Orange Racing Dial 145.022-69 Omega Speedmaster

Exotic dials aren’t just for Rolex. Meet the Omega equivalent of Paul Newman, just no one ever frames it in that light. This is the 145.022 ‘Orange Racing’, a 1969/1970 Speedmaster variant with a grey Singer dial that I’ve often called ‘about as colorful as a Coldplay concert on acid’. No one knows quite why Omega decided to try this dial variant in the late 60s. But they make Newmans look positively common. Estimates of total production range around 100-150 examples across 3 variants. This is the last variant of the original trio of racing variants, the orange dial.

The original production of racing dials came in three flavors. The clearest split is between black and grey dials. The black dials were 321 chronographs, ref. 145.012 and 105.012, made from 1967-68 with red accents. Some have no Professional text with an applied logo, some have a white painted logo with Professional text. Fewer than 10 of each are known. Then came the 145.022, with an 861 and a grey dial with orange accents. Some think there are 20 of these surviving, others say 50. Either way, it’s not many. On the orange racing, there are two different handsets used. This production used orange subdial hands and a straight chronograph hand, with hour/minute hands with black centers. A separate latter, and smaller batch, used all-white hour/minute hands with orange-red chronograph and subdial hands. The red chronograph hand is almost a little Alaska prototype-like. 

Omega’s racing dial history is a story yet to be fully completed, still surprisingly opaque. Were they a market test? For many years, it was assumed the black and red racing dials were prototypes as they are ridiculously uncommon. But if not, why the tiny production? And if they sold so poorly, why did the dial get a refresh in the 145.022 and not just cease to exist? Also, why did the Omega reissue referencing this design get released only in Japan in 2004? Is that a nod to a history we’re not privy to, and why the racing name? They’re fascinating watches and genuinely rare, not ‘Rolex’-rare, playfully vibrant. It’s not winning the price race, it’s winning on personality, condition, and charm. And though they’re intangibles, that’s most of what matters in vintage.

This example sports a very strong case, great edges by images alone. The orange of the handset and dial appears to have seen some sun and faded slightly, I find the patina quite attractive here. It comes from a well-regarded Parisian retailer with its Extract of Archive noting delivery to Switzerland in 1970. Quite the historic Speedmaster indeed.