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After an auction, we usually wonder about the mysterious collector to have won a specific lot, even more so when the timepiece under the hammer is a Nautilus, a Royal Oak, a Daytona, or a Speedmaster. Every now and then, it’s a brand that is acquiring a specific piece, and it happens when the product reference is a rarity or, case in point, has unique historical value.
The acquisition carried out by Omega watches is meaningful to those familiar with American literature first and foremost, yet it’s widely relevant considering who owned this specific Speedmaster, Ralph Ellison.
Ellison has unstoppably worn an Omega 145.012-67 for 25 years. To better understand and appreciate how relevant Omega‘s acquisition is, let’s refer to what Petros Protopapas, Head of Brand Heritage, announced after the brand winning the lot at the 2021 New York auction organized by Phillips: “Ellison’s timepiece is an unmatched connection with American literature.” Who was Ralph Ellison?
Ralph Ellison: Author of Invisible Man
Ralph Waldo Ellison was a writer, essayist, music critic, and author of an award-winning novel still playing a significant role in American culture: Invisible Man, published in 1952, won the National Book Award in 1953. Ellison was a writer, but he also proved to be a sculptor, a musician and a photographer. Therefore, he was an all-around artist, and his novel represents a pillar of African American culture, exploring the concept of identity in such a multicultural country.
What has Omega in common with Ralph Ellison? The writer unexpectedly talks about time and heritage times in Invisible Man; as you read through, there’s a passage where Ellison introduces the concept of how a timepiece is handed down from a father to his son. According to archives, the Omega reference 145.012-67 landed in the US in 1968; Ellison then bought it and wore it until he died in 1994.
The Omega Speedmaster 145012-67
The association with Ellison adds further relevance to one of the most sought-after Speedmaster references, both technically and aesthetically. Its 40 mm wide case and calibre 321 make it one of the most desired models by collectors. Phillips said the watch was not directly coming from the Ellisons but from a private consignor instead. The latter bought the piece at an auction following Ralph Ellison‘s wife’s death in 2005. Omega has paid $667,800 to make Ellison‘s Speedmaster theirs, and the timepiece is now heading to the brand’s Museum in Switzerland.
(Photo credit: courtesy Omega)
Gaetano C @Horbiter®
