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Non Tachymètre Speedmaster Bezels: Are There Any Out There?

SpdyGonzales
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SpdyGonzales SpdyGonzales
It’s the 145.022 71 No (Non) NASA.

Speemaster101 No NASA

pdxleaf pdxleaf
Definitely.

So what's the story? I love a good story.

How'd you find it? Were you looking or did it come to you? Did you know what is was right away or did you find out after you got it that you had an unusual watch, both the bezel and caseback?

Do you know where it was originally sold? Was it originally purchased by a doctor?
Constantly looking at vintage listings. Google this and that. I had a clue as to what it was to begin with because of Speedmaster101.

Saw the listing on what I would say is a 1B website but wasn't too comfortable with it at first (too good to be true). I emailed myself the listing and researched the seller. I have bought vintage Speedmasters online before so was ok with a risk but always wary of buying junk.

Ultimately, I thought about it for a few days and then put in an offer and waited for a day and then saw it was accepted.

The price (Jan 2025) will make all of your jaws drop.
 
pdxleaf
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SpdyGonzales SpdyGonzales
Constantly looking at vintage listings. Google this and that. I had a clue as to what it was to begin with because of Speedmaster101.

Saw the listing on what I would say is a 1B website but wasn't too comfortable with it at first (too good to be true). I emailed myself the listing and researched the seller. I have bought vintage Speedmasters online before so was ok with a risk but always wary of buying junk.

Ultimately, I thought about it for a few days and then put in an offer and waited for a day and then saw it was accepted.

The price (Jan 2025) will make all of your jaws drop.

Love it. Many of us can relate. Many congratulations on the find and good sense to take a chance.
 
SpeedyPhill
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Question: What's better than a Tachymetre bezel ?
Suggestion: No bezel at all !
😁
Just a few examples;
NASA astronauts with their Speedmaster Donald Slayton, Walter Schirra, Frank Borman, James Lovell, Eugene Cernan ...
(Photos: NASA)
.

1962_OMEGA-BEZEL-MWU.webp 1964_OMEGA-BEZEL-MWU.webp 1965_OMEGA-BEZEL-MWU.webp 1969_OMEGA-BEZEL-MWU.webp
Edited:
 
SpeedyPhill
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Answer: as requested in 1968... a practical & legible "60 seconds" bezel
😉
.
1971_OMEGA-BEZEL-MWU.webp
 
Speedy Guppy
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Spacefruit Spacefruit
Here is a special I build, using mikes bezel and a repainted dial that a now retired dial maker did for me

IMG_0440.jpeg
That is an awesome build. What kind of bezel is that? Does it rotate as well? How can I get one and have it installed on my Speedy?
 
Speedy Guppy
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SpeedyPhill SpeedyPhill
Question: What's better than a Tachymetre bezel ?
Suggestion: No bezel at all !
😁
Just a few examples;
NASA astronauts with their Speedmaster Donald Slayton, Walter Schirra, Frank Borman, James Lovell, Eugene Cernan ...
(Photos: NASA)
.

1962_OMEGA-BEZEL-MWU.webp 1964_OMEGA-BEZEL-MWU.webp 1965_OMEGA-BEZEL-MWU.webp 1969_OMEGA-BEZEL-MWU.webp
If you remove the tachymeter bezel, does the hesalite crystal stays in place? Or does the bezel have nothing to do with the integrity of keeping the crystal in place?
 
Aludic
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Speedy Guppy Speedy Guppy
If you remove the tachymeter bezel, does the hesalite crystal stays in place? Or does the bezel have nothing to do with the integrity of keeping the crystal in place?
The bezel has no function besides acting as a gauge. It’s simply pressure fit onto the case. The plexi stays in place no matter what happens with the bezel.
 
Speedy Guppy
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Aludic Aludic
The bezel has no function besides acting as a gauge. It’s simply pressure fit onto the case. The plexi stays in place no matter what happens with the bezel.
Thanks for that. I found this site on a different discussion on the forum. I think this is where you can get the 60 second bezel. But are there original Omega ones out there one can get?

https://www.radialproject.com/
 
Tekashi_145.022
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SpeedyPhill SpeedyPhill
Question: What's better than a Tachymetre bezel ?
Suggestion: No bezel at all !
😁
Just a few examples;
NASA astronauts with their Speedmaster Donald Slayton, Walter Schirra, Frank Borman, James Lovell, Eugene Cernan ...
(Photos: NASA)
.

1962_OMEGA-BEZEL-MWU.webp 1964_OMEGA-BEZEL-MWU.webp 1965_OMEGA-BEZEL-MWU.webp 1969_OMEGA-BEZEL-MWU.webp

I love this bit of trivia and have wondered if the astronauts removed the bezels on their own, if they asked Omega to do it, or if the bezels on these models were more prone to falling off than the modern references we are accustomed to? I don't care much for the tachymeter, either, but it doesn’t bother me to the point of wanting to remove it; I wonder why it bugged the astronauts that much? (Maybe Omega asked them what bezel they wanted, and they just said “none”?)
 
SpeedyPhill
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Tekashi_145.022 Tekashi_145.022
I love this bit of trivia and have wondered if the astronauts removed the bezels on their own, if they asked Omega to do it, or if the bezels on these models were more prone to falling off than the modern references we are accustomed to? I don't care much for the tachymeter, either, but it doesn’t bother me to the point of wanting to remove it; I wonder why it bugged the astronauts that much? (Maybe Omega asked them what bezel they wanted, and they just said “none”?)
In fact, during use in confined spaces such as narrow aircraft cockpits or spacecraft simulators, banging the Omega Speedmaster at the right angle might result in a pop off of the (Tachymètre) bezel... or at least a serious ding in the bezel. Already in February 1962, when Carpenter gave feedback to the Wakmann Watch Company to produce a bespoke 24 hours dial/movement Breitling Navitimer chronograph, he specifically requested a simplified slide rule without a Tachymètre !
Furthermore, it's well known that the Aluminium bezel more easily popped off the Gold Omega Speedmaster chronographs because of the difference in the sleek/rigid Aluminium of the bezel and the softer Gold of the watchcase...
(Photo: NASA)
.
Slayton-NASA-NoBezel.webp
 
Yuke
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Hi DoctorEvil, hi all - this thread couldn’t have come at a better time.

I happen to own a Speedmaster 125 (Ref. 378.0801) with a TELEMETER 1KM bezel.
According to the previous owner, this bezel was installed during a complete Omega UK service some years ago, using an NOS Omega part. Unfortunately, I don’t have documentation to confirm this - only the story that came with the watch.

What I do know is:
  • The watch is in excellent condition and runs smoothly
  • The telemeter bezel appears to be genuine and fits perfectly
  • I’ve searched online extensively and found almost zero other 125s with this configuration

Most dealers I’ve shown it to didn’t even recognize the bezel as authentic.
So I’m curious - has anyone here ever seen a Speedmaster 125 with a telemeter bezel, or know more about these?

Happy to post more photos if it’s of interest. Thanks in advance!

Greetings from Japan 🇯🇵
 
Speedy Guppy
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Yuke Yuke
Hi DoctorEvil, hi all - this thread couldn’t have come at a better time.

I happen to own a Speedmaster 125 (Ref. 378.0801) with a TELEMETER 1KM bezel.
According to the previous owner, this bezel was installed during a complete Omega UK service some years ago, using an NOS Omega part. Unfortunately, I don’t have documentation to confirm this - only the story that came with the watch.

What I do know is:
  • The watch is in excellent condition and runs smoothly
  • The telemeter bezel appears to be genuine and fits perfectly
  • I’ve searched online extensively and found almost zero other 125s with this configuration

Most dealers I’ve shown it to didn’t even recognize the bezel as authentic.
So I’m curious - has anyone here ever seen a Speedmaster 125 with a telemeter bezel, or know more about these?

Happy to post more photos if it’s of interest. Thanks in advance!

Greetings from Japan 🇯🇵
Love my 125. Awesome vintage watch
IMG_8102.webp
 
SpeedyPhill
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Even two days before the launch of the historic Apollo-Soyuz Test Project spaceflight mission, NASA astronaut & ASTP PLT Vance Brand, a former US Marine Corps aviator & Lockheed test pilot, was still wearing his bespoke "60 seconds" bezel Omega Speedmaster. Brand had acquired the special NASA-issued Speedmaster as backup CMP crew member of the Apollo 15 mission in 1971 and wore it ever since during NASA training!
(Photo: NASA)
.
75-NASA-60seconds.webp
 
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