The Speedmaster MK II "without the bar after 140"

As I was reading a post about decimal bezels, I remembered a topic I'd been wanting to write about for a while, but for various reasons, I never got around to it.

I'm referring to the Omega Speedmaster MK II crystal "without the bar after the 140" which can be found in numerous examples online.

I'd start with mine, which was the first Omega Speedmaster I purchased, dating back to around 1999, brown dial. I'd wanted a classic Speedmaster since I was young, but I stumbled upon Chuck's website and fell in love with the MK II.

At the time, I wasn't a watch enthusiast and thought things were much simpler, but I eventually realized otherwise... but that's another story.

As you may have noticed, this specimen has a graphic that lacks the bar after the number 140 on the scale imprinted on the crystal.

We know that the official Omega catalog images and advertisements show a scale with a bar after the number 140.

I imagined it was a service crystal from the period, or perhaps even from before the 1990s; it's impossible to know.

But when I picked up some stock from a watchmaker the beginning of 2000's, maybe 2003, including a still-sealed MK II crystal, I noticed that the "service" crystal has a bar, as you can see in the photo here. So for sure it was not a service crystal form almost the 2000

Years later, around 2006/200, a MK IV also arrived, and it had exactly the same detail: no bar after the 140.

So, a few months ago, I started searching online for other examples (at the moment only for MK II) with the same type of graphics, and I found several. I'll list just four here, just for reference.

Furthermore, consulting my bibliography, I saw that the BEGIN Super Item Book Vol. 8 contains examples with the same crystal. The mook was published in 2000.

Having said all this, has this particular detail ever been noticed and analyzed by any experts? Can anyone add tangible details and clarifications about these glasses? First-generation service? Defects? Anything else?

Thank you for your contribution.

After a very quick search, it's evident that also in the MK IV the "without 140 marker" crystal version has been used.

Thank you so much. In fact, I’ve been searching for information about this here, but all the information I’ve found talks about the “font” and not about the absence of the marker.

Regarding German (or USA) manufacturing, do you know where I can find this information or when it was discussed?

Thanks in advance.

Interesting updates, starting from the statement that these glasses are "german" I extended my research and I found this image (I enlarged the detail) it seems that the glass without the marker between the numbers 130 and 140 is original Omega, the packaging is not easy to date, however it is certainly older than my original spare part it seems that the code is the same as my most modern spare part, datable 03/2003


I am investigating about this spare part, I hope to receive more precise information because it would confirm that the windows installed on these watches are original Omega spare parts at least from a first generation.


We hope additions arrive, thank you in advance for your cooperation.

Thank you for the links. I appreciate it. I had understood that you were referring to discussions on the forum itself, rather than eBay listings. In any case, thank you for taking the time to provide them.

I observe that the aftermarket carries the marker, while the first link (the original Omega spare part) does not.

I think it's getting closer and closer to a confirmation that:

1. Omega provides replacement glasses with and without markers. I myself have an original spare part purchased in 2003 with a marker. The seller at the first link declares the original Omega glass and it is without markers after 140

2. The first generation glasses without markers, like those from Germany I shown, are Omega spare parts. Based on the packaging and the renowned reliability of the German seller, which appears to be an esteemed historical supplier with thousands of parts sold and 100% positive feedback since 2008, I assume they are original until there’s substantial evidence to the contrary.

3. the non-original Omega after markets glass as in the second link, have the marker after 140 and are therefore very similar to the original ones of the 69 years and beyond.