These Racing dials have vivid, contrasting colors on the outer track, which is intended to make the chronograph simpler to read at a glance. Similarly, the hands are in a bright red-orange hue, and most examples seem to feature a running seconds hand of the same color. The running seconds counter and hands also appeared in white. We’ll see several editions of these dials over the years, most notably the following: Ref. 145.012-67 Speedmaster ‘Red Racing’ in 1968, which uses the Caliber 321 and features a dot-over-ninety bezel; Ref. 145.022 ‘Orange Racing’ in 1968, which is characterized by orange paint on the outer track and orange chronograph seconds hand; Ref. 145.014 Speedmaster Professional Mark II in 1969, also known as the “exotic” dial variant, which was later reissued in 2014; and the Ref. 3570.40.00 Japan Racing Edition in 2004, which was exclusive to the Japanese market and had the Caliber 1861 at its core. |