Hello,
I posted the following on a WUS forum, but received no responses. I'm wondering of anyone here can help. The entire case/back/bezel/dial/strap match a 145012-67, but the movement is 861. I assumed it had been replaced, but the movement serial dates to 1968. Could this be a case of Omega using left-over cases and a very new 861 movement? It came from the original owner who had it inscribed in 1969 when it was purchased.
Unfortunately, it was already sold, but this is an incarnation I have not seen, and I've been reading up on everything I can find on Pre-Moon Speedmasters.
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This is a somewhat strange one. The pictures aren't the best (sorry), but they are from the watch in question (I also have a pic showing the strap, it's clearly a 1039 original). It's a local vintage dealer friend of mine, this isn't on ebay or another site.

Model: 145012-67
Serial: 2656XXX (dates to 1968)
Movement: Cal 861 (??) with the serial printed directly on it
Bracelet: 1039
Personally engraved on the case back with a 1969 date reference, acquired directly from this person.
The Bezel, Case, Strap, and dial are pre-moon from a 145012.
The Chrono hand is from a 145022.
The movement is what seems very strange...ca. 861 in this watch?

Could this be an instance of a VERY early cal. 861 but built into a leftover 145012 case and maybe the new 145022 planned hands? I read so much about how Omega used multiple suppliers and didn't line up parts supply bin ends for each specific change in model. Or maybe a watch that didn't pass testing and was retrofitted with a new 861 movement before it went out the door?

Does this combination legitimately exist anywhere (proper 145012 case with a ca. 861 movement serialized in 1968)?

 

I haven't been able to uncover any online research to support that. Chuck Maddox or otherwise. It doesn't appear in any of the timeline tables.
145012 = always cal 321
145022 = always cal 861
At least, that's how I read all the details I could find. Which makes this strange since the serial matches the date range.

 

I do know the Seamaster chronographs had some 321 / 861 overlap in 1968. The reference numbers were different though. The C-case 321 145.006 became the 145.016 when the 861 was installed.

 

I have the same model and from what I have read 1968 was the crossover year with these having both the 321 & the 861 movements and so is known as the transitional model. Mine has the 861 movement with case # 145022-68ST with the earlier solid Omega dial logo. I am still waiting to receive my "extract of the archives" which might throw a bit more light on things. Maybe you should get your extract of archives Mimo to see what that throws up.

 

T5AUS, yours is correct. An 861 belongs in a 145022 case.
This anomaly is a calibre 861 in an older 145012 case.

Unfortunately, I'm not the owner, but I recommended the archive letter to the new owner as MSNWatch stated. I'm really trying to find out if this was a purposefully built creation that has slipped through the cracks of everyones research, or if it's just a one-off that somehow made it out of an AD with mis-matched case and movements.

 

Even though I'm not a Speedmaster fan I would agree that this is a worthy pursuit. Transition watches are documented with old dials on new movements (applied logo on an 861) but I've never seen an honest watch that had crossed reference numbers.

 

Please let us know what the archive throws up. Thanks.

 

Here is a link to a forum inquiry about the same issue, many years ago.
http://watch-pop.com/omega_1/watch-11647.html

Do more research.
It has a serial no. that coould fit a missing link explanation.
And the metal logo. And the movement screws are not even nicked.
So maybe Omega replaced a bad movement, or....There's a chance...