25 years ago on this very day, October 1st, I purchased my first Omega Speedmaster watch. I was a student at the time and was obsessed with watches, especially the Omega Speedmaster. My first purchase was a Speedmaster 145.012 with caliber 321.
One evening I was cycling through The Hague’s city center and passed a watch shop. I turned around and stopped in front of the window. Two Omega Speedmaster Professionals were on display, among many other new and used watches. One was the Speedmaster Professional 3590.50 with caliber 861, which was still a few years old at the time. The other is the Speedmaster Professional 145.012 with Caliber 321 inside and a simple black leather strap. It’s unthinkable now, but the 321-powered Speedmaster Professional “Premoon” was several hundred guilders cheaper than a modern Speedmaster Professional.
October 1, 1999 — Purchased my first Omega Speedmaster.
I remember it being a Friday, and the Speedmaster had been in the window of this watch shop in The Hague for at least a few weeks. However, there was a lot of work to be done before I could go into the store and buy a watch. In late 1999, I was doing an internship at university and had a lot of time to research Speedmaster watches. I was a “regular” on TimeZone and WatchUSeek and kept in touch with famous collectors like Chuck Maddox (read my interview with him here) and Bill Sohne.
By that time I had already known about the Speedmaster for years, but the moment I jumped in and started learning everything there was to know about the Speedmaster, there was no escape. I fell in love with this model and found it to be (and still think) one of the most beautiful chronographs in the world. The timeless case shape, black-and-white dial and white baton hands for excellent readability, the proven hand-wound movement, and the Plexi (Hesalite) crystal that magnifies the dial all combine to I almost wanted it. Desperately.
The details didn’t matter (not that important)
At the time, there weren’t many sources explaining all the details about the Speedmaster Professional. There was a Chuck Maddox website and a few books from the 1990s about Omega and the Moonwatch, but they didn’t go into much detail.
Unlike today, details were less important because there was little documentation of them. Dot Over Ninety bezels didn’t become a “thing” until much later. Initially, I was aiming for a Speedmaster Professional with caliber 861, but my student budget only allowed for 2,000 Dutch Guilders (about 900 euros at the time). So on Friday, October 1, 1999, I left my student apartment with money in my pocket and went to the watch store in The Hague where I had seen the watch a few days earlier.
Incomplete Speedmaster 145.012
The Speedmaster Professional 145.012 with Caliber 321 was not perfect. The paint on some of the hands was peeling off, and the bezel was quite scratched. Anyway I bought it and was the happiest kid in town. I wore it every day to college, to the bar, and then everywhere I went for several years.
One of the first things I did was request Omega to extract the archive. Records show that the watch was shipped to Finland on October 22, 1968 (my father’s 18th birthday).
Reference person. 1450 bracelet from the 1980s — Image: Brussels Vintage Watch
Adding a bracelet to the Speedmaster 145.012
Meanwhile, I decided to buy a watch bracelet and came across the NOS Ref. The 1450 bracelet can be purchased at vintage watch dealers in the Netherlands for around 150 euros more. The end links on the bracelet didn’t fit the 145.012 case perfectly, so I had to file them down a bit. I also decided to repair the hands and replace the bezel with a new (modern) one for about 50 euros. After a few months, I decided I wasn’t satisfied with the repair and replaced the handset. At the time, it was impossible to obtain an original set of 321 hands, with the exception of the teardrop chronograph seconds hand.
So, as you can see, the minute and hour hands are not exactly periodic. The correct handset has been lying around in Fratello’s office for a few years now, but to be honest, I never thought of it until I started writing this article. I need to sort it out sometime.
I also received a display back to display the Caliber 321. The watchmaker ordered a spare caseback for the 145.012 and fitted it with a crystal. All I needed was a spacer ring on the top. Speedmaster Professionals typically have a soft iron inner case and require the back of the display to be removed. A spacer ring keeps everything secure when the caseback is closed. There is no room for the parts to move. At that time, a custom case back probably cost around 100 euros.
Speedmaster for everyday use 145.012
This Omega Speedmaster 145.012-67 was my daily watch for many years until I also purchased other references. Added some modern stuff, like the “Sapphire Sandwich” reference. 3572.50, and some 1970s vintage. I had my 145.012 repaired for about 350 euros and had the Plexi crystal replaced when my Polywatch stopped working. 145.012-67 only failed once, around 2001, and required a specific part for the 321 movement. A German Omega dealer and the watchmaker quickly helped with the repair, which cost about 140 euros.
I had several other Speedmasters, but the 145.012 was my favorite. I wore it on my wrist many times during business trips and vacations. I wore it for several weeks on a business trip in 2005, visiting Egypt, Tunis, and Morocco. This watch was very easy to wear, kept accurate time, and was a lesser known watch.
add another bracelet
A few years later I acquired a bracelet belonging to this particular reference. This is a 1039 model with spring-loaded links for added flexibility. I really like the 1450, but it was never a bracelet for the times. It only appeared in the mid-1980s and could be found, for example, in the “SpeedyMoon” reference. 345.0809.
In 2015 or 2016, the 321-equipped Speedmaster became so expensive that I decided to give it a little bit of a break. But it wasn’t until I acquired a period correct bezel with the famous dot over ninety engraving. My friend had some spare parts left over, including the Dot Over Ninety bezel. I bought it from him and had my (and his) watchmaker install it. The total cost to replace the bezel, including installation, was probably around 800 euros.
When I bought a brand new Omega Speedmaster Professional 3570.50 (my first new purchase) in 2012, it became my go-to Speedmaster. My Speedmaster Professional 145.012 is only on sale when I attend Speedy Tuesday events, Speedmaster gatherings, or when I want to wear it for a day or so when I’m not traveling.
Repair and service costs
I’ve spent a fair amount of money on service, repairs, and parts, including a “learning fund” for unfortunate decisions and mistakes. The good thing is, that didn’t happen with subsequent purchases. It’s worth something. My Speedmaster 145.012 is technically in good condition and works fine. The only thing I want to replace is the handset. This case shows some battle scars, but it also reminds me of the great times I had as a student and traveling during my first (consulting) job.
Spend the next 25 years with your Speedmaster
It’s not a perfect 145.012, but it’s my imperfect Speedmaster and I love it. Plus, it will always be my first Speedmaster, so it will never leave my collection anyway. In hindsight, it would have been wiser to have purchased all the necessary parts in the late 1990s/early 2000s. However, as I mentioned before, the details about the Speedmaster weren’t that important at the time. It would have been fine if I had genuine Omega parts. That mindset has changed over the years, and now vintage Speedmasters must have original or period-correct parts. I would like to emphasize at least the latter these days.
In hindsight, I should have waited for 105.012 to cross in front of me, but the desire was too great to pass up 145.012. I’ve waited far too long to add 105.012 to my collection, but prices have gone up so much in recent years that I don’t want to pursue it now. But whether I buy it or not, I’ll happily stick with my Speedmaster 145.012 for the next 25 years.
