Omega Speedmaster Professional Mark II (1969)

The first iteration with a new case design
Main reference: ST 145.014 (steel caseband)

This is the first evolutionary step of the Speedmaster Moonwatch that came out at the end of the 1960s. Its designation – Mark II or Mk II – widely used in such other areas as the car industry for example, signified that it was the second generation of Speedmasters.

It was fitted with the same caliber 861 movement of its predecessor but differed in the new design of its caseband in a tonneau shape. This new caseband lacked lugs but enable the better integration of its pushers and crown, which made it less fragile and more resistant to shocks. The bezel was fitted beneath the glass, which made it less susceptible to being torn off.

The tempered mineral glass was now flat and scratch resistant with a non-reflective coating, which improved the visibility of the dial. The water resistance of the watch was also upgraded to 120 meters. These technical enhancements were the result of OMEGA’s research efforts, but were also likely to have been influenced directly or indirectly by such professional customers as NASA and the military, either because of their specific requirements or because OMEGA wished to enhance its reputation in their eyes by anticipating improvements that they thought necessary.

Several versions of the Speedmaster Professional Mark II were produced until the mid-seventies under different references: steel watches with black or Racing dials and colored hands as in the photo, solid gold or gold-plated models, a choice of bezels (telemeter, pulsometer, decimal or even yachting), as well as a rare version known as the Telestop with a device enabling the pushers to be activated remotely.

In 2014, OMEGA put on sale a revised version of the Mark II in a similar style to the original. It of course had more modern features, including a slightly more prominent caseback, dates at 6 o’clock and a co-axial caliber 3330 movement.