro with "60 minutes" bezel for at least 3 months before the Apollo 15 J-mission.

@oddboy
Not as far as I know but it would be great update for the chronograph and the "60 minutes" bezel could be used in a LE black radial dial design SpeedyPro to commemorate 45 years Speedmaster radial dial or 40 years Alaska III project

 

And this is probably the last image of him wearing it at Patrick Air Force Base July 24, 1971, two days before launch on July 26, 1971. (Credit NASA image - 71-H-1162)



As you note, it appears that the prototype bezel does not make the trip on Apollo 15 as Worden is seen below with what appears to be his issued Speedmaster with traditional bezel addressing the crew on the USS Okinawa on landing day August 7, 1971. (Credit NASA image - S71-42191)



I do wonder if this is the same watch with the bezel changed out for the mission or two different watches? Hard to believe that changing the bezel would be a priority with two days to go as well as changing out a bezel that would be more useful for timing things during the mission vs. the traditional useless tachymeter bezel.

 

I have recently acquired some rarely seen Apollo training photos via the family of a NASA engineer...
During training for the Apollo 15 mission, Worden wore a regular SpeedyPro chronograph... If anyone at Omega SA is reading this, we would like to find out why the practical "60 minutes" bezel was abandoned...
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1971 Apollo 15 Al Worden

 

To celebrate 45 years (1972-2017) black radial dial speedmaster: https://www.instagram.com/moonwatchuniverse/

 

Hello guys ! I personally met Pilot Alfred "Al" Worden today and asked him about the 60 min Bezel... He laughed and answered that NASA decided to continue with the standard issued Speedmaster Professional over the Radial Dial and 60 min bezel purely because of money !
He said they paid around 75$ each...

 

Interesting... about time the " 60 minutes " bezel is re-introduced

 

x2

 

I'm with you on this one... Would buy it straight away! Maybe with a radial dial too ?

 

Creativity is the new capital...

 

Good read! Thanks!
St

 

Of course the 60 minutes bezel used on the Speedmaster was different form the 60 minutes bezel used on the Seamaster 300...
However the Speedmaster chronograph with 60 minutes bezel was used by several astronauts during NASA training ...
More soon as we celebrate 1969-2019 = 50 years Alaska Project

 

Reviving the topic as the practical 60 minutes bezel was used for the remarkable Alaska II project (1972)
Another Apollo 15 photo showing Al Worden wearing a 60 minutes bezel Speedy in May 1971...
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@TLIGuy
Currently trying to find out which was the last astronaut to wear an Omega Speedmaster radial dial onboard a space shuttle mission...
So far I have found this December 1992 image taken onboard "Discovery" during STS-53 mission showing astronaut Robert Cabana wearing a radial dial Speedie while using a tonometer to check intraocular pressure in astronaut Michael Clifford's eyes...
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Welp, this thread right here was the inspiration. A bunch of prototypes later, I have my own recreation of this bezel. What do you think? This is really a pet project, but hoping to recoup some $$$ (actual price tbd). checkout my website radialproject.com

 

Amazing I'm buying one! I see there is two versions, what would you recommend? We need to buy a normal bezel and replace the insert with this one? If we take without the adhesive we have to glue it?

 

Awesome! Glad to hear! I'm loving mine so much.
With mine, I popped by tachy out, and gently scraped the glue from Omega off. You can then use the recommended G-S Hypo Cement to hold the insert (they are very well seated into the bezel and they need very little adhesion)...Don't tell, but I used a pin head to apply some elmers and it worked fine, just enough to keep it seated.

As far as the second option, I think I will just offer one option that comes with an adhesive sticker that the user can use or not. The adhesive is sticker may take longer to get custom made, as it needs to have a die-cutting tool made. Once the stickers are ready, I will update the site to say that it is included.

I want to be as transparent as possible with the process right now. I have worked through many rounds of protoypes to dial in the finish and dimensions of the bezel. The latest protoype round was the correct dimensions but slightly imperfect finish, where the previous round was perfect finish and slightly too small. It will be a few weeks working with the factory right now before getting what should be the ideal bezel. If you order now, it should be a few weeks before shipment.

 

Looks awesome!