製造商: Omega 年份: 1968 型號: 145.012-67 SP 機芯編號: 26'079'176 型號名稱: Speedmaster, "Ultraman" 材料: Stainless steel 機芯: Manual, cal. 321, 17 jewels 錶帶/ 錶鏈: Leather 錶扣: Stainless steel pin buckle 尺寸: 40mm Diameter 簽名: Case, dial and movement signed 配件: Accompanied by Omega Extract from the Archives confirming production of the present watch in 1968 with orange chronograph
圖錄文章
The present Omega Speedmaster reference 145.012 is the love child of horology and Japanese manga culture.
In the mid-1960s, Japanese director Eiji Tsuburaya (co-creator of the original Godzilla series) began writing what would become the Ultraman series. Tsuburaya used many of the leftover sets from Godzilla to create Ultraman, beginning in March 1966. Ultraman begins with an intergalactic being (Ultraman) accidentally colliding with and killing a member of Earth’s Science Special Search Party (SSSP), Shin Hayata. Feeling remorseful, Ultraman merges his own life force with Hayata’s and vows to defend Earth against any that would seek to threaten it. Ultraman lives within Hayata, who transforms into Ultraman when the need arises. While Hayata is a normal man, Ultraman is a 40 meter tall silver and red-orange creature. His crested head and large, intimidating eyes became instantly iconic, as did his orange and silver suit. The catch was that Ultraman could only fight for three minutes before his energy was depleted.
In 1971, Tsuburaya’s son spearheaded the production of Ultraman Returns, where a different iteration of Ultraman – Ultraman Jack – returns to Earth and teams up with the Monster Attack Team. According to Omega, the producers of Ultraman Returns selected Omega’s "Moonwatch" as part of the Monster Attack Team’s monster fighting kit, differing from the other Speedmasters of the time by the adjunction of an orange central seconds hand.
Not only the wrist wear of choice of alien superheros, the reference 145.012-67 also graced the wrists of astronauts on Apollo 11, Apollo 14, and Apollo-Soyuz. It was the last Speedmaster model to be fitted with the renowned caliber 321 and is set apart from its predecessors by its ‘SP’ (‘SP’ for “Spécial Poussoirs” or “special pushers”) that increased water resistance. Though it is not known why a selection of the reference 145.012-67 were fitted with an orange chronograph hand – legibility is one theory – it is estimated that less than fifty correct examples exist with this bold, colorful detail. In order to be truly called an "Ultraman", the watch must be examined in person by Omega and accompanied with a note on the archival extract. These watches typically fall within a certain serial number range - between 26’076’XXX and 26’079’XXX.
With the introduction of the immensely successful “Speedy Tuesday” Ultraman limited edition in the summer of 2018, interest in vintage Ultraman Speedmasters has dramatically increased. This watch was delivered to the US Army (European Exchange System), a retailer supplying all types of goods on U.S. Army and Air Force installations worldwide, adding extra appeal to the timepiece.
In overall excellent condition, having been part of an important private collection for decades, the Ultraman is back!
Omega's rich history begins with its founder, Louis Brandt, who established the firm in 1848 in La Chaux de Fonds. In 1903, the company changed its name to Omega, becoming the only watch brand in history to have been named after one its own movements. A full-fledged manufacturer of highly accurate, affordable and reliable watches, its sterling reputation enabled them to be chosen as the first watch company to time the Olympic Games beginning in 1932. Its continued focus on precision and reliability ultimately led their Speedmaster chronograph wristwatch to be chosen by NASA in 1965 — the first watch worn on the moon.
Key models sought-after by collectors include their first, oversized water-resistant chronograph — the reference 2077, early Speedmaster models such as the CK 2915 and 2998, military-issued versions of the Seamaster and oversized chronometer models such as those fitted with their prestigious caliber 30T2Rg.
