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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →In the 1970s, the Omega Speedmaster became a family of watches rather than a synonym for the manual-wind Moonwatch alone. The decade brought an automatic chronograph, an electronic model, anniversary and mission editions, and experimental NASA projects, while the Moonwatch remained tied to Apollo.
How the Speedmaster family changed in the 1970s
The decade’s models differed in movement approach and purpose: some were commercial watches, one marked an anniversary, another commemorated a joint space mission, and the Alaska projects explored equipment for spaceflight. The timeline also begins with a useful boundary: the Mark II was introduced in 1969, so it is a precursor to—not a model first introduced during—the 1970s.
1971: Mark III brings automatic winding
Mark III
OMEGA dates the Mark III to 1971 and describes it as the Speedmaster family’s first self-winding chronograph model. That set it apart from the manual-wind Moonwatch line, while keeping it within the Speedmaster name. The distinction is about winding approach; the available model history does not establish further movement specifications here. OMEGA’s Speedmaster timeline.
1972: Alaska II continues the space-watch project
Alaska II
OMEGA’s timeline places the Alaska II prototype in 1972 as part of its work toward a purpose-built space watch. It belongs to the experimental strand of Speedmaster history, not the regular commercial lineup. OMEGA’s Speedmaster timeline.
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1973: Electronic timekeeping and an anniversary chronograph
Speedsonic
OMEGA dates the Speedsonic to 1973 and identifies it as the first electronic Speedmaster. Its place in the lineup shows that the family’s experiments were not limited to automatic winding. This is OMEGA’s characterization of the model. OMEGA’s Speedmaster timeline.
Speedmaster 125
Also introduced in 1973, the Speedmaster 125 marked OMEGA’s 125th anniversary. OMEGA reports that 2,000 pieces were produced and calls it the world’s first automatic chronograph to receive official Chronometer Certification. Those production and “world’s first” claims come from the manufacturer’s model history; the page does not state a year for the production figure. OMEGA’s Speedmaster 125 history.
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1975: Apollo-Soyuz connects the collection to a joint mission
Apollo-Soyuz commemorative
OMEGA places the Apollo-Soyuz commemorative Speedmaster in 1975 and describes its mission patch at 12 o’clock. Separately, Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum collection records document NASA-issued Speedmaster chronographs associated with astronauts Deke Slayton and Tom Stafford on the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, flown in July 1975. The museum records ground the flight-program connection; they should not be taken to mean every commemorative example flew. OMEGA’s timeline; Smithsonian record for Deke Slayton’s chronograph; Smithsonian record for Tom Stafford’s chronograph.
1978–1979: Alaska III and IV are projects, not ordinary releases
Alaska III
OMEGA labels Alaska III a 1978 model built for the Space Shuttle. It belongs to the experimental space-watch work rather than the ordinary production story. OMEGA’s Speedmaster timeline.
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Alaska IV
OMEGA dates Alaska IV to 1979 and explicitly describes it as a NASA quartz prototype. Calling it a prototype matters: it was not a normal production Speedmaster release. OMEGA’s Speedmaster timeline.
The Moonwatch’s Apollo story continued alongside the new models
The growing range did not displace the Moonwatch’s spaceflight association. OMEGA says NASA qualified the Speedmaster for all manned space missions in 1965 and identifies its use on successful Apollo missions from Apollo 11 through Apollo 17. Apollo 17 landed on December 11, 1972; OMEGA identifies astronaut Eugene Cernan’s watch as ST 105.003 and says it is held at the OMEGA Museum in Biel. These claims describe the Moonwatch’s Apollo history, not the flight status of every Speedmaster introduced in the decade. OMEGA’s Apollo 17 account, published December 8, 2022.
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1970s Speedmaster timeline at a glance
| Year | Model or project | What it represents |
|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Mark II | First redesign and decade precursor; not a 1970s introduction. |
| 1971 | Mark III | OMEGA’s first self-winding Speedmaster chronograph. |
| 1972 | Alaska II | Prototype in the purpose-built space-watch project. |
| 1973 | Speedsonic | OMEGA’s first electronic Speedmaster. |
| 1973 | Speedmaster 125 | 125th-anniversary model; OMEGA reports 2,000 pieces and the automatic chronometer-certification distinction. |
| 1975 | Apollo-Soyuz | Mission commemorative; NASA-issued watches associated with Slayton and Stafford are documented separately by the Smithsonian. |
| 1978 | Alaska III | Space Shuttle project model. |
| 1979 | Alaska IV | NASA quartz prototype. |
Dates and descriptions are from OMEGA’s Speedmaster timeline, except where a model history or museum record is linked above.
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- Case diameter: 40mm
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