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1969 Omega Speedmaster Professional Apollo XI Ref. 145.022-69 In 18k Yellow Gold
Regular price $49,000
Why This Watch Matters
The first numbered Speedmaster, this all gold ref. 145.022-69 was built "to mark man's conquest of space with time, through time, on time."
The Full Story
As you may have read over the years on HODINKEE, the Omega Speedmaster went to the moon on the wrists of Apollo 11 astronauts in 1969. The pick of NASA years earlier during the Gemini program, Omega's Speedmaster became the Moonwatch after the historical achievement of the Apollo 11 mission and the brand was really forever changed.
To celebrate the momentous achievement of mankind, NASA, and Omega, the Swiss watch brand came out with a special Speedmaster Professional. This was a very celebratory special edition as the case, bracelet, and dial were all made out of 18k yellow gold. The series was numbered with 1014 examples coming out of the Omega factory doors making this solid gold Speedy the first of the model to be individually numbered.
The first 32 watches were engraved with the phrase "to mark man's conquest of space with time, through time, on time" on the caseback as well as the original recipient's name. Number 1 and number 2 were offered as gifts to the President and Vice President of the United States, Richard Nixon and Spiro Agnew, respectively, but were turned down as the watches were too valuable and now sit in the Omega museum. While they showed diplomacy and incredible restraint in declining, it would be pretty great to see a POTUS or VP wearing a solid gold Speedy. Watches numbered 3 to 28 were presented to NASA astronauts who accomplished a space mission at an Astronaut Appreciation Dinner in Houston on November 25, 1969. 29 to 32 were given to Swiss politicians and watch-industry leaders.
The remaining yellow gold Speedmasters were offered to the public from Omega and feature a different caseback engraving. Seen on our example the caseback reads, "OMEGA SPEEDMASTER, APOLLO XI 1969, THE FIRST WATCH WORN ON THE MOON." Lastly, the individual edition number is stamped, ours being number 851. We recently saw
number 883 sell at Phillips and, although they are close in number, the two feature different style casebacks. Omega made these with different style caseback engravings. They had unpainted and painted versions. After examining many different caseback engravings on these 18k Speedy's we noticed this engraving was a bit different than the others. It does bear the same hallmarks and case makers marks on the inside, we believe it must have been engraved by a different case engraver. We confirmed that the numbers are matching in Omega's archive. According to Omega's archives, this watch was made on December 9, 1969 and sent to Germany on December 10, 1969.
Our example, no. 851, also features the earlier dial type for these watches with the same typography as the type A2 ref. CK 2915 dial. The ovular "O" in "OMEGA" is the tell here and stands out once you notice it adding charm to this already striking watch.
The wine colored bezel on these watches is simply stunning in person, adding a layer of intrigue to the otherwise all gold look of the watch. Further breaking up the golden nugget look are the painted black hands and hour markers. These little details turn this limited edition into an entirely new thing rather than just a Speedmaster made in all gold, all the details were considered here and that intention shows through.
Finding an example of this watch has truly been a pleasure. Even more so due to the original solid gold Omega bracelet which undoubtedly completes the look. Maybe you want to mix it up a bit? We thought a dark brown Sedona would be a good option to break up the gold and play off of that wine bezel so we included one with the watch.
Source:
Moonwatch Only by Grégoire Rossier and Anthony Marquié
The Fine Print
Maker: Omega
Model: Speedmaster Professional
Reference: 145.022-69
Year: Circa 1969
Case No: 851 of 1014
Movement No: 28420019
Material: 18k yellow gold
Dimensions: 42mm diameter; 13mm thickness
Crystal: Plexiglass
Lume: No
Caliber: Omega, manually-wound, caliber 861
Bracelet/Strap: Omega, 18k yellow gold, bracelet and
HODINKEE The Sedona Watch Strap In Dark Brown
Lug Width: 20mm
Box/Papers: No; The extract from the archives has been ordered and a PDF will be sent to the new owner
What We Love And What You Should Know
Things We Love:
- Oval "O" dial variation
- Limited edition of 1014 examples
- Crisp overall condition
- Non-lume dial and hands
Things To Know:
- Scratches on case and bracelet
- Inside of bracelet clasp has scratches
This Speedmaster is in overall great condition. The case is strong with nice thick lugs; it has scratches and some small nicks along the edges. The engraving is clearly visible on the caseback. The caseback also has scratches from opening and some marks. The rear of the lugs show some patina. The hallmark between the six o'clock lugs remains crisp and visible. The case has developed patina along some of the edges.
The dial is in overall excellent condition with light patina. The handset and hour markers are in great condition with only a light patina to the black surfaces.
The crown and pushers are of the correct style for this limited edition and appear to be original. The wine colored bezel is in great condition with some scratches and a few nicks around the edge. The Omega bracelet is in good condition with scratches and has some light stretch. The bracelet may have been polished. The inside of the clasp has scratches throughout over the stampings. The crystal has some light scratches. The dial, crown, case, movement, crystal and bracelet are all signed by Omega. This watch was photographed on a 175mm/6.9inch wrist.
