Omega - TOKI: Watch Auction Hong Kong Friday, November 22, 2024 | Phillips
  • Manufacturer: Omega
    Year: 1968
    Reference No: 145.012-67 SP
    Movement No: 26’078'118
    Model Name: Speedmaster Professional “Ultraman”
    Material: Stainless steel
    Calibre: Manual, cal. 321, 17 jewels
    Bracelet/Strap: Stainless steel Omega bracelet, endlinks stamped “516”, max length 180mm
    Clasp/Buckle: Stainless steel Omega deployant clasp stamped “1039” & “2.68”
    Dimensions: 42mm diameter
    Signed: Case, dial, movement, bracelet and clasp signed
    Accessories: Accompanied by an additional unsigned leather strap and pin buckle. Further delivered with Omega Extract from the Archives confirming the special orange chronograph hand and the production of the present timepiece on 13th June 1968 and its subsequent delivery to US Army.

  • Catalogue Essay

    Produced in 1968 with a serial range of 26.076.XXX to 26.079.XXX, this reference is estimated to have seen around 3,000 pieces manufactured. Notably, a handful of these watches were assembled with a distinctive orange chronograph hand, earning them the coveted "Ultraman Speedmaster" moniker due to their appearance in the iconic Japanese television series “The Return of Ultraman”.

    This beloved series was created in the mid-1960s by Eiji Tsuburaya, co-creator of the original Godzilla series. Ultraman is an intergalactic being who resides within protagonist Shin Hayata, transforming into Ultraman when the need to combat monsters arises. In 1971, the producers of “Ultraman Returns” selected Omega’s "Moonwatch" as part of the Monster Attack Team’s monster-fighting kit.

    It was the last Speedmaster model to be fitted with the renowned caliber 321 and is distinguished from its predecessors by its ‘SP’ designation (‘SP’ for “Spécial Poussoirs” or “special pushers”), which enhanced its water resistance.

    The present lot, in overall attractive condition is further accompanied by the Extract from the Archives confirming the special orange chronograph hand. Surely a rare opportunity for collectors of unusual and vintage timepieces to own one of the legendary Ultraman Speedmasters.

  • 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.

    View More Works

Property of a Japanese Collector

58

Ref. 145.012-67 SP
An attractive and unusual stainless steel chronograph wristwatch with special orange chronograph hand, tachymeter scale and bracelet

1968
42mm diameter
Case, dial, movement, bracelet and clasp signed

Estimate
HK$150,000 - 300,000 
€17,300-34,600
$19,200-38,500

Sold for HK$203,200

Contact Specialist

Thomas Perazzi
Head of Watches, Asia
+852 2318 2030
WatchesHK@phillips.com

Gertrude Wong
Head of Sale, Hong Kong
+852 2318 2045
gertrudewong@phillips.com

TOKI: Watch Auction

Hong Kong Auction 22 November