Speedmaster 145.022 69 ST with Red Center Chronograph Hand - information sought

Good afternoon all. I did not see a forum for member introductions, forgive me if I missed that. That is the way I prefer to make my first post on a new forum.

I have posted a similar thread on several forums as I am interested and intrigued to find an answer about a Omega Speedmaster I was recently given.

It is a 145.022 69 ST from late 1969-early 1970. The movement serial number seems to indicate 1969 production and the 1039/516 bracelet is marked for the 2nd quarter of 1970.

The most interesting thing is the red center chronograph hand. Several long time members, with high post counts (I know that only really means that they like to talk) mentioned that over the years these have been infrequently seen and by all accounts are genuine from the factory. This makes sense given other things that I have read about production of these watches in that there are not a lot of very clear lines about what when on various references; a bit of overlap with things.

Under strong magnification, and I do not have the skill or the equipment to show this in photos, there is a clear consistency in the paint characteristics in the sub-dial hands ad the red center hand. The paint or lacquer appears slightly translucent and glossy. It also appress to have been of a thin consistency when applied and may have even been dipped to apply the color. What I see on this hand is that the surface tension of the paint cases it to be thin along the edges and thicker along the middle of the hands and around the tube. The fact that this is consistent between the white sub-dial hands and the red center hand gives me confidence that this was from the factory that way.

Anyway, I love the watch and the way in which it came to me and the person from whom it came, so it a legacy piece for me and will go probably to my youngest son at the correct time.I have no interest in it's market value, well made just a bit for insurance purposes LOL. And am not interested in selling it.

I have been compiling information about the watch and writing the history of the man who gave it to me and the details of our relationship together, all of which go with the watch and its original box/paperwork.

Here are some photos. I would appreciate any insight that can be offered

BTW the bracelet has been another project. The original is much to short for me and I do not have extra links. I have slightly modified a Forstner flat link to take the original clasp and have also used the original 516 end links, and distressed the new Forstner parts to match the patina on the clasp and end links. The wrist shot above is a tractional stage. Here is how it looks now:

Thanks and just have to say, "best avatar"!

Yes, the tension ring is a bit “flaky”, so it fits me well. That will get replaced when parts arrive from the UK. Along with a few other bits. All parts will be retained for posterity’s sake.

@pdxleaf thanks for the link to the intro thread! You know, I have friends in Kenya who use that exact phrase but reversed for geography and local fauna! LOL.

I don't know much about Speedmasters, but it's a fact that Omega experimented a lot, so definitely don't make any assumptions and take action, one day you could see an identical one and really regret taking action 😀

In the Geneve line, they pretty much applied paint non-professionally so I don't think we can use paint quality and method to eliminate originality, this was my mistake here: https://omegaforums.net/threads/1966-matte-black-c-cased-constellation-a-good-re-dial.136285/ - I saw bubbles in paint and the sides of hands painted and thought it was the afterjob of a watchmaker

But obviously the Speedmaster line gets a much much wider attention and so much less likely that a rogue model avoided detection for so long - but it's still a possibility, no matter how slim, best to wait it out 10 years to be safe 😀

The flaking on what looks like the dial edge is the black coating on the brass tension ring. Though there is some coloring of the hammer on the movement everything seems to work well at the moment.

Seems unlikely to be original. I would like to see the evidence for this unusual claim