Omega Speedmaster Mark ii 145.014

The Speedmaster Mark II was introduced in early 1969 as a modernized “next-generation” Speedmaster. It drew on design work from Omega’s Alaska Project (NASA’s space-watch research) and represented the first major redesign of the Speedmaster after 1965. With its new tonneau/cushion case, integrated bracelet and flat mineral crystal (with tachymeter printed underneath), it departed significantly from the original Moonwatch form factor.. The Mark II used the same Lemania‑based Caliber 861 manual‑wind movement as the contemporary Speedmaster Professional, and “Mark II” was added to the dial under the Omega logo. Production ran only a few years – roughly 1969 through 1972 – before Omega phased it out in favor of the Mark III (which used an automatic movement). Although never as famous as the Moonwatch, the Mark II was worn unofficially by some astronauts (e.g. NASA Skylab crews in 1973–74), and today it is sought after by collectors for its distinctive 1970s styling.

Case Materials and Design

• Case Materials: The Mark II case was made primarily in stainless steel. Omega also produced 145.014 examples in solid 18K gold and in gold‑capped/plate (gold‑plated steel) finish. These luxury versions often featured gilt (gold-tone) dials or matching gold dials to complement the case.
• Case Shape & Size: The tonneau (“barrel”) case measures roughly 41–42 mm wide and about 45–46 mm lug-to-lug. Its smooth, integrated design (sometimes called an “egg” or “cushion” shape) was very 1970s in style. The flat top mineral glass crystal (replacing the Moonwatch’s domed hesalite) has the tachymeter scale printed on its underside.
• Caseback: The watch has a screw‑down stainless steel caseback engraved with the classic Omega hippocampus (seahorse) emblem. (Inside the back, the reference number 145.014 and serial are stamped.) No special space‑mission markings appear on vintage Mark II backs; they follow the standard Speedmaster Professional style.
• Telestop Version (Remote Chronograph): A very rare variant of the 145.014 was built as a “Telestop” model, equipped for remote chronograph operation via a cable. This feature (originally intended for scientific timing) was never mass‑produced, and today Telestop Mark IIs are museum curiosities rather than regular production pieces.
• Bracelets and Straps: Vintage Mark IIs commonly came on Omega’s stainless steel “Honeycomb” bracelet (ref. 1162/173) with 20 mm end links. The integrated bracelet has flat end‑links matching the case’s profile. Leather or fabric straps could also be fitted (20 mm width at the lugs) for those seeking a sportier look. Gold or plated models could be fitted with matching gold bracelets or straps.

Dial Variations

• Standard Black Dial: The most common dial is matte black, very similar to the Moonwatch’s, with three sub‑registers at 3, 6, and 9 o’clock. Hour markers are simple baton indexes with luminous inserts; minute and hour hands are broad lumed batons, usually painted white (or gold‑tone on gilt dials). Subdial hands are thin and match in color (white or silver). The dial bears the usual “Omega Speedmaster Professional” legend, with “Mark II” printed beneath the logo.
• Racing (“Grey”) Dial: A distinctive variant has a dark gray (nearly slate-grey) main dial. Its outer minute track is multi‑colored (typically orange and red segments) to create a vibrant racing style. On this dial, the hour/minute hands remain white‑lumed batons, but all chronograph hands (central seconds and sub‑dials) are bright orange for high contrast. This “racing dial” 145.014 is relatively rare and prized for its bold look.
• Gilt and Gold Dials: On the rare gold-cased (or gold-plated) versions, Omega offered a “gilt” black dial: the same matte black background but with gold‑colored printing, hands, and markers instead of white. Even more unusually, some solid‑gold models used an actual yellow‑gold dial (i.e. the dial plate itself made of 18K gold), again with black or gold indices (the Omega site refers to “18K solid yellow gold” dials). In general, gilt and gold dials echo the layout of the black dial but use gold tones for a dressier appearance.

Calibers (Movements)

• Caliber 861: Throughout the vintage run of ref. 145.014, Omega used its hand‑wound Caliber 861 chronograph movement. This 21,600‑bph cam‑operated movement (based on Lemania 1873) was the successor to the famed 321 and offered a 44‑hour power reserve. It drives the 12‑hour chronograph with 30‑minute and running seconds registers (tri‑compax layout). No automatic or alternative calibers were used in the original 145.014; later Mark II models with automatic movements (ref. 145.034, 1977) are outside the vintage-145.014 scope.

Hands

• Hour & Minute Hands: Broad, pointed baton-style hands are used for the hours and minutes. These have luminous fill (tipped or full) for low-light legibility. On steel‑cased models the hands are white-painted with lume; on gilt/gold models they are yellow-gold in color.
• Chronograph Hands: The central chronograph seconds hand is a slender baton with a luminous triangle or arrow tip. Sub-dial hands for the 30-minute and 12-hour counters are also straight thin batons. On the standard black dial models, all chronograph and sub-dial hands match the hour/minute hands (white/silver color). On the racing-dial Mark II, however, the chronograph seconds and minute-counter hands are painted bright orange to match the dial accents. (The running small-seconds hand at 9 o’clock is usually white-lumed even on racing dials, but collectors note that all other timekeeping hands remain white on the racing version, providing contrast to the orange chronograph hands.)

Other Notable Characteristics and Variations

• Case Dimensions: The barrel-shaped case of the Mark II measures about 41–42 mm across (wrist width) and roughly 45–46 mm from lug tip to lug tip. It is around 15 mm thick. These dimensions make it slightly shorter but thicker than the classic Moonwatch case.
• Crystal & Tachymeter: The Mark II’s flat mineral crystal (instead of curved plexi) allowed Omega to print the tachymeter scale on the inside surface of the glass. This under-glass tachymeter (plus bold dial graphics) improves legibility and was a distinctive first for Speedmasters. Tertiary “slide rule” chapters or other complications were not used.
• Caseback Design: Apart from the hippocampus logo, most casebacks simply repeat the “Speedmaster Professional” name; they do not say “Mark II” on the exterior. The interior of the caseback is stamped with the reference (145.014) and serial numbers. (Unlike the earlier Moonwatches, Mark IIs generally lack any NASA flight-qualification engravings.)
• Bracelets and Straps: Besides the Omega-signed steel bracelet (ref. 1162/173), vintage 145.014 watches can be found on period Omega leather straps or 20 mm metal bracelets (including aftermarket “Jubilee” or mesh styles). Gold-cased models might have an integrated gold-link bracelet or a leather strap. Some collectors use modern 20 mm straps (leather or nylon) on Mark IIs, since the case accepts any standard 20 mm fitting.
• Luminescent Material: Original Mark IIs used tritium lume on the hands and markers. Over time this has patinated (often to cream or yellow tones). The tritium plots and hands all glow dimly in the dark when new, but true vintage pieces usually show aged lume coloring.
• Special/Regional Versions: No other factory complications (like calendars or dual time) were offered on ref. 145.014. Omega did not release a military or government contract Mark II in large numbers. However, one quirky special build was the aforementioned Mark II Telestop (reference 145.037 or similar), which never reached retail customers. Apart from that, the Mark II was never offered in limited editions or commemorative versions during the 1969–72 era. (All variations shared the same 145.014 reference code.)

Summary: The vintage Omega Speedmaster Mark II (ref. 145.014) was a short-lived but historically interesting model. Produced 1969–72, it was Omega’s first major Speedmaster redesign – inspired by NASA’s Alaska Project – and came in stainless steel, gold-plated (gold-capped), and solid-18K gold cases. Dials were offered in matte black or the rare grey “racing” style with orange highlights, and in gilt or solid-gold variants for the gold models. All used the manual-wind Caliber 861 chronograph and had flat mineral crystals (no hesalite). Today the original Mark II is prized for its bold tonneau case, clear racing dial, and role as the “Mark” series’ original model.