Omega Speedmaster 145.022: The Evolutionary Moonwatch Workhorse

Introduction

The Omega Speedmaster reference 145.022 is the longest-running iteration of the Moonwatch, spanning two full decades of production from 1968 to 1988. It debuted the calibre 861 movement, absorbed multiple dial, bezel, case-back and bracelet tweaks, and accompanied astronauts from Apollo-era training all the way to early Space Shuttle flights—all while remaining visually faithful to the classic Speedmaster silhouette. Its incremental evolution makes the 145.022 a perfect case study in how Omega refined the Speedmaster Professional for reliability at scale without sacrificing the DNA that took the watch to the Moon. 

Birth of the 145.022 and the Calibre 861 Transition

In 1968 Omega replaced the column-wheel calibre 321 with the more service-friendly cam-switched calibre 861. The new movement, designed by Albert Piguet, ran at 21 600 vph (vs 18 000 vph) for improved chronometric stability, used a shuttle-cam chronograph coupling, and simplified parts count for faster servicing—an attractive prospect for NASA, which continued flight-qualifying the Speedmaster after exhaustive re-tests. The first case-backs still read “145.022-68 ST,” signalling an interim update rather than a wholesale redesign, yet the interior engineering leap set the template for every Moonwatch until 2021. 

Production Years and Sub-References

145.022-68 ST (1968 – 1969)

The transitional 145.022-68 kept the applied metal Ω logo, stepped dial and “DON” (dot-over-ninety) bezel from the calibre 321 era. Case-backs showed only the hippocampus and “Speedmaster” script—no mention of NASA or the Moon—earning the nickname “pre-Moon.” Production ran only a few months before Omega rolled the suffix forward. 

145.022-69 ST (1969 – 1971)

The most common vintage 145.022, this run overlaps the Apollo 11 landing. Early pieces retain the plain hippocampus back; mid-1970 examples adopt the famed “Straight Writing” engraving—“FIRST WATCH WORN ON THE MOON” etched horizontally across the centre—while very late units feature an Apollo XI commemorative wording. Dial logos switched to printed white Ω during 1970, and the tachymeter bezel changed to “DNN” (dot-next-to-ninety). 

145.022-71 ST (1971 – 1974)

Omega introduced the medallion case-back: a raised seahorse centre encircled by “FLIGHT-QUALIFIED BY NASA…” text. A short-lived “No NASA” medallion (identical but without the wording) appeared while legal clearance for the inscription was finalised, making it an exotic sub-variant. The 145.022-71 is the final reference guaranteed to carry a stepped dial. 

145.022-74 ST (1974 – 1976)

Economic headwinds and the quartz crisis drove Omega to standardise parts. The dial lost its step, gaining a flat profile with taller minute indices; tritium plots thinned; and bezels remained DNN. Otherwise the watch mirrors the -71, right down to the medallion case-back. 

145.022-76 ST (1976 – 1978)

Minor cosmetic updates define this run: narrower chronograph seconds hand, slightly lighter dial print, and serials in the 39.xxx.xxx range that overlap the limited-edition Apollo-Soyuz 145.022. Internally it still uses calibre 861. 

145.022-78 ST (1978 – 1981)

The final suffix bearing “145.022” on the exterior. Production migrated to a new case-back stamping machine, so engraving depths and fonts vary. From 1981 Omega adopted reference 145.0022 for fresh stock, yet retained “145.022-78” inside replacement case-backs for years, blurring the cut-off in practice. 

Post-1981 Internal 145.022 (1981 – 1988)

Externally sold as 3590.50 and other PIC codes, these watches still house calibre 861 and carry “145.022” hidden inside the back. They benefit from the refined “C3” lume mix that ages creamy rather than greenish, and appear on the newer 1450 or 1479 bracelets discussed below. 

Case-Back Evolution in Detail

Pre-Moon Seahorse

Plain hippocampus with “Speedmaster” script, no NASA text; found on -68 and early -69. 

“Straight Writing”

Introduced 1970, the engraving reads “FIRST WATCH WORN ON THE MOON” plus “FLIGHT-QUALIFIED…,” laid out across the centre. Short production span makes it highly recognisable today. 

Apollo XI Commemorative

A rarer sub-group of straight-writing backs adds “APOLLO XI 1969” above the main text; produced late 1970–71. 

Medallion With NASA Text

Debuted on -71; raised seahorse medallion surrounded by full NASA flight-qualification wording. This design endures on modern Moonwatches. 

Medallion “No NASA”

A brief run during 1971–72 while legal permission for the NASA inscription was pending. Collectors dub it the “No NASA” 145.022-71. 

Bracelet Changes Across Two Decades

• 1039/516 flat-link (1968 – 1971): thin springy links, typically paired with -68 and early -69. 

• 1116/575 three-fold (1968 – 1971): heavier folded-link option; often seen on late pre-Moon pieces. 

• 1171/633 five-segment (1970 – mid-1980s): the archetypal Moonwatch bracelet; solid outer links, folded inner links, introduced as flat links were deemed fragile. 

• 1450/808 “President” (1985 – 1990): short-run solid-link bracelet with rounded profile, factory-fitted to late-production 145.022s and special editions like the 20th-anniversary Apollo XI. 

• 1479/812 (1988 onward): lighter solid-link bracelet paired with the last calibre 861 watches; internal case-backs still read 145.022 even when outer reference changed to 3590.50. 

Historical Significance Beyond the Movement Update

Although the calibre 861 never touched lunar soil—only calibre 321 references 105.003, 105.012 and 145.012 landed—145.022s nonetheless flew in space. Apollo 17 CMP Ron Evans used his 145.022-69 inside the Command Module; later missions such as Skylab, ASTP and early Shuttle flights issued 145.022s to crews. The reference also underpinned every limited edition of the 1970s, from the gold BA 145.022 Apollo XI celebration to the Apollo-Soyuz 1975 edition and the 1976 Italian-market Soyuz batch, illustrating Omega’s ability to leverage one robust platform across commemorative releases. 

Design Tweaks That Tell the Story

Dial morphology tracks broader Speedmaster design history: applied logo to printed; stepped to flat; tritium plot size variations. Bezel font changes from DON to DNN mark the shift to calibre 861. Case finish stayed sunburst with lyre lugs, reinforcing continuity despite mechanical evolution. Such incremental refinement means collectors can date a 145.022 within a year or two purely by inspecting these details. 

Final Thoughts

The Omega Speedmaster 145.022 distils the Moonwatch’s core attributes—42 mm twisted-lug case, hand-wound chronograph, hesalite crystal—while narrating its real-world adaptation to post-Apollo demands. Each suffix captures a slice of horological and aerospace history, from pre-Moon optimism through the Shuttle era. Whether distinguished by a straight-writing back, an 1171 bracelet scuffed by decades of wrist time, or the creamy tritium of a late-1980s dial, every 145.022 is a wearable document of Omega’s engineering pragmatism and NASA’s trust in the Speedmaster platform. As an  authentic link to space exploration without the stratospheric pricing of calibre 321 predecessors, the 145.022 remains the definitive evolutionary Moonwatch.