Record-breaking Omega Speedmaster at Phillips auction

A Speedmaster with Ref. CK2915-1 was hammered on 5 November by Phillips in Geneva for the exceptional sum of 3,115,500 Swiss francs, a record sum for a timepiece produced by the Bienne-based company. This 1957 chronograph started from an initial estimate of 80,000-120,000 Swiss francs and was part of the trilogy of professional models presented by Omega in the late 1960s, namely the Speedmaster, Seamater and Railmaster. Notably, the Speedmaster that went to auction did not spend its life locked in a safe or a drawer, but was actively used, so much so that its dial took on (thanks to exposure to the sun's rays) a distinctive 'tropical' colouring. The luminescent substance used for the Broad Arrow hands and hour markers also has a natural "vintage" effect, taking on an eye-catching golden hue. The Speedmaster with Ref. CK2915-1 was produced by Omega between 1957 and 1959 and is one of the most sought-after by collectors. It was the first chronograph to use the tachymeter scale on the bezel rather than on the dial, as well as being the first Speedmaster to adopt the famous calibre 321.

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