Omega - The Geneva Watch Auction: XIII Geneva Saturday, May 8, 2021 | Phillips

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  • Manufacturer: Omega
    Year: 1970
    Reference No: BA 145.022
    Movement No: 29'117'698
    Case No: 883
    Model Name: Speedmaster Professional, Apollo XI
    Material: 18K yellow gold
    Calibre: Manual, cal. 861, 17 jewels
    Bracelet/Strap: 18K yellow gold Omega bracelet, max length 205mm
    Clasp/Buckle: 18K yellow gold Omega deployant clasp stamped "1116/575"
    Dimensions: 40mm Diameter
    Signed: Case, dial, movement and clasp signed
    Accessories: Accompanied by Omega Extract form the Archives confirming production of the present watch in 1970 and its delivery to Taiwan.

  • Catalogue Essay

    Reference 145.022 in yellow gold was released following the historical moon landing in 1969, as a celebration of the event and - indirectly - of Omega’s partnership with NASA. With only 1,014 examples produced, the reference has achieved by now a near mythical status in virtue of its unrestrained luxurious looks, rarity and historical importance. While the series comprises 1014 pieces, they are not all identical to each other, both for looks and for intended destination. One can identify the following main “groups”:

    - The first and second examples were offered to the President and Vice-President of the United States (who never accepted the gift as too expensive, and now reside in the Omega museum).

    - Number 3 to 32 were offered to mission astronauts and they were engraved “To mark man’s conquest of space with time, through time, on time” and with the name of the recipient.

    - Numbers 29 to 32 were given to Swiss personalities. They bear the same inscriptions as the astronaut’s timepieces, but have no sequential number (apparently making these pieces the only 3 watches of the edition with this peculiarity)

    - Nos. 33 to 1000 were commercialised. The caseback is inscribed as seen on this piece; early models feature a simple engraving, later models - such as the present lot - feature an burgundy-coloured engraving

    - Numbers 1001 to 1008 were presented between ’71 and '73 to astronauts who had not yet taken part in a space mission in 1969 (to be precise, astronauts participating in Apollo XIV to XVII missions. It is unclear why Apollo XIII astronauts did not receive a timepiece).

    - The final 6 pieces (1009 - 1014) were given to various personalities


    Omega reissued a 50th anniversary 18K moonshine gold limited edition with sapphire case back in 2019 as a tribute to the Moonwatch legacy, indicating how important the brand itself deems this model to be for its heritage.

    The present example is preserved in excellent overall condition: the case is probably unpolished and the dial is absolutely flawless, further enhancing its desirability and collectability.

  • Artist Biography

    Omega

    Swiss • 1848

    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.

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Ref. BA 145.022
A highly rare, attractive and well-preserved yellow gold chronograph wristwatch with solid gold dial, burgundy bezel, engraved back and bracelet, number 883 of a 1014 pieces limited edition

1970
40mm Diameter
Case, dial, movement and clasp signed

Estimate
CHF25,000 - 45,000 
€22,700-40,800
$27,200-49,000

Sold for CHF56,700

Contact Specialist

Alexandre Ghotbi
Head of Watches, Continental Europe and the Middle East

41 79 637 1724
aghotbi@phillips.com

 

 

The Geneva Watch Auction: XIII

Geneva Auction 8 - 9 May 2021