In this second installment of our series of features articles on the 60th anniversary of the iconic Omega Speedmaster, going decade by decade, we explore some of the notable Speedmasters from the 1970s, including such milestone pieces as the first electronic Speedy and the watch worn on the famous Apollo-Soyuz space mission.
1971: Mark III, Omega?s first self-winding chronograph
Omega Speedmaster Mark III (1971)
Launched in 1971, the Speedmaster Mark III, with its ?pilot? case, was Omega?s first self-winding chronograph, containing the new Caliber 1040, a milestone for the brand. In an advertisement for the watch in 1972, Omega famously stated, ?After six landings on the moon, there was only one thing we could teach the Speedmaster. To wind itself.? The Speedmaster Mark III’s other interesting features include the cross-shaped 60 minute chronograph hand and its unique 24-hour day/night indicator at 9 o?clock. 1972: Alaska II (prototype), pursuing the perfect “space watch”
Omega Speedmaster Alaska II (1972)
Continuing its secret project to build the perfect space watch for NASA, which started with 1969’s Alaska I, Omega produced another prototype, this time in a Moonwatch style that retained some of the original features of the Alaska I model, including the large red heat shield. The watch’s white dial, engineered to better reflect the heat of the sun, was also retained. Other updates included the rocket-shaped subdial hands, luminous ma...