Omega Speedmaster 145.022-69ST 42MM 'Pre-Moon' Tropical 1970

‘Sun-Kissed’ Omega Speedmaster 145.022-69ST: A Pre-Moon Story with Provenance

The Omega Speedmaster 145.022-69ST holds a distinctive place in the long and complex history of the Moonwatch. Produced in the late 1960s, it represents the first true transitional reference in the Speedmaster line—bridging the legendary calibre 321 models with the more robust, mass-produced calibre 861 that would carry the Speedmaster through the Apollo era and beyond. Collectors often debate where the dividing lines in Speedmaster history should be drawn, but few argue with the significance of the 145.022-69ST. This reference captures the last of the “pre-Moon” features, most notably the Seahorse (hippocampus) medallion caseback, while also introducing the new era of the movement that would define the modern Speedmaster.

This particular example gains depth not only from its technical and historical context but also from its provenance. It once belonged to Danny Demarais, a Canadian who purchased his Speedmaster at Birks in Montreal during the 1960s and wore it faithfully for decades. His story, told through a letter of confirmation and supported by period photographs, reveals the human side of watch collecting: a life intertwined with a mechanical companion that was worn, treasured, and passed on. Provenance of this nature adds an emotional dimension that cannot be manufactured.

The Evolution of the Speedmaster

By the time Omega introduced the 145.022 in 1968, the Speedmaster had already cemented its role as the official NASA chronograph. Earlier references—the 2915, 2998, 105.003, and 105.012—had all contributed to refining the design, ultimately shaping the form that became standard issue for astronauts. Those earlier references were powered by the calibre 321, a Lemania-based movement known for its column wheel construction and intricate architecture. The 321 is revered by collectors, but by the mid-1960s it had become expensive and complex to produce in the volumes Omega required.

The 145.022 marked the introduction of the calibre 861, designed by Albert Piguet as a more modern and robust movement. It replaced the column wheel with a cam-switching mechanism, simplifying servicing while maintaining accuracy and durability. For NASA, the 861 continued to meet the requirements of spaceflight. For Omega, it allowed the Speedmaster to scale into a watch that could meet both its professional obligations and growing commercial demand.

The 145.022 ran from 1968 through much of the 1970s, but the earliest batches—particularly the 145.022-68 and 145.022-69—retain features that tie them closely to the 321-era Speedmasters. These transitional details make them highly appealing to collectors today.

The 145.022-69ST in Detail

The case of the 145.022-69ST maintains the lyre lug design introduced with the 105.012, measuring 42mm in diameter with twisted lugs and asymmetrical crown guards. Omega used the familiar Huguenin Frères (HF) and Centrale Boîtes (CB) cases, both of which exhibit sharp facets when well-preserved. The bezel was the black aluminium tachymeter insert with the “dot over 90” (DON), a detail phased out in the early 1970s but now a marker of desirability.

Dials of the 145.022-69 feature the painted Omega logo rather than the applied metal logo of earlier 321 references, but retain the stepped minute track and tritium luminous material on the indices and hands. These elements, especially when aged into warm tones, create much of the visual charm of surviving examples today.

The bracelet fitted at the time was typically the reference 1039 with 516 endlinks, lightweight and flexible, characteristic of late 1960s Speedmasters. Later service replacements often include the 1171, which remained in production for decades.

The defining feature of the 145.022-69, however, is its caseback. Instead of the “First Watch Worn on the Moon” engraving introduced after Apollo 11, these models carry the simple Seahorse medallion, linking them directly to the pre-Moon lineage. For collectors, this makes the 145.022-69ST the last true “pre-Moon” Speedmaster reference, even though many were produced after 1969.

The Pre-Moon Caseback

The Seahorse, or hippocampus, emblem had been used by Omega since the 1950s across its Seamaster and Speedmaster lines. On the 145.022-69ST, the emblem remains prominent, encircled by “Speedmaster” and “Waterproof” (though later examples omit the latter). The lack of lunar inscription distinguishes it from the casebacks produced after 1970, and it serves as a marker of Speedmasters made before Omega began explicitly marketing the watch as the “Moonwatch.”

This detail adds historical purity. While the 145.022-69ST already carries the movement that would define post-Moon Speedmasters, its caseback serves as a reminder of its origins. It is, in essence, the last Speedmaster that can be said to be truly pre-Moon in design, even if worn on the wrist in the years that followed.

Danny Demarais and His Speedmaster

What elevates this particular example is its provenance. Watches often pass anonymously through time, their stories lost as they move from one wrist to another. Here, however, we have the rare continuity of a documented owner, his life, and his connection to the watch.

According to a letter written by Marguerite Chouinard, who knew Danny since 1996, the Speedmaster was purchased at Birks in Montreal during the 1960s. Birks was a well-regarded Canadian jeweller, known for selling quality Swiss watches. The Speedmaster, already associated with NASA and space exploration, would have been a forward-looking choice for a man in Montreal at the height of the space race.

Danny wore his Speedmaster for decades, caring for it and making it part of his daily life. The letter recounts that he looked after the watch carefully through the years, and photographs confirm this. In one image from around 1970, Danny is pictured wearing the Speedmaster on his wrist, young and sharp in style. In another, taken around 2010, he wears the same watch decades later, the passage of time evident in his appearance but the watch remaining a constant companion.

In the final years of his life, Danny suffered the loss of his eyesight. For a man who had spent so many years with his watch, it was a particular sadness that he could no longer see or wear it. Before his passing in 2014, he entrusted the watch, along with other personal objects, to Marguerite. She has since ensured that its story is preserved, confirming its history in writing and passing along the photographs that document its presence in Danny’s life.

The letter concludes simply: “So today I know that his watch is in good hands.” In the world of collecting, where stories are often invented or lost, such a statement carries weight. It transforms the Speedmaster from a fine example of an important reference into a vessel of lived history.

The Human Side of Collecting

Provenance in watches is often spoken about in the abstract. Collectors value it, auction houses highlight it, but it is rarely as direct and human as this. To see a photograph of an owner wearing the same watch in 1970 and again forty years later is to appreciate the continuity of objects across a life. This was not a safe queen or a stored investment—it was a personal instrument, worn daily, cared for, and only set aside when health no longer allowed.

The connection to Danny makes this Speedmaster unique. Its scratches and patina are no longer anonymous marks of age; they are evidence of a lifetime of wear by one man. The fact that he bought it at a respected Canadian jeweller, wore it through the decades, and passed it on with trust and intention all add layers that cannot be replicated.

Collectors often chase the rare bezel variant or the perfect dial, but the soul of a watch comes alive in stories like Danny’s. His Speedmaster is not just a 145.022-69ST—it is his 145.022-69ST, with a life fully lived on the wrist.

Legacy of the 145.022-69ST

In the broader context of Speedmaster collecting, the 145.022-69ST remains one of the most desirable references of the transitional era. It is the earliest widely available model with the calibre 861, ensuring both historical significance and long-term serviceability. Its pre-Moon caseback gives it purity of design, unburdened by later marketing inscriptions. And its dials, bezels, and bracelets provide a rich canvas of period-correct details that appeal to enthusiasts.

Market values for these watches have risen steadily as collectors increasingly appreciate the transitional references. While the 321-powered Speedmasters command the highest premiums, the 145.022-69ST offers a compelling balance: it shares the aesthetics of its predecessors while introducing the movement that would carry the Speedmaster into the future. For many, it represents the best of both worlds.

When combined with provenance, as in this example, the value goes beyond monetary. Collectors know that while condition can be assessed and parts can be replaced, provenance cannot be faked. A letter of confirmation, period photographs, and a direct line to the original owner place this watch in a category all its own.

Final Thoughts

The Omega Speedmaster 145.022-69ST is a landmark reference, bridging eras in both design and movement. It is the last Speedmaster to carry the Seahorse caseback unadorned by lunar marketing, and the first to usher in the calibre 861 that would become the workhorse of the line. For these reasons alone, it deserves recognition in the lineage of the Moonwatch.

But what truly makes this example remarkable is its provenance. Danny Demarais bought his Speedmaster in Montreal in the 1960s, wore it faithfully for decades, and left behind not only the watch but also the proof of its journey: photographs from 1970 and 2010, and the testimony of a friend who knew its history. His story transforms the watch into more than a collectible. It is a reminder that behind every dial and case lies a life lived, a relationship formed, and a story worth telling.

In the end, the Speedmaster 145.022-69ST is not just a watch of technical importance or historical transition. It is also a human story—a story of Danny and his watch—that endures as long as the timepiece continues to tick.++

• Case in excellent condition, very little wear visible. 
• Case remains ‘unpolished’
• Bracelet excellent service bracelet. 
• DON blue ghost insert

• Dial deep chocolate tropical patina w/ even cream hour markers 
• Hands original w/ matching cream patina.