PRICE
Sold
WATCH SCORE
8,3 / 10
KEY FEATURES
Special numbered edition for Italy
SERVICES INCLUDED
CERTIFICATION REPORT
BLOCKCHAIN CERTIFICATE
APPRAISAL BOOK
EXTRACT OF ARCHIVES
35.596.xxx was produced in September 1973, and is in good condition, with normal signs of age, and its parts are conform to the original configuration.
Not all the 125s were numbered. We think that maximum 6’000 watches were numbered with a letter (from A to L) and a 3-digit number.
Those numbered watches were all produced betweeen June and October 1973 (the year of the 125th anniversary).
Interestingly a few them have a special code, starting with a circled I, followed by the 3-digit number. This is the same format as the Speedmaster Apollo-Soyut made for Italy. The rare pieces observed with this particular code have been delivered to Italy.
About the model
In 1973, Omega intended to celebrate their 125th anniversary in a big way.
They had previously celebrated their centennial in 1948 with the Centenary (references 2499 and 2500), which were Omega’s first production automatic chronometer wristwatches. The success of the Centenary led to the creation of the Constellation family, which of course went on to be one of the brands’ crowning achievements in terms of precision and accuracy.
Twenty-five years later, Omega once again released a chronometer to commemorate the occasion. This time it was a chronograph, which itself was an achievement: the world’s first chronometer-certified automatic chronograph, the reference ST 378.0801 / 178.0002.
The Speedmaster 125 was intended from the beginning to be a special, exclusive watch and this is evident from a quick glance:
- The case is a massive, superbly-finished slab of steel, with vertical brushing and highly polished bevels.
- The bracelet, also specifically made for the Speedmaster 125, is fully integrated into the case, and is much more substantial than most Omega bracelets of the era. It is more on par with modern bracelets in terms of weight, fit, and finish.
- Likewise, the dial signals that this timepiece is something above and beyond the standard Speedmaster. The Ω logo is applied steel, as are the numerals in 125 and the letters in OMEGA. The letters and numerals are applied individually and not as a single, connected piece, which is highly unusual.
- A modular case: the Speedmaster 125 is a modular design featuring a chunky outer case that can be separated from the inner case that holds the movement, dial and hands.
The inner case includes the crystal on the top and the screw-in caseback on the bottom. - A new version of caliber 1040 was developed exclusively for the Speedmaster 125: the 1041 movement.
