HSTE
[Omega Moderator]
4025
Speedy 145.022-71 "No NASA" and "Salazar", two rare outliers...
The 145.022-71 is not a really rare, scarce reference. The one you see below combines two specialties which are however fairly rare:
"No NASA" case-back: the story goes that after the two versions of the "Straight writing" case-backs, Omega and NASA were negotiating about the design of the next generation case back, the one that in the end became the most common one with the inscription around the center: "Flight-qualified by NASA for all manned space missions" and "The first watch worn on the moon". The version you see here has already the center medallion as it later stood but the entire inscription is missing. The other story goes that these very few case-backs were production fault that escaped the quality control.
"Salazar" stamp on the lug at 10 o'clock: during the Salazar regime in Portugal customs hammered a stamp into the lug confirming that import customs had been paid on this item.
Cheers, HSTE
No NASA 145.022-71 case-back
Portuguese customs mark on the lug
Close-up of customs mark
Yes, there is also a front side of this specialty...
Speedy 145.022-71 "No NASA" and "Salazar", two rare outliers...
Living and learning ...
Thanks Nilo, I agree, the Speedmaster story is ...
