By Brent Robillard
A working watch
I’ve always had a soft spot for the Omega Speedmaster. Not necessarily the rarest or most collectible references, but the ones that have quietly accumulated stories over the years. And when it comes to vintage watches, I’ve learned that sometimes the most interesting stories are hiding in plain sight.
During my recent visit to Kaplans Auktioner in Stockholm, I had the opportunity to spend some time with a Speedmaster Professional ref. 145.022-76, dating to approximately 1979. At first glance, there was nothing particularly unusual about it. The familiar black dial, three recessed registers, white baton hands and tachymeter bezel were all present and accounted for. It looked exactly as a Speedmaster Professional should.
But the more I thought about this particular reference, the more interesting it became. You see, this is a Moonwatch that arrived at a fascinating moment in the history of space exploration. The Apollo programme was already behind it, and a new chapter was about to begin. And this time, the Speedmaster would be along for the ride.
Omega Speedmaster 145.012: Why Collectors Keep Coming Back to the Calibre 321
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From Apollo to the Space Shuttle
The Speedmaster’s association with NASA is, of course, the stuff of watchmaking legend. Originally introduced in 1957 with racing drivers in mind, it became the first watch worn on the Moon when Buzz Aldrin stepped onto the lunar surface in July 1969.
Those lunar Moonwatches were powered by Omega’s calibre 321, a manually wound, column-wheel chronograph movement that has since become something of a holy grail for collectors.
By 1968, however, Omega had introduced its successor, the calibre 861. The Lemania-based movement replaced the column-wheel mechanism with a cam-operated chronograph system and increased the balance frequency from 18,000 to 21,600 vibrations per hour. Its construction was simpler and less expensive to produce. Omega also credits the revised mechanism with greater consistency in operation.
For some collectors, the 861 has always lived in the shadow of its predecessor. Personally, I think that’s a little unfair.
In 1978, the calibre 861-powered Speedmaster Professional was requalified for NASA’s forthcoming Space Shuttle programme. The work included Omega’s Alaska III project, which produced specially configured watches with brushed cases and large radial numerals on their subdials. Omega records an initial delivery of 56 watches to NASA, followed by their use aboard Shuttle missions in the 1980s.
The 145.022-76 we’re looking at here is a civilian Speedmaster, with no documented NASA service. Its connection is through the movement and the wider Speedmaster Professional lineage. It belongs to the generation that carried the Moonwatch’s familiar design into the age of reusable spacecraft.
Not a bad bit of history for a relatively unassuming chronograph.
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A Closer Look at the 145.022-76
One of the things I’ve always appreciated about vintage Speedmasters is just how little the fundamental design has changed. Put this nearly fifty-year-old example alongside a contemporary Moonwatch, and the family resemblance is unmistakable.
The 42 mm stainless-steel case features Omega’s familiar asymmetrical design, with twisted lyre lugs and protection for the crown and chronograph pushers. The black dial follows the established three-register layout, with contrasting white hands and baton markers. A domed acrylic crystal lends a little warmth to the overall appearance, particularly around its curved edges.
The dial is also marked T SWISS MADE T, a designation indicating tritium luminous material. Over the decades, tritium can develop the warm, creamy tones that collectors have come to appreciate. The markings alone cannot establish whether a watch has ever been relumed, but they remain an identifying detail of this period.
Kaplans lists an original Omega bracelet, reference 1171/633—the 1171 bracelet paired with 633 end links. These older bracelets have a lighter construction than their modern counterparts, something I’ve always felt contributes to the appeal of wearing a vintage watch. I have to admit that it was quite comfortable on wrist.
And then there’s the caseback.
Kaplans records the internal designation as 145.022-76 ST, with the initials HF. Those letters identify Huguenin Frères, one of the specialist case manufacturers that supplied Omega.
It’s a small detail, and one that most owners will probably never see. But I love these connections to the wider history of Swiss watchmaking. They remind us that the watches we admire today often emerged from collaboration between manufacturers, movement specialists, case makers and countless skilled craftspeople.
The -76 suffix should not be read as an exact production date for the completed watch. For this example, with movement serial number 39,925,546, approximately 1979 remains the date attributed by Kaplans.
The Appeal of an Ordinary Speedmaster
If there’s one thing that spending time with vintage watches has taught me, it’s that rarity isn’t necessarily a prerequisite for desirability.
The Speedmaster 145.022-76 isn’t an especially elusive reference. Nor does it carry the same collector prestige as an early calibre 321-powered example. But that’s part of its charm.
Its appeal rests on the strength of the original design and the history unfolding around it. The movement changed. Space programmes changed. Yet the watch remained immediately recognisable.
Perhaps that’s why I find watches from this period so compelling. They occupy an interesting middle ground between the earliest examples that collectors pursue so enthusiastically and the contemporary watches we see in boutiques today.
They’re old enough to have developed some character, yet familiar enough to feel approachable. The proportions still make sense, and the design has aged remarkably well. Whether an individual example is ready for regular wear is a separate question, dependent on its condition and service history.
This one certainly shouldn’t be mistaken for a time capsule. Kaplans’ condition assessment records wear to the dial, case and bracelet. For me, that makes the conversation about age and use more relevant, although character and condition are never quite the same thing.
It’s something I’ve come to appreciate about vintage tool watches in general. They were designed to be worn and used. Decades later, the evidence of that use becomes part of what we encounter.
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A Little History on the Wrist
As I worked my way through the watches at Kaplans, I kept coming back to the idea that the best part of collecting isn’t always what a watch is worth. Sometimes it’s the stories you discover along the way.
The Omega Speedmaster Professional 145.022-76 is a wonderful example. It doesn’t need to be the rarest Moonwatch to have something interesting to say. Its calibre connects it to the next chapter of NASA’s history. Its caseback offers a glimpse into the Swiss watch industry’s network of specialist manufacturers. And its familiar design reminds us just how right Omega got things all those years ago.
From Apollo to the Space Shuttle, the Speedmaster never really stopped exploring. And nearly fifty years later, neither have we.
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The Speedmaster Heritage
The Omega Speedmaster Professional ref. 145.022-76 featured here is lot 34 in Kaplans Auktioner’s Important Watches auction, taking place in Stockholm on 14 November 2026. The listing includes further photographs, specifications and the auction house’s condition assessment.
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About the Author
Brent Robillard is a writer, educator, craftsman, and watch enthusiast. He is the author of four novels. You can follow him on Instagram.
Take Two articles are full-length, hands-on reviews of vintage and preowned watches and represent the opinion of the author only. All photos are original, unless specified otherwise.
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