Omega 2011 Baselworld Releases

Omega has released a Baselworld video to excite the apetites of watch aficionados and Omega collectors.  Run the video below and see if you can identify new releases amongst the watches featured. 

One piece you will not see is the new Flightmaster re-release.  That release will be left until later this year.

The new Seamaster Planet Ocean 45.50 mm Chronograph, calibre 9300.

This newest of the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean family is a thick and chunky 45.50 mm in diameter, as is the case with many contemporary professional dive watches. The stainless steel brushed/polished case is offered with either the much-admired matt aluminium orange bezel or the more subdued matt black ceramic option. 

Case design varies little from earlier PO chronographs, their visual appeal enhanced by thoughtful attention to the case middle. The sculptural lines of the curved lugs, bevelled and black polished against a brush finished background, provide an impressive frame for the visage of the watch. Quality of case construction is second-to-none with meticulous edge finishing and detailed treatment of unexposed parts. A brushed screw-in case back with a sapphire crystal completes the ensemble.  Matching bracelets are available to those looking for the full stainless steel treatment.

Of course, the feature that has generated the most comments, and indeed compliments, is the two-register dial with the chronograph sub-dial at 3 o’clock.   This act of combining the twelve hour and sixty minute counters unclutters and balances the matt black dial and recalls an earlier period when chronographs routinely sported two sub-dials. While I much prefer broad-arrow hands in non-chronograph watches because of visibility issues, I have to reluctantly admit that they enhance the design narrative of the  watch.

The calibre 9300 family of chronographs is as yet unproven, and we must look to the calibre 8500 series for hints about the potential of this movement.  In its short life span, the calibre 8500 has earned a reputation of being at the vanguard of a generational change of ‘new tech’ production series movements.    The employment of new diamond-like carbon coatings on the twin barrels to combat wear, the use of advanced metallurgy, ceramic bearings on the automatic winding system reversers, an innovative gearing system that improves efficiency along the entire gear train, the tri-level co-axial system and Si14 silicon balance all work harmoniously to produce unheard of amplitude deviations that beat competitor movements hands down.  

The calibre 8500 series of movements are the twenty-first century successors of the best in production watchmaking and are poised to overshadow twentieth-century technology in the likes of the Rolex calibre 3135.  Much of the fruits of this impressive renaissance of Omega in-house movements transfers to the new calibre 9300 series.   Only time will prove the reliability and robustness of the chronograph module, but investment made in the design and creation of this calibre offers hope that it will live up to modern expectations of how a tool watch should perform. Priced at around $7500 - $7700, depending on the bezel, this new collection represents real value over its predecessors.

With black ceramic bezel

Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Titanium Liquidmetal Blue Dial

Powered by Omega's calibre 8500, this 42mm titanium cased model with liquidmetal bezel has been long awaited by Omega collectors. While going against the trend of smaller cases at Baselworld this year, the blue dial reflects the trend towards less cluttered dials. 

The markers, coated with white super-LimiNova and emitting a blue light are a nice size, the bezel is clean, the lines of the case are classic, the blue luminescent broad arrow hands add a little drama to the dial and the overall effect is that of a stylish and balanced design. 

 The minute hand emits a green light, as does the dot on the diving bezel. This feature makes it easy for divers to keep track of time at a glance. The new hands treatment is designed to provide better readability in a variety of conditions.

The blue rubber strap, while perfectly functional in an underwater setting, adds a measure of urban chic to the overall look of the piece. The watch is also available with a titanium bracelet.

The 37.5mm Planet Ocean White 232.32.42.21.04.001 

The amazing Hour Vision Skeleton Platinum Limited Edition

Eighty-eight lucky customers will get to pay around US $48,000.00 for the privilege of owning this limited edition Omega De Ville Hour Vision Skeleton.

First popularised by Parisian watchmaker, Andre-Charles Caron, in 1760, skeletonised watches are the product of ateliers specialising in the high horological arts, where old style crafts specialists cut, bevel, decorate and polish movements to reveal the inner beauty of their workings. A skeletonised watch requires intensive labour and attention to detail, as the intent is not so much to produce a time-telling instrument as it is to create an aesthetic object that can be appreciated for its beauty and high craftsmanship.

Having a long history of creating special pieces, Omega is no stranger to skeletonised watches. In the last two decades we have seen numerous examples offered by Omega, including the skeletonised Speedmaster Apollo in 1994, the Seamaster 50th anniversary model in 1998, moon phase limited edition Speedmasters in 2003 and of recent times the skeletonised central tourbillion models.

A co-axial calibre 8404 with silicon balance spring powers the Hour Vision Skeleton, the base calibre of which is in-house calibre 8500. This model has all the features of the 8500 with the added privilege of being able to peer deep into the mechanism.

Skeletonising has been executed in a contemporary manner, avoiding the flourishes and filigree of the classic craft. The bridges have been severely cut-away and are finished in a strong grain pattern with finely curved bevelling of the edges. The jewels take on the visual effect of nodes and encourage the eye to travel from one point to another and investigate its meaning. The keyless works are a joy to observe in motion as it the silicon spring balance. An 18k gold skeletonised rotor contrasts with the metals of the movement addling a little dazzle to its oscillations.

The 41mm case of the Hour Vision Co-Axial Skeleton Platinum Limited Edition is made from near-pure Platinum, and the now-familiar Hour Vision case structure allows the movement to be viewed from the sides as well as back and front. The beautifully rounded style of the case adds a sculptural element to the aesthetics of the piece and at some angles the lug joins appear as though they are piercing through the large rounded bezel.

The calibre 9300 Speedmaster Co-Axial Chronograph

This new two-register Speedmaster Co-Axial chronograph is powered by the new calibre 9300/9301series chronograph. The dial has two sub-dials instead of the three normally associated with Speedmaster. This is made possible by the innovative placement of the 12-hour and 60-minute counters in the same sub-dial at 3 o'clock allowing a comfortable and intuitive chronograph reading.

Three versions of the Speedmaster 44.25mm Co-Axial Chronograph will be offered. Firstly, in stainless steel with bevelled black dial, white transferred elements, and varnished white hands. A choice of black leather strap or a stainless steel bracelet is offered. The second option is 18 carat orange gold with a black ceramic dial and 18 carat dial furniture. The third option is for those with very deep pockets – 950 platinum with black enamel dial and 18 carat gold hands and applied markers.  
 
While heavy hands in PO chronographs create visibility issues, this Speedie is true to a working chronograph's specifications. The starkness of white on black and classic thin hands offer excellent functionality. 

The stainless steel version will retail in Europe for around the USD 8500 mark.  Expect to pay around USD 35000.00 for the platinum.

The long-awaited Co-Axial calibre series 9300/9301 in profile

Despite rumours to the contrary, the new 9300 series has been built from the bottom plate up. It is a 14 lignes column wheel movement, measuring 32.5 mm in width, and while superficially similar in appearance to the calibre 8500 series it has not been piggy-backed off this 29mm diameter movement. It does, however, feature a double barrel power system providing a reserve of sixty hours and is equipped with a tri-level co-axial escapement. The movement has a column wheel transfer and a vertical clutch which Omega developed especially for this series.

The chronometer grade 9300/9301 movements leave the factory for COSC testing having achieved a maximum range of 4 seconds variation in all 6 positions in terms of daily accuracy. They are are finely tuned example of contemporary watchmaking, and while only time will tell if they live up to expectations of robutsness and durability, if their sibling 8500 series calibres are anything to go by then expectations about performance and resilience can be confidently placed.

The cosmetic finish of the movement is also similar to that of the 8500, displaying dramatic radial Geneve waves in the now familiar arabesque finish with excellent bevelling of the bridge edges. The 9301 movement is the luxury finish version with rotor and balance cock manufactured from 18 carat gold.

This new calibre is manufactured on plant and machinery especially commissioned by Omega and will be exclusive to the brand. The movement measures 7.6mm in depth, which is approximately 1mm thicker than the Rolex calibre 4130.  7.6 mm is a little over 1/4 inch thick, and with clever case design this thickness should not present a problem. The 32.5 mm calibre should be able to accommodate smaller case sizes as trends begin to dictate a move away from the gargantuan styles of the last decade.  

The calibre  9300/9301 is fitted with Omega's Si14 silicon technology. There is substantial freedom in the fabrication of balance-springs made of silicon which allows the Si 14’s geometry to be modified for optimal isochronism, the quality of oscillations occurring in equal periods of time. This isochronous quality reduces the amount of deviation in the watch’s accuracy.

The new calibre 9300 beats at 4hz or 28,800 bph, which varies from the optimal co-axial rate in the calibre 8500 of 25,200 bph. The Omega technical people earlier explained to me that in respect to the calibre 8500, “We can say generally that the transition to a frequency of 25,200 bph for this type of calibre allows the optimum functioning of our Co-Axial escapement, whether for performance, reliability or long-term accuracy.”  It appears that in the larger diameter calibre 9300 with chronograph module the design team has been able to lift the beat rate without compromising performance.  

Baselworld Trends

This year, a number of makers have been inspired by the Art Deco style of the 1920's and 30's, as well as the marked classicism of the 1950's and 60's, whose simple, elegant lines have made a strong comeback.  Notice in many of the current and new Omega lines the strong design reference to the fifties and early sixties in particular.

As an overall trend, Men's watches have returned to a more reasonable 40 to 43 mm in diameter, which makes it hard to understand why Omega in some instances has opted for 45 mm diameter pieces. Ladies' mini timepieces are once again a more fashionable 25 to 30 mm, with the midi a more standard size of 34 to 38 mm. 

Simplicity is also evident in the dials, as demonstrated by  the Planet Ocean Titanium Liquidmetal blue dial. Many brands have stripped their dials to bare essentials, but they are still finely worked, with embossed, flat, pierced or even totally openworked versions, as in the limited edition Hour Vision skeleton model. 

While steel and gold remain the favoured materials, some of the most appreciated finishes are PVD- or DLC-treated. Two-tone models, a favourite until now with Anglo-Saxon clients, have slowly gained in popularity. This year's watches are bolder, with bracelets, straps and cases playing an integral part in this contrast of colours between traditional silvered tones and the lustre of pink or yellow gold. Timepieces are also more classical in appearance, with their round cases, though a few feature more artistic shapes in the Art Deco style. More and more companies have fitted their watches with in-house movements, while tourbillons, striking-mechanisms and perpetual calendars remain the most popular complications. 

 

Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra 44 London Chronograph

Omega will, again, be the official timekeepers to the next Olympic Games. To commemorate the appointment, the company has released the 44mm Seamaster Aqua Terra London Chronograph. Omega’s association with the modern Olympics is a remarkable achievement and London 2012 will mark the 25th occasion on which the organisation has timed the games.

The AT 44 London comes in two models. The ‘terra’ version offers a two-tone 18 karat red gold and stainless steel case complemented by a black leather strap, while the ‘aqua’ version is constructed from stainless steel and accompanied by a fine brushed stainless steel bracelet, the design of which refers back to Omega bracelets of the late nineteen-sixties and seventies.(Click on the picture for a magnified view)

The aesthetics of the case are a delight to observe, thanks to modern case-making precision and methods. The bezel is mirror polished. It’s a perfect foil for the linear adoucissage finish of the inner lugs which are corralled by a broad raised strip of mirror polish sweeping around the entire outer case. As a piece of sculpture, the case is faultless. The abstract London Olympics logo is deeply pressed into the case back, which will please those wanting a memento of the occasion.

The dial is a standard chronograph configuration with small seconds sub-dial at 0900, 30 minute recorder at 1500 and the twelve hour sub-dial at 1800. The dial surface retains the popular Aqua Terra ‘teak pattern’ design and is coated in an attractive hue of blue PVD. While I have great affection for the luminous broad arrow and blunted dagger minute and hour hands, I believe they are better placed in non-chronograph dials because they impair visibility of the sub-dials and affect the functional purpose of chronographs. But, hey, who is going to let functionality get in the way of what is, essentially, an excellent piece of design.

The AT London is water resistant to one-hundred and fifty metres and has a self locking crown that screws into the crown tube. The pushers are attractive in their dual finish and rounded lines.

The movement? In some ways sadly, a calibre 3313 self winding Piguet manufactured column wheel chronograph powers this piece. Yes, it has all the co-axial fruit and a free sprung balance, but I am not convinced that this series of calibres offers the robustness that one should expect in a tool watch. Granted, there have been a number of design fixes over the years, but the riveted intermediate driving wheels remain a problem for me. If industry scuttlebutt is anything to go by, Omega has recognised the durability issues of this family of calibres and will retire them from their men’s chronograph ranges over time.

A good looking watch the Aqua Terra 44 London is, but if I was in the business of purchasing a commemorative London Olympics watch I might just wait until I discover if any commemorative Olympic models will feature the new in-house chronograph calibre 9300 series.

A New Way to Buy a Watch and Not the Seller

It's rare for to me to launch into print to endorse any product or organisation because there is a big responsibility implicit in lending support to the adventures of others. However, when something new and interesting comes along that has the potential to improve the experience and safety of purchasing a watch on the global internet, I’m more than happy to share the news.

WatchXchange, has been launched to provide a more secure marketplace for buyers and sellers of pre-owned watches. Vintage watches will not be part of this enterprise because of the immense difficulties in verifying authenticity over the range of available brands. At this stage the service is available to residents of the USA only with street addresses: post office boxes are disallowed.

The buy-sell system will operate by using a “proprietary intermediate transaction process”. What this means is that each individual watch is appraised for authenticity by experienced watch experts and buyers receive “payment protection” on their purchases.

When a deal is done, WatchXchange receives the watch from the seller and inspects it for authenticity and confirms that it has been accurately represented by the seller. If the watch cannot be authenticated or does not match the listing description, it will be returned to the Seller and your payment is refunded. Once confirmed the watch is shipped free by WatchXchange to your door. Sellers pay a “success” and not a listing fee and buyers pay no fees at all.

Many buyers of recent and pre-owned quality watches are recent graduates of the throw-away watches school and couldn’t tell a balance cock from a stop cock. They are sitting ducks for all sorts of criminal and fraudulent enterprise, but, now, with a respected intermediary coming between them and the vendor to authenticate the watch and handle the money side of things, they don’t have to think of the seller at all once they’ve agreed on price.

For those of us who have bought too many watches in our lifetimes, while we may be able to authenticate the watches we buy, we can now be assured that after we wire the money we won’t receive a registered package that contains a rock in a box!

Click here for more information

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The Omega De Ville Hour Vision Blue

The Omega De Ville Hour Vision family has a newly minted addition, the Hour Vision Blue, which certainly adds a bit of colour to the somewhat dour brown, silver and black dial offerings previously available. While some De Ville dials could be seen as conservative or unremarkable, the convergence of excellent 1950’s derivative design of the 41mm transparent case body, the outstanding beauty and engineering of the calibre 8500 series movement and sophisticated appointments on the dusty blue dial transform this latest iteration of the Hour Vision into something very special.

With trends dictating more black in today’s fashion than there ever was in Joseph Heller’s humour, this watch can be worn across the day and night without embarrassment. It also compliments the more ‘adventurous’ choices of fabric colour favoured in business wear, such as ash grey, charcoal and navy blue, and holds its own with the camel, beiges, khakis and greys worn casually on the weekend. We are truly so adventurous in our fashion choices these days – aren’t we?

Omega also took the opportunity to associate the release of the Hour Vision Blue with a worthy piece of philanthropism by committing to donate a minimum of a million dollars over four years to the international eye care organisation, ORBIS. This organisation of specialists and medicos operates in more than eighty less-developed countries, offering treatment for a range of poverty-related eye conditions that lead to blindness, and it also trains local doctors in oculoplastic surgery. Couldn’t think of a better cause, so more power to Omega’s elbow for its generosity.

But, did they have to bring Daniel Craig into this? I realise that it’s de rigueur for even minor Hollywood hacks to adopt a charity and be associated with ‘good works’ – it’s considered beneficial for career and celebrity maintenance - but, I find it a curious that Omega would link this woody little British actor with the steroidal scowl to the De Ville collection, particularly after having invested a mozza in Seamaster product association with the Bond character. Anyway, let’s forget the hype, give Omega ten heavenly credits for helping ORBIS, forget about Daniel Craig and focus on this excellent watch.

Technically, all the earlier praise of the Hour Vision can be heaped on the Blue. The calibre 8500 power plant features the three-level co-axial upgrade, allowing for autonomous adjustment of the hour hand, an especially nifty feature for those who travel across time zones. The movement is chronometer certified and the case is water resistant to a hundred metres.

The dusty blue dial is finished in the customary ‘sun-brushed’ manner, allowing the light to play beautifully on the four-rimmed raised platform, upon which sit 18 karat white gold facetted markers in the tapered and blunted Hour Vision style. The luminous hands continue the tapered design story with a longer centre sweep reaching out to the edge of the chapter ring. An understated date aperture finishes off this subtle and classic dial design.

The whole combination - stainless steel case, blue dial with white gold dial furniture and black leather strap - gives the Hour Vision collection the depth it needed, and, in the process, gave birth to a true classic.

Click on the  pictures for a magnified view 

Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra XXL

The Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra XXL is the perfect accessory for those whose tailoring bears the same label. Making no distinction between walls of muscle or tubs of lard, this AT just cries out to embellish a wrist that would match the circumference of Rush Limbaugh’s head! 

Omega literature declares that the XXL has a “bold” 49.2 mm case (‘Bold’ is the current horological euphemism for ‘ridiculous’ or ‘otherwise indescribable’). The case is a dead-ringer of the limited edition Railmaster colossus that shocked, or awed, depending on one’s outlook, the educated watch-buying public a few years ago, only this time it sports the AT livery.

That having been said, the Aqua Terra dial, combined with a sub-dial registering seconds, certainly offers a very clean design narrative and exceptional aesthetics, further flattered by brushed, polished and faceted hands with an attractive broad-arrow minute hand. The hands and the sharp arrowhead markers have super-Luminova inserts, which, to me, compromises the beauty of the dial and consigns the piece to a shadow-land of ambiguous identity. When, and where, would one wear this watch?

The power plant is interesting and has a lineage dating back to hunter-cased pocket watches of the nineteen-fifties, and, in fact, was designed for that purpose. The Omega chronometer certified calibre 2211A is sourced from an ETA calibre 6498 ebauche that was originally designed for pocket watches by the August Raymond SA company Unitas. This company was a casualty of what we now describe as the quartz and throwaway watch crisis of the late 1970s and when Ebauches S.A. absorbed Unitas, Valljoux and other manufacturers within ETA S.A and finally came under the umbrella of the Swatch Group, many of the original ebauche names and calibre numbers were retained. The tools and related equipment for the Unitas 6498 hunter pocket watch movement became the property of the Swatch Group.

So, the calibre 2211A has a glorious history and is of excellent and proven design. (For a nice little 'riff' on this calibre, click here) Even in its more basic ebauche form it is easy to regulate to chronometer specifications. The seventeen jewel hand-wind movement has deep grain snailing on nicely anglaged bridges (which is an interesting departure from the more common Geneva wave design) and functional finish is excellent. This movement is undoubtedly a classic, and while it provides power for many a brand name, including some Panerais, I would have liked to see this 36.6mm movement in a 41mm  or 42mm case.  

The size of the AT XXL reminds me of the way furniture design went during the Victorian era: from relatively interesting and sophisticated lines and embellishments in the early period to more fruit than on Carmen Miranda’s head in the late period. It seems that human nature dictates that a design trend must be blown out to the point of absurdity before a new counter-trend emerges, and maybe the 49.4mm XXL represents a turning point. But, it still leaves us with the question, who will wear a watch of this size? Japanese sumo wrestlers, steroid-addled body builders, poor little men with a size complex, the criminally obese, for sure, but who else with an ounce of urbanity would touch it?

The Evolving Designs of the Omega Constellation

The Constellation is often derided by the WIS (watch idiot savant) community as ‘dated’. This is particularly the case amongst tool watch devotees and others who favour more aggressive XL sized cases or those who hanker for the beautifully engineered and designed Constellations of the nine-fifties and sixties. But, despite the less than enthusiastic support amongst collectors of contemporary Omega watches, more high-end watch buyers purchase a Constellation than any other Omega series.

If the Omega Constellation collection was a brand in and of itself, it would be the fourth largest selling brand in the world!

The main supporters of the Constellation are women and buyers from the Orient: Japan, India, China and other Tiger economies just love ‘em. ....and it’s all because of the claws. (Click here for an essay on Carol Didisheim, the creator of this famous design)

The now ornamental claws or “griffes” on the Constellation case are one of the most recognisable watch design features on the globe. Unlike some western cultures, Oriental buyers appear to be more partial to dress and jewellery watches and are often more keenly attentive to the role brands play in communicating rank, wealth and position. In Asia, the distinctive claws of the Omega Constellation summon instant associations of brand eminence, sophistication and exclusivity, which suit the up-and-coming and younger demographics down to a tee.

So, don’t imagine that Omega will be departing from the classic Constellation design anytime soon. With such strong iconography, the Constellation with its unique claws and bezel is one of the most visible status watches in the oriental market, and its designs and positioning will remain static as long as it continues to enrich Omega’s coffers.

The Constellation design has been refreshed on a number of occasions since the advent of the original Manhattan models, the latest of which was just over a year ago. The case size of the mens model was increased to 38mm and the visible bridges and oscillating mass of the movement, decorated with Geneva waves in arabesque, can be seen through the crystal case-back.

Shown above is the mens model 123.20.38.21.13.001 in steel and red gold. An attractive and uncluttered brown dial - brushed in a radial fashion that emanates from the Constellation star - is complemented by truncated dagger minute and hour hands and chunky applied red gold hour markers. A larger rounded bezel with engraved roman numerals is anchored by the flatter and enlarged claws, giving the tonneau case a more aggressive and contemporary look. Under the dial is the exclusive Omega calibre 8500 co-axial movement which is proving to be one of the best series movements produced in the new millennium.

Priced at around $8000.00 USD or as little as $6300.00 at some on-line outlets, the new 38mm series Constellation offers a blend of excellent horology and a legendary design story.

New In-House Omega Chronograph Movement Launches at Baselworld 2011

Having alluded earlier this year to a production date of 2011, Steven Urquhart, Omega’s CEO, has confirmed  during a series of public statements this month that the long-awaited in-house chronograph movement will make its debut at Baselworld next year .

The new chronograph mechanism will not piggyback on top of a calibre 8500 series movement, and will be new from the bottom plate up. It will however copy the 8500's double-barrel power system, will incorporate three level coaxial technology and retain the now familiar column wheel configuration.

This new 14 lignes calibre with a power reserve of sixty hours – slated to be called the 9300 and 9301 - will replace the somewhat effete Piguet chronograph movements in all men’s watches. The Piguet 3313 will be enhanced with three-level co-axial technology and will find a home in women’s chronographs. Having once observed that weighing the mighty calibre 1861 against the Piguet chronographs was like comparing a builder’s labourer to a ballet dancer, I applaud the decision to build a more robust men’s chronograph movement.

Omega has acknowledged the need for a more sturdy chronograph movement with an emphasis on quality and reliability, the subtext of which is that the Piguet series did not live up to such benchmarks. The decision is yet another signal of Omega’s trajectory towards a manufacturing ethos that gave the brand such an unassailable reputation in production watchmaking in the nineteen-fifties and sixties.

I think that Omega aficionados will have much to anticipate at Baselworld next year.