[Statts]

You may recall I posted some photos of my recently acquired pre-Moon 145.022 with an unusual bezel a while ago. No-one on here could shed any light on it and so I decided to ask the Omega Museum. ​

I've posted the reply below:​

Dear Sir,​

Your Omega Speedmaster chronograph - with movement # 26'5XX'XXX - has been manufactured under the reference ST 145.022 - cal. 861 and delivered to our Agents in South Africa on June 23, 1969.​

We have compared all documents in our possession with the submitted photos and could not find any bezel having the number " 220 " following the " 190 " instead of the normal number " 200 ". Basically, a number 220 is too close of the number 190 and should clearly stand as " 200 "​

Strange enough, we had indeed found the identical watch reference ST 145.0022 - cal. 861 under Lot 211 of the ALASKA PROJECT sold on recent Omegamania and having the identical bezel, i.e. showing the number 220 instead of number 200! However, these "Alaska Project" watches were supposed to be some "prototypes" -​

We cannot find a suitable explanation for this and if you wish to have this "strange" bezel exchanged for a correct new one with the number "200" following the number "190", then we might do this at no charge for you. ​

Thanking you for having brought this is to our knowledge.​

Have a happy Easter​

Best regards
John R. Diethelm
OMEGA MUSEUM - Vintage Information​

So the watch was shipped to SA a month before the moon landings and even Omega don't have an explanation as to the '220 Bezel'. I think we'll chalk this one up as 'unsolvable'...! Nice to find out the watches provenance though; the Museum staff were very helpful despite their huge workload.​

Cheers and have a good Easter!​

 

[J.Bond]

Wow. I hope you are not going to change that bezel. If that was my Speedy I would keep it exactly as it is. You are very fortunate to have one of those. Thanks for sharing!

~JB

 

[Statts]

Thanks J.Bond, I've absolutely no intention of replacing the bezel!

 

[AAP]

Statts, did they reply via email or letter? I'm not sure if it would matter, but perhaps you can ask them to send you a letter on Omega letterhead saying the same thing. It would be nice to have something like that to add to the provenance of an already classic piece.

 

[Fergie]

Finally, a genuinely rare watch. And it's not on eBay!!

 

[eptaz]

Thanks for following through on this little mystery, Statts, and kudos to Mr. Diethelm for his efforts. It's certainly an unusual bezel, and a definite keeper.

eric

 

[Joe K.]

Very interesting. I would definitely not change the bezel.

You may recall I posted some photos of my recently acquired pre-Moon 145.022 with an unusual bezel a while ago. No-one on here could shed any light on it and so I decided to ask the Omega Museum. ​

I've posted the reply below:​

Dear Sir,​

Your Omega Speedmaster chronograph - with movement # 26'5XX'XXX - has been manufactured under the reference ST 145.022 - cal. 861 and delivered to our Agents in South Africa on June 23, 1969.​

We have compared all documents in our possession with the submitted photos and could not find any bezel having the number " 220 " following the " 190 " instead of the normal number " 200 ". Basically, a number 220 is too close of the number 190 and should clearly stand as " 200 "​

Strange enough, we had indeed found the identical watch reference ST 145.0022 - cal. 861 under Lot 211 of the ALASKA PROJECT sold on recent Omegamania and having the identical bezel, i.e. showing the number 220 instead of number 200! However, these "Alaska Project" watches were supposed to be some "prototypes" -​

We cannot find a suitable explanation for this and if you wish to have this "strange" bezel exchanged for a correct new one with the number "200" following the number "190", then we might do this at no charge for you. ​

Thanking you for having brought this is to our knowledge.​

Have a happy Easter​

Best regards
John R. Diethelm
OMEGA MUSEUM - Vintage Information​

So the watch was shipped to SA a month before the moon landings and even Omega don't have an explanation as to the '220 Bezel'. I think we'll chalk this one up as 'unsolvable'...! Nice to find out the watches provenance though; the Museum staff were very helpful despite their huge workload.​

Cheers and have a good Easter!​

 

[quatre_temps]

Now THAT'S a rare keeper! Just get the letter on a letterhead and you're laughing |>

 

[J.Bond]

Now THAT'S a rare keeper! Just get the letter on a letterhead and you're laughing |>

Anyone know what those watches sold for at Omegamania? :think:

~JB

 

[AAP]

Anyone know what those watches sold for at Omegamania? :think:

~JB

That Joe is good, very good.

UPDATE - it seems that I can't read. The Lot # referenced in Omega's reply isn't shown on Joe's table. Oh well.

 

[Donf]

I wonder what they were prototypes of. And what's the Alaska tie-in? Something specific for 220 mph/kph? Or 220 units of something / hr.
Sled Dogs?
Don

 

[georges zaslavsky]

John R Dietelheim is a very knowledgeable person and congrats on the watch.

 

[J.Bond]

That Joe is good, very good.

UPDATE - it seems that I can't read. The Lot # referenced in Omega's reply isn't shown on Joe's table. Oh well.

Does this help any? 64, 900 CHF sold = $64,271 USD.

http://imgtest.antiquorum.com/auctionpdf/158pdflotsprice.pdf

~JB

 

[J.Bond]

I wonder what they were prototypes of. And what's the Alaska tie-in? Something specific for 220 mph/kph? Or 220 units of something / hr.
Sled Dogs?
Don

From Antiquorum:

"The Alaska Project the goal of this project, led by Pierre Chopard from 1971 to 1973, was to improve
on the Speedmaster by creating a watch perfectly suited to the low temperatures in space. The Swiss patent CH 537170 was granted on 31
May, 1973, for an outer case designed to protect the watch from extreme temperature variations. The watch's dial was coated with zinc
oxide; this material provides the highest resistance to solar radiation. NASA's response to the prototype, however, was that they saw no
need to improve on the Speedmaster. The project therefore remained a prototype."

~JB

 

[Donf]

Thanks for the info JB! Although I was hoping for some really fast sled dogs.:-d

Don

 

[Fergie]

Sometimes I read comments on the forum and I think, what the hell has this got to do with watches. This one for example

Thanks for the info JB! Although I was hoping for some really fast sled dogs.:-d

Don

I love WUS, it's guaranteed to make you laugh. :-!

 

[Statts]

Thanks for the replies folks, I'm certainly appreciative of Mr Diethelm's efforts. It's nice to find a major company taking the time to research a customer's enquiries.
As to whether it's worth any more or less than another Speedy with the regular bezel, I don't know as I don't intend to part with it. It's actually in storage until my 40th next year!
My 3570.50.00 is my regular wear till then. The bracelet has seen better days so I may get a NOS to replace it.

 

[Kieron]

Like I said in your original post Statts, my '69 cal.861 ST145.022 bezel is the same as yours. I had the dial and hands replaced when I bought it but everything else is original...

 

[quatre_temps]

Like I said in your original post Statts, my '69 cal.861 ST145.022 bezel is the same as yours. I had the dial and hands replaced when I bought it but everything else is original...

So, it's pretty safe to assume that this small run of mistakes were done on 1969 models. The thing is, we all know that Omega manufacturers their parts at different dates so they could have produced these bezels in 1967-68 for all we know.

 

[Hewybaby]

Not a table from Omegamania