Caseback
Speedmaster Professional caseback with NASA / lunar text
ProbableThe Moonwatch caseback carries engraved text recording the NASA flight qualification and, on post-1969 production, the lunar landing. The exact wording, its layout and the presence of the seahorse changed across generations, and the changes are documented well enough to place a caseback in a period — which makes an anachronistic caseback detectable. The most consequential case is the simplest: lunar text on a caseback of a watch made before the landing is impossible on original production, and is either a service replacement or a marriage.
Part reference
- Brand
- Omega
- Material
- Stainless steel
- Identifying marks
- Engraving is cut with even depth and consistent letterform. Laser-etched or acid-etched text with rounded, shallow strokes on a caseback that should be machine-engraved is a counterfeit indicator.
Documented variations
Classification
FactoryDocumented as shipped from the factory for this reference and period.PeriodNot original to this watch, but correct for its production period.ServiceFitted by the manufacturer's own service network. Not a defect.AftermarketThird-party part. Affects originality, not authenticity.ModifiedGenuine parts in a configuration the factory did not sell. Affects originality and value, not authenticity.CounterfeitDeceptive reproduction intended to pass as genuine.UnknownEvidence on file does not settle the question.Pre-lunar (flight-qualified text only)
FactoryProbable≤ 1969
Correct on production before the landing. Its presence on a later watch may indicate an earlier caseback fitted at service.
Lunar text
FactoryProbable1969 →
Correct from 1969 onward. On an earlier case it is anachronistic and requires an explanation — most often a service caseback, occasionally a marriage.
Documented on these references
- Omega 145.022Factory
Whole production
Lunar text is correct for this reference's production; the specific wording and layout are period-dependent within it.
Provenance of this record
Sources & Evidence
Goldberger, John — Omega Speedmaster (Moonwatch Only)
Mondani Editore / La Sirène
- Published
- 2014-01-01
Cited for
Fratello — Buying Guide: Omega Speedmaster Professional 145.022
Fratello Watches
- Accessed
- 2026-08-18
Cited for
Last verified: Not yet reviewed