Watch Paparazzi

Actor Russell Crowe spotted wearing Omega

In the 2016 Shane Black film The Nice Guys, set in late-1970s Los Angeles, Russell Crowe plays Jackson Healy, a blunt-instrument hired muscle with a taste for self-improvement and, apparently, good watches. On his wrist sits an Omega Speedmaster Professional reference 145.022 — a casting choice that is entirely period-appropriate and speaks to a costume department that knew exactly what it was doing.

The Omega Speedmaster Professional ref. 145.022 represents one of the most important chapters in the Speedmaster's long production history. Introduced in the early 1970s as an evolution of the ref. 145.012, it retained the iconic asymmetric case, pump pushers, and hesalite crystal that defined the Moonwatch aesthetic. At its heart beats the Calibre 861, a manually wound column-wheel chronograph movement that Omega introduced in 1968 to replace the legendary Calibre 321. The 861 offered improved reliability and was the movement inside the watches worn on the Apollo lunar missions throughout the 1970s, cementing its place in horological history. Case diameter sits at 42mm — substantial but wearable — with the black dial, applied Omega logo, and tachymeter bezel that collectors worldwide recognize immediately.

Among Speedmaster collectors, the 145.022 occupies prime real estate. It bridges the golden era of space exploration and the more accessible vintage market, offering genuine NASA-era provenance without the stratospheric premiums commanded by the earlier Calibre 321 references. Condition, dial variants, and case sharpness drive value significantly on the secondary market.

Crowe, known for wearing quality timepieces both on and off screen, suits the 145.022 perfectly in this role. Healy is a man of working-class pragmatism — the Speedmaster, tool watch of astronauts and tradesmen alike, fits that characterization without a word of dialogue.

On today's grey market, a clean Omega Speedmaster Professional ref. 145.022 with Calibre 861 trades around $7,000, depending on box, papers, and dial condition. Retail for the current Speedmaster Moonwatch starts above $6,000, making vintage examples like this a historically richer proposition at comparable money. Tip credit: @cyberneticbum.