The links on this page point to useful articles pertinent to Omega watches within the Cal. 1040 family. Have a link to add that I’m missing? Let me know using the form on the right.
Links
- My site dedicated to the Speedmaster 125 speedmaster125.com which is a collaborative effort with the authors behind Watch Books Only
- Omega Forums user @cvalue13 created a comprehensive and visually stunning summary of the 1040 family back in 2015. There are several pages of additional info in the comments below the original post too.
- The late Chuck Maddox’s article about the Omega “Mark” Speedmasters. This is still the best single one-stop shop for learning about the cal. 1040 and 1045 Speedmasters (plus some cal. 861 content too). There are some conclusions I disagree with Chuck on pertaining to the Mark III(b) and III(c) variants, but it remains an important article.
- Chuck also wrote the best and most comprehensive article on the Speedmaster 125. Again, somewhat dated but remarkably relevant despite its age as well as very thorough. And he floated the possibility of Omega making more than 2,000 pieces, way back in 2000 when he first wrote this.
- While on the topic of Chuck Maddox, his entire website is pretty useful to anyone interested in vintage chronographs from the 60s through the 90s.
- Calibre 11 published an excellent history of Lemania and their relationship to Heuer. Not specifically relevant to the Omega cal. 1040, but gives good context surrounding the era. Part 1 here, Part 2 here.
- Jeff Stein published the definitive history of the race to be the first automatic chronograph on OTD. Omega and Lemania aren’t prominently featured, but again this is great historical context that must be understood when studying chronographs from the early 1970s.
- Mark Reichardt runs an excellent blog on Regatta Yachttimers, and has a page dedicated to Omega yachttimers including reference 176.010.
- Steve Waddington’s site www.old-omegas.com hasn’t been updated in a long time, but the information is invaluable and I check it regularly. Of particular interest are the catalogs from the 1970s showing the original dial/case/hand combinations of several cal. 1040 watches, as well as ads and information on “pilot” cases including Big Blue ref. 176.004.
- Ilias Yiannopoulos wrote a fantastic article on central minutes chronographs on Haute Horolegie Journal which discusses cal. 1040 and Lemania in the 1970s.
- Omega Forums user @uwsearch put together an excellent guide to bracelets used by Omega on Seamasters in the 60s and 70s, including a few used on 1040s.
- Another Omega Forums thread: User @keepschanging did a detailed analysis of the minor variations found on the bezels of 176.010 Yachting chronographs.
1040 Content From Andy K Published Elsewhere
- My original dial encyclopedia on Omega Forums. This site’s collector’s guide for dials has expanded on this, but the discussion in the comments is useful.
- My initial thread on production estimates and the Speedmaster 125 conspiracy. This site has expanded and updated this as well.
- A comparison of the cases of ref. 176.007 and 176.010.
Other Great Vintage Watch Collecting Content
- Fascinating research on what is in my opinion the coolest quartz watch Omega ever made, the Speedmaster Professional Quartz 186.0004 and the Alaska IV Prototype.