The “Mark” Series — Omega’s other white meat
Original Speedmaster Mark II advertisement
Omega is one of the most prominent watchmakers in the world and their success can be largely attributed to the Speedmaster, specifically the Moonwatch.
It’s one of the most popular and recognizable watches in the world. Even the Rolex Daytona can’t compete with its history and importance. This is due in large part to its use by NASA, which you can read about here.
After about a dozen years and continued success, Omega started the Mark Series of the Speedmaster. Although they never made the same impact on history as the Moonwatch, the “Marks” started a trend and turned the Speedmaster from a single reference into a full line of watches.
I find the Mark Series of Speedmasters more interesting than the standard Moonwatch, perhaps because of their lack of initial popularity, making them far more unique. Each one is slightly odder than the previous iteration, which is a good thing. The series also showed that despite the success of the Moonwatch, Omega was not content with resting on its laurels, unafraid to push the boundaries of conventional watchmaking. The result was a handful of interesting references, showcasing Omega’s ability to maximize creativity while still maintaining quality.
MARK II
First up in the ‘Mark” Series is the Speedmaster Mark II. In 1969, Omega not only sent their watch to the moon, they also made their first major departure from the standard Speedmaster line with the Mark II, which was produced until 1972. The Mark II was the first in the series and there is actually no official “Mark I”. Omega intended it as a follow-on to the Moonwatch — hence, the second “mark” or iteration — but NASA was not in need of a new version.
Mark II Speedmaster with “racing” dial
Internally, it was the same as the Moonwatch with the manual winding Caliber 861. This one was fitted with a mineral crystal, internal tachymetre bezel, and a streamlined case that fit right in for the time period. It was a solid step forward for Omega that showed ingenuity and progress without going too far off the deep end.
If you want an extremely well made and affordable vintage watch that you don’t see every day, look no further than the Omega Speedmaster Mark II. I personally think the Mark II with racing dial is one of the coolest vintage chronographs out there. Since the Mark II has been re-issued by Omega, now’s an excellent time to grab one of the originals.
MARK III
The Speedmaster Mark III came along in 1971 and was in production until 1973. Being the first Speedmaster with an automatic movement, the Mark III was a significant improvement for the line. The Caliber 1040 is a two-register chronograph movement, which came out of a joint venture between Omega and Lemania. Two years after the Mark III release, the Speedy 125 took the Caliber 1040 one step further by making it Omega’s first automatic chronograph to receive the certified chronometer label.
Speedmaster Mark III(a)
Another unique feature of the Mark III is that it was produced in three different cases: the Mark III(a) with a Flightmaster style case, the Mark III(b) with a Seamaster style case and the Mark III(c) with a square Seamaster style case. Oddly enough, the Mark III’s variety of cases found use not only as Speedmasters, but in the Seamaster line as well.
The Flightmaster style case (pictured) of the Mark III(a) is decidedly futuristic. If Stanley Kubrick made 2001: A Space Odyssey a couple years later, I’m sure Dave and the other astronauts would be wearing that Speedy.
MARK IV
Omega Mark IV, credit Chrono Maddox
The Mark IV was released in 1973, was produced only through 1974, and is somewhat of an amalgamation. With a case based on the Mark II and the Caliber 1040 movement found in the Mark III, it’s a wonder what Omega’s intent was with the Mark IV. One of the very interesting features is the crystal, dial, and movement can be taken out of the watch as one piece. Nevertheless, the Mark IV is a great looking piece with a fantastic movement that is getting increasingly hard to find. One really can’t go wrong between this or any of the previous Mark releases.
MARK V
Speedmaster Mark V
You want really rare? Well, Speedmaster Mark V fits the bill. It was only made in 1984 and specifically for the German market — primarily West Germany and Switzerland. With only about 40,000 made, it’s details like this that make the Mark V very appealing. This Speedy had the storied Caliber 1045 movement housed in case that is wonderfully awkward — par for the course for Omega at this point. These are increasingly rare; I’ve personally only come across one of these models. If you have any appetite for a Mark V, and you happen to find one, lock that thing down!
A “MARK” IN OMEGA’S HISTORY
Eventually, Omega ended the Mark series and refocused their efforts on the standard Speedmaster Moonwatch. However, the Mark series represents a unique time in Omega’s history, exhibiting an ability to go their own way — think outside the box, as it were. The Marks are a collectible and iconic vintage in their own right, and they seem to have gained popularity in recent years.
The owners and enthusiasts of these unique Omega’s appreciate their quirkiness and distinctiveness. It can be a never-ending but rewarding endeavor to try and collect the different models and variations. I enjoy the Speedmaster “Marks” for their eccentric style and the fact that they’re not a Moonwatch. Nothing says, “I specifically didn’t want a Moonwatch,” better than owning a Mark. Collectors of these watches are definitely part of a special club, one filled with crazy chronographs, secret handshakes, and lots of Instagram wristshots.
If you want to find more than you ever wanted to know about the Marks and the entire Speedmaster series, you should check out chronomaddox.com. We’ll also be jumping head first into the rest of the off-beat chronographs Omega released in the 60s, 70s, and 80s in the coming weeks — stay tuned!
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Tim
Great article as usual.