Boldly Going Where No Man Has Gone Before – “The First Omega in Space”

Written by Tom Dunn of TH Baker

The Omega Speedmaster watch has long enjoyed recognition has the model also known as “Moonwatch,” due to its long association with NASA’s manned space missions. First worn during the Gemini 4 spacewalk, and later brandished on the very surface of the moon, the Speedmaster has become synonymous with the exploration of new frontiers. But the Moonwatch, so named in recognition of the vigorous NASA testing it passed time and time again, was not, in fact, the first Speedmaster to journey through the stratosphere. Instead, this accolade belongs to Wally Schirra’s personal Speedmaster, now enjoying renewed recognition as the Moonwatch “First Omega in Space.”

To commemorate 50 years since Wally Schirra’s Speedmaster joined him on the Mercury Atlas 8 mission, Omega have brought his classic model rocketing into the 21^st century, whilst still carrying a number of heritage hallmarks that make it stand apart from the other Speedmaster models currently available on the market. Unlike modern Speedmasters, the Moonwatch “First Omega in Space” eschews a stainless steel bracelet in favour of a rich brown leather strap, evoking the dark Velcro fabric of the NASA-certified watches in a more sophisticated form. This legacy approach continues on the model’s stunning under-case, which features an embossed Omega seahorse design and title lettering.

The case itself is formed from polished and brushed stainless steel, at a width of 39.70mm. The surrounding bezel ring, formed from smooth black aluminium, features the Speedmaster’s iconic tachymetric scale, here rendered in its most stylish form through its monochromatic contrast and period font use. As with all Speedmasters, this watch also features hands coated with Super-LumiNova, making it both an attractive and practical item for the horological connoisseur.

Inside, the “First Omega in Space” contains the very same movement that Schirra made use of during his mission of 1962 – the legendary manual-winding calibre 1861, later used in the Moonwatch model that would see many more American astronauts through successful space missions. For those who favour more terrestrial exploration, the watch is water resistant to 50 metres / 167 feet, and features a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal face.

Heritage watches are very much in vogue right now with watch fans, with a number of Swiss manufacturers producing modernised pieces based upon some of their most memorable models. What sets the “First Omega in Space” apart is its use of the original movement seen in 1962, maintaining an air of authenticity that, when combined with the impeccably sophisticated finish, offers a watch that feels and looks absolutely timeless.

This watch is available to buy via TH Baker here…

You can follow Tom on twitter @THBaker_TomD

and you can see some of Tom’s other contributions like the article on the Omega Skyfall on The Watch Review Site, or the Tag Heuer Ladies F1 ceramic watch..

50 years of James Bond – Omega Seamaster Skyfall

Here’s the first article by our latest contributor Tom Dunn, as we have not jumped on the James Bond 007 band wagon yet, Tom thought we should get an article out about the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Skyfall Limited edition watch…

Written By Tom Dunn

It’s a big year for James Bond, a very big year indeed. Exactly five decades ago, Sean Connery’s first outing as the iconic spymaster hit the big screens under the title Dr. No, and the world has never looked back. To celebrate this landmark 50^th anniversary, the latest 007 feature, Skyfall hits UK cinemas on the 26^th October, acting as the end cap to a season of commemorative events. With a wardrobe designed by Tom Ford, the film is the latest in a line of stylish collaborations between the franchise and artists, many of which featured in the recent ‘Designing 007’ retrospective at the Barbican, London.

Also celebrating is OMEGA, whose Seamaster Planet Ocean 600m Skyfall Limited Edition watch marks the seventh partnership between this leading Swiss watch brand and Ian Fleming’s greatest hit. Compared to earlier models, the Skyfall Planet Ocean features subtler references to Bond, eschewing the embossed 007 black dial face of the James Bond Seamaster in favour of an ingenious logo setting at the ‘7’ position on a dial made up predominantly of bars. Another ‘007’ engraving features on the watch’s steel diving clasp.

Featuring a 42mm brushed and polished stainless steel case and bracelet, the Skyfall’s aesthetic is as subtly sophisticated as Bond himself, featuring a considered use of grey on its uni-directional rotating diving bezel, and an embossed grid pattern on its jet black dial. In keeping with its role as part of the Planet Ocean series, the OMEGA Skyfall also functions as a diving watch par excellence, with a water resistance of 60 bar (or 600 metres) accompanying its divers bezel.

Of course, it’s not all about the exterior. The Skyfall Planet Ocean is powered by one of OMEGA’s latest movements; the exclusive Co-Axial calibre 8507. Fitted here with black SKYFALL 007 engraving on its rotor, the movement can be seen through the sapphire crystal glass functioning as the watch’s caseback. Finished off with an Si13 silicon balance spring, this piece of precision engineering is as cutting-edge as a gadget from the master inventor Q himself.

Each Skyfall watch is presented in a specially designed box, with the production run limited to just 5,007 pieces. Impeccably designed, this watch is the ideal homage to a man as undeniably stylish as he was fifty years ago.

You can follow Tom on twitter @THBaker_TomD

We do have to add that the actual watch on sale by Omega and the one worn in the film are slightly different as the one in the action sequences is a unique piece made from titanium by Omega. This unique piece will be on sale at auction and you can read a little more about this unique piece on Longitude – Christies Watch Blog courtesy of another of our contributors Meehna Goldsmith 

The Official Watches of The London 2012 Olympics by Omega – Three individual Omega Seamaster’s…

Written by: D Constant for The Watch Review Site

Sitting here in my living room in London with a new born baby boy trying to get him to relax and sleep watching the London 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony it dawned upon me, I haven’t shown you the Official Olympic Timekeepers London 2012 Specialities…

Sorry been a little busy, late nights (3 1/2 week old), early mornings (5 year old), Busy day Work, Play and Summer Holidays oh dear he says…

Well he’s down now so time to let you all know about Omega’s Olympic Specialities for The London 2012 Olympic Games, I will also be posting a brief history of Omega and The Olympics if time permits (you will see why as there are many key time points involved)…  Well here goes fingers crossed I get this up before the Olympics is over in two weeks…

So as we all know Omega are once again the Official Timekeepers of the Olympic Games a role they have played for 80 years as it was back in 1932 that Omega first took the mantle and they have never let it go since, That also makes this the 25th Olympic Games Omega had been Official Timekeeper another milestone, add to that, that it was at the London Olympics back in 1948 that we first saw  the introduction of the Omega Seamaster Watch to the Olympics, and some 64 years on it is befitting the Omega brand that they have included in this Olympic collection amongst two other Omega Seamaster’s specifically produced to commemorate the London 2012 Olympics a limited edition timepiece in the Omega Seamaster 1948 Co-Axial London 2012, which is based on the inaugural Omega Seamaster introduced at the 1948 London Olympics.

As with tradition Omega have released a trilogy of timepieces specifically for the Olympics and the “piece de resistance” in our opinion is the afore mentioned Omega Seamaster 1948 London 2012 Limited Edition Watch, and this is where we begin our introduction to the Omega Seamasters London 2012 Olympic Specialities.

All the watches are Seamasters and all are adorned with the London 2012 Olympic Logo on an engraved case-back.

Omega Seamaster 1948 Co-Axial London 2012 Limited Edition Watch

Omega have decided as its first of Three Special London 2012 Olympic timepieces to produce a  limited edition Omega Seamaster 1948 Co-Axial “London 2012″ which is a redesign of the first ever automatic Seamaster introduced in 1948 at the London Olympics, in the words of Omega

“The watch represents a fitting link between two Olympic Games hosted by a great city.”

The Omega Seamaster 1948 Co-Axial “London 2012″ Limited Edition Watch comes in a 39mm Case and is deemed to be a gents watch, it will be produced in a limited edition of 1,948 pieces and when it arrives will come in a London 2012 presentation box, This piece is Omega’s take on the Vintage 1948 Seamaster Co-Axial Automatic Watch and is to be the Ultimate London 2012 Olympic Games Omega Collectible, if not the Ultimate Olympic Collectible full stop… Well in the watch world, wouldn’t mind one of those torches as a momento, then again there are more torches in existence than the Omega Seamaster 1948 Co-Axial London 2012 Watch.

This is a pure classic Omega Seamaster in looks and to boot has an in house caliber driving its engine in the COSC Certified Omega Caliber 2202 with co-axial escapement.

The look of the  Seamaster 1948 Co-Axial London 2012 is based around its clean opaline silver face behind a double sided coated anti reflective sapphire crystal and polished stainless steel case, with its crisp White Gold Arabic numerals at 3,6,9 and 12 and its white gold hour markers, the Omega oozes vintage classic style. This Seamaster 1948 Co-axial chronometer features diamond polished hour and minute hands, with a separate seconds dial at 6 o’clock, highlighted by the deep blue steel hand.

The black leather strap, with polished silver buckle just adds to the exquisite looks of this limited edition London 2012 seamaster.

The Crown of the Seamaster 1948 is embossed with a vintage Ω symbol and as stated previously has an embossed caseback, but unlike the other two Omega Seamaster Olympic London 2012 Watches this caseback is embossed in 18ct yellow gold London 2012 Logo. The caseback is also engraved with the water resistance rating and limited edition number of 1,948 as expected.

As for water resistance the The Omega Seamaster 1948 Co-Axial “London 2012″ Limited Edition watch is water resistant to 120 metres / 400 feet / 12 bar.

We feel that Omega have thought carefully about the Olympic Games in London 2012 and have come up trumps with the Seamaster 1948 London 2012 and this lovely watch is available from Ernest Jones in the UK at £3,700.00

Omega Seamaster 1948 Co-Axial “London 2012″ Limited Edition – Technical Details

Steel case -yellow gold caseback on leather strap Ref: 522.23.39.20.02.001

Movement – Caliber Omega 2202, Self-winding movement

Functions – hour, minute and small seconds hands at 6 o’clock,

Co-Axial Escapement for greater precision stability and durability of the movement.

Power reserve – 48 hours

Crystal – Domed scratch-resistant sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment on both sides

Case - Steel & yellow gold

Case Diameter - 39 mm

Dial – Silver

Water Resistance – 120 m (360 feet)

Features – Chronometer, Small seconds

Limited edition of 1,948 pieces

On to the next two Omega Seamaster Watches for the London 2012 Olympics, and these come in the guise of a gents and ladies version of The Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Co-Axial Chronograph London 2012, both available in Stainless Steel with corresponding Bracelet and a bi-coloured Red Gold and Stainless Steel Case with Dark Blue Leather Strap.

The Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Co-Axial Chronograph “London 2012” Men’s Watch

The Men’s version of this Omega London 2012 Olympic watch is available in a sturdy 44 mm case, The Omega Aqua Terra Co-Axial Chronograph “London 2012”  comes as pictured above in  a Stainless Steel Case edition with matching Stainless Steel bracelet, or as a bi-colour polished and brushed case made from both 18 ct red gold and stainless steel with a contrasting dark blue leather strap as pictured below

The Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Co-Axial Chronograph “London 2012″ makes a great impression with its sturdy and substantial 44mm case and the as expected vertically striped teak pattern dial (quickly becoming a must on a Omega Aqua Terra Watch) in deep blue PVD coated dial on both versions of this London 2012 timepiece.

Both Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Co-Axial’s  have a date window located between 4 and 5 o’clock, along with three sub-dial complications being the Chronograph recording up to 30 minutes at 3 o’clock, the 12 hour chrono at 6 o’clock and small seconds counter at 9 o’clock, and both dials are set behind a double sided anti reflected, scratch resistant domed Sapphire Crystal.

The only differences in the dials of the two versions come when you look at the hands, hour markers and Omega Logo, the stainless steel model has white gold versions, whereby the Rose Gold Watch has Rose Gold versions both polished and faceted. Both are treated with with white Super LumiNova making them readable in low light conditions and the dark.

The Crown of both of the Seamaster Aqua Terra Co-Axial Chronograph London 2012 watches are embossed with a vintage Ω symbol and as stated previously have an engraved and embossed caseback showing the Olympic London 2012 logo. The casebacks are also engraved with the water resistance rating and details of the watch and movement.

The Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Co-Axial Chronograph London 2012 is water resistant to a depth of 150 metres, 500 feet or 15 bar. The only other thing we have not highlighted is the strap, its deep blue leather and is actually extremely nice and fits the watch in both looks and style exceptionally well.

Both these watches are available to purchase in the UK from Ernest Jones with the Stainless Steel with Stainless Steel Bracelet version at £4,700.00 and the Rose Gold with Blue Strap at £6,500.00

Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Co-Axial Chronograph “London 2012″ – Technical Details

Steel on Steel Bracelet – Ref: 522.10.44.50.03.001 (Mens) Priced at £4,700.00

Movement – Caliber Omega 3313, Self-winding chronograph movement with column wheel mechanism and Co-Axial Escapement for greater precision stability and durability of the movement.

Functions – date, hour, minute and continuous small seconds hands and central chronograph hand.

Power reserve: 52 hours

Crystal – Domed scratch resistant sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment on both sides

Case - Steel

Case Diameter - 44 mm

CaseBack – Stainless Steel Engraved London 2012 Logo

Dial - Blue

Screw-in crown

Water Resistance – 150 m (500 feet)

Features – Date, Chronometer, Small seconds, Chronograph

Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Co-Axial Chronograph “London 2012″ – Technical Details

Steel & Red Gold on leather strap – Ref: 522.23.44.50.03.001 (Mens) Priced at £6,500.00

Movement – Caliber Omega 3313, Self-winding chronograph movement with column wheel mechanism and Co-Axial Escapement for greater precision stability and durability of the movement.

Functions – date, hour, minute and continuous small seconds hands and central chronograph hand.

Power reserve: 52 hours

Crystal – Domed scratch resistant sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment on both sides

Case - Steel & Red Gold

CaseBack – Stainless Steel Engraved London 2012 Logo

Case Diameter - 44 mm

Dial - Blue

Screw-in crown

Water Resistance – 150 m (500 feet)

Features – Date, Chronometer, Small seconds, Chronograph

 As for the Ladies the Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Co-Axial Chronograph “London 2012″ comes in a smaller 34mm case and is again available in two forms, a Stainless Steel with Stainless Steel bracelet as the mens equivilent and a bi-coloured version, but in this instance its Yellow Gold and Stainless Steel unlike the Red Gold of the Mens version.

As with the Mens versions they come with engraved and embossed casebacks with the London 2012 Logo and both watches sport the customary Blue striped teak effect dial face.

The fundamental differences come in the positioning of the date window, which is at 3 o’clock on the ladies versions and the lack of any chronograph functions.

The Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Co-Axial “London 2012,” Ladies is intended for ladies are driven by Omega’s in-house caliber 8520, equipped with the brand’s trademark co-axial escapement and and anti magnetic, shock-resistant silicon balance spring.

All in All Omega has impressed us with their offerings for the London 2012 Olympics, its just strange that we opted to highlight the cheapest of the three models as our stand out candidate, what do you think?

Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Co-Axial “London 2012″ (Ladies) – Technical Details

Steel on steel ref: 522.10.34.20.03.001 & Steel-yellow gold on leather strap ref: 522.23.34.20.03.001

Movement – Caliber Omega 8520 Self-winding movement with Co-Axial Escapement for greater precision stability and durability. Free sprung-balance system with silicon balance-spring.

Automatic winding in both directions to reduce winding time. Rhodium plated finish with exclusive Geneva waves in arabesque.

Functions – date, hour, minute and continuous small seconds central hands.

Power reserve: 50 hours

Crystal – Domed scratch resistant sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment on both sides

Case - Steel (Steel) & Steel-yellow gold (Yellow Gold)

Case Diameter - 34 mm

CaseBack – Stainless Steel Engraved London 2012 Logo

Dial - Blue

Screw-in crown

Water Resistance – 150 m (500 feet)

Features – Date, Chronometer

Well we managed to get this finished after two milk breaks and before the end of the Olympics, not the ceremony but the actual games, hope you enjoy reading it.

Omega & The London 2012 Olympic Games – A Little History 

Press Release by Omega Watches

In 2012, London will host the Olympic Games for the third time, the only city to do so. When the last Olympic Games took place in London in 1948, Omega was there as Official Timekeeper. We are looking forward to returning to the city where, for the 25th time, we will assume our Olympic timekeeping role.

The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games have special significance for Omega. It has been 80 years since the brand first served as Official Olympic Timekeeper at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympic Games. It will also mark the 25th time Omega has assumed this enormous responsibility.

London welcomed the world to the first post-War Olympic Games in 1948. On short notice, the Organising Committee triumphed in bringing together 4,000 athletes from 59 countries who competed in 117 events. The Olympic Games were not only once again the greatest sporting spectacle on Earth but a powerful symbol of a world at peace.

1948 – The birth of modern sports timekeeping

Times have changed considerably both for athletes and for timekeepers since 1948. That was the year that OMEGA helped to usher in the birth of modern sports timekeeping.

This year in London, our new equipment will include a highly advanced timer and an updated athletics starting block. But these, and the rest of our devices, have the same aim as the chronograph stopwatches used to time each event at the Los Angeles 1932 Olympic Games: to record for posterity the extraordinary performances of the best athletes in the world.

2012 – London meets a new challenge

The challenge that London has set itself for the 2012 edition of the Olympic Games is every bit as audacious as the one in 1948. The London Organising Committee and the people of London committed themselves to revitalising an entire section of their city, while using some of the most iconic venues imaginable: Wembley Stadium, Wimbledon, Lord’s Cricket Ground and Greenwich Park among others. No other city in the world could offer such a thrilling combination of historic and contemporary locations for an Olympic Games.

Remarkable watches for a spectacular event

1948 was important for Omega not only in terms of Olympic timekeeping but also because the brand launched the Seamaster line that has been such an important part of its product offering ever since. The Seamaster 1948 ‘London 2012’ Limited Edition to honour the Olympic Games is based on the design of that very first Seamaster, which is as stylish now as it was more than sixty years ago

To commemorate the Games, Omega has also created the Seamaster Aqua Terra 44mm London Chronograph in two configurations. One features a bicolour case crafted from 18 Ct red gold and stainless steel and presented on an integrated blue leather strap. The other is made of rugged stainless steel and is presented on a matching bracelet.

At the service of the IOC and the world’s greatest athletes

We value our partnership with the International Olympic Committee and are proud to be at the service of the talented athletes who make the Olympic Games the world’s highest-profile sporting event. Our role as Official Timekeeper is one that we take very seriously and our association with the IOC has resulted in the development of some of the most significant innovations in timekeeping and data handling technology.

All Photo’s Courtesy of Omega Watches

George Daniels: The Master Speaks

Omega Z-33 More Details – Watch Review

Written by D Constant for The Watch Review Site

Looking back at BaselWorld  2012 in a little more detail…..

Where shall we start, well I think we should go back to previous article on The Watch Review Site –  /baselworld-2012-its-a-wrap/ and start from the top with the Omega Z-33 or to give it it’s full name The Omega Spacemaster Z-33. (we think that’s it’s full name)

So….. where did the Spacemaster z-33 emerge from, it seems to be a cross between the Omega Flightmaster (first introduced in 1969) and the Omega Speedmaster X-33 (introduced to the world in 1998).  A couple of test tubes later (well computer generated 3D graphics), merge the two and out pops a Spacemaster Z-33.

Omega Flightmaster

Omega Speedmaster X-33

The z-33 launched into Omega’s collection in 2012 combines elements from the externals of the Flightmaster and internals of the Speedmaster X-33. Well after a few tweeks and updates by Omega to meet market expectations and trends. Well you wouldn’t expect the market to stand still since 1969 would you….

As with the ongoing trend of the Omega’s these days the case of the z-33 is ultra-thick, Like it or Not is solely down to personal taste, me I am not too overly keen on extra thick cases. Omega following on from the Planet Ocean Chronograph have again put to market an ultra thick cased watch.

Does the emergence of the Z-33 compliment the Omega range of watches, well its different….

Now to the real stuff the Z-33 features a new quartz movement devised by Omega in house  – calibre 5666, it calibrates both the analogue and digital portions of the watch. The digital display dial face tells date, UTC, times in two time zones, along with perpetual calendar, alarm setting, and other chronograph functions.

As a pilot’s watch, the Omega Z-33 can also record data and logs for up to ten flights.

The case is made out of grade 5 titanium, polished, sand-blasted, and brushed. As for the double walled case back construction for sound resonance to amplify the alarm for noisy planes.

As you probably noticed the Z-33 dial says ‘Spacemaster’  while the strap says ‘Speedmaster’. It also bears the Omega Seahorse and Omega Emblem on the case back along with Speedmaster designation. So Omega class it in the Speedmaster range. So does that mean it’s an Omega Speedmaster Spacemaster Z-33?

Looking through Omega’s official press releases and documentation available on the Z-33 they don’t know what to call it either in one place it’s a Spacemaster and then in the same article it’s a Speedmaster. I’m sure when launched we will have a definitive name but there is no mistaking the styling and lokk of the Z-33.

The Z-33 is rated water resistant up to 100 feet.

As for the dial and face – The red LCD display is perfect for low light conditions and all indexes and hands are coated with Super-LumiNova for easy reading at night when it comes to the analogue side of things. It also has a button that will move the analogue hands so the LCD is fully visible. Smart.

The Omega z-33 comes with two strap options, brown “Soft Touch” leather band or black rubber strap, both equipped with a titanium clasp.

Technical Details

Case : Grade 5 titanium with ‘double wall’ resonance chamber construction for alarm.
Calibre : Thermo-compensated Quartz calibre 5666
Dial : Matte black. White indexes, skeletonised hour and minute hands coated with Super-Luminova.
LCD panels : for digital function. Black screens with Red transreflective LCD
Crystal : Sapphire
Water Resistance : 3 bar/ 30m/ 100ft

Strap: brown “Soft Touch” leather band or black rubber strap, both equipped with a titanium clasp.

Written by: Martin Green

15th March 2012

Basel 2012 is a wrap! The new models have been introduced and very soon it is time to see how they are going to perform at the box-office. Sometimes it is very difficult to figure out what will be hot and what will be….not, but of course we do already have our preferences based on personal taste.

The Omega Z-33

Omega starts off very daring with the new Z-33. If you thought the X-33 was extreme when it was introduced then the Z-33 will rock your world even more. For this watch Omega revived one of their case designs from the 1970’s, gave it way too many buttons and added two windows to the dial to display the digital readout in retro red. It gives the watch a space age kind of look, but does give you the idea that unless you fly the Thunderbird 1 for a living this watch is kind of out of place.

Video of Citizen EcoDrive Satellite Wave

Perhaps Omega should have taken the approach of Citizen. They showed the Citizen EcoDrive Satellite Wave at Basel and that is a very good and high end looking watch. Don’t worry, Citizen might have made the watch more upscale, but it is still a unique piece of technology since this is the first watch that actually doesn’t sync its time though radio waves, but with a direct link to a GPS satellite. This means that even in the middle of the Russian Tundra or the Sahara you can get the correct time down to the precise second!  It’s price is also a very adult around £2,600.

The Omega Speedmaster 1962

To get back to Omega, they fortunately make up the Z-33 with the introduction of the Omega Speedmaster 1962. Another lovely variation of the so beloved chronograph and maybe the best looking Speedmaster yet. This one pays tribute, and looks of course a lot like the second generation Speedmaster. That one was introduced before we landed on the moon, so it is not exactly a moonwatch, but  it was worn in during a space flight and is nevertheless a watch with a lot of character.

It is now officially more difficult to keep all these moonwatches apart than the different Rolex Submariners.

Official Rolex Sky Dweller Video

But talking about Rolex! What a surprise they had in store this time! The new Rolex Sky-Dweller forms a unique combination of complications and user friendliness, in a packaging that for Rolex is a revolution instead of an evolution. It might take some getting used to for some, but in the end I think Rolex will have a true winner on its hand with this one. The only thing they got a bit wrong is the name. Sky-Dweller sounds a bit odd….Sky-Walker would have been much better!

Tudor Neoprone automatic adjustment bracelet Video

Sister brand Tudor was also on a role, and hit two solid homeruns. First is the Pelagos, a divers watch made out of titanium with a nice 3D dial design, typical Tudor hands and a very innovative clasp. Not only does it have an easy to use fine-adjustment, but it also compensates for the effects water pressure has on the body and diving suit by tightening up automatically thanks to springs inside the clasp, so that the watch is always safely around the wrist.

Tudor Heritage Black Bay

If you prefer a more old school model, then the Tudor Heritage Black Bay has it all. Domed sapphire crystal, gilt dial, burgundy diving bezel. How delightful can retro be? Especially with a name that immediate takes you back to the time of pirates and buccaneers, and makes you want to enlist on a big sail ship…or take a cruise!

Harry Winston Opus 12

High expectations were there for the new Harry Winston Opus 12. The unique collection of watches has a certain status to uphold at being a frontrunner when it comes to innovative watch making. Granted it was very hard to beat Opus 11, yet Opus 12 doesn’t seem to live up to the high expectations. Of course it is a technically very advanced and complicated watch, but also quite an impractical one. The system reminds me a bit of  the Frederic Jouvenot Helios, but instead of turning cones and the minutes in the center the Harry Winston Opus 12 actually has hour and minute hands that turn but are only accurate within 5 minutes. Do you want to know the exact time then you can check how far it is to the next 5 minutes by a little retrograde indicator in the center of the dial. Great technology that makes it possible but just like the Hermes Arceau Temps Suspendu, and Chanel J12 Tourbillon Retrograde Mysterieuse it’s more inpractical than truly adding something to the mix.

 Hublot $5 million dollar watch

Who is also adding something to the mix is Hublot. A new Baselworld means a new Hublot million dollar watch, which is now worth 5 million dollars. How did they do it? The only way possible: larger diamonds. Of course there is room for improvement, and larger diamonds, so Basel 2013 will probably be the place where the brand will introduce the long expected……6 million dollar Hublot!!

Breitling Transocean Unitime Chronograph

Breitling didn’t seem to know that the large watch trend is slowing down a bit. They introduced a beautifully styled Transocean Unitime chronograph. The version with a cream white dials is especially stunning and could be the perfect travel watch. Could be because with a diameter of 46mm  it isn’t  and you almost have to call ahead to your hotel to check if the night stand is large enough to put this watch on when you are going to sleep. Less is more Breitling!

Official Antoine Martin Video

The return of Martin Braun with the brand  Antoine Martin, is, of course, very pleasant news. It reminds us a lot of the path Gerald Genta and Daniel Roth have traveled when they left the companies that bore their names. Braun also seems to be back with a vengeance, judging by the Quantieme Perpetuel au Grand Balancier that is the first watch to be launched by his new brand. The styling of the watch has some hints of Ateliers deMonaco’s design language but is mainly a bold mix of sportiness and classical design elements.

Amazing is the complexity of the case and dial as well as the movement. With a balance wheel of 17.5mm in diameter, this watch houses the largest balance wheel ever used in a wristwatch, but that is not all this watch has to offer. The layout of the perpetual calendar is beautiful, with a big date at 6 o’clock and a vertical display of day and month. A leap year indicator is also included with a day/night indicator as a bonus on the dial side.

A power reserve meter is “hidden” on the back of the watch, which has runs from 6 to 0 days! Only one remark for this young brand: If the classical time of 10:10 to display a watch in pictures and videos doesn’t work for you, because it blocks both the day and the month windows of the watch, please break free from tradition and opt for a different time, since this watch deserves to have all its features seen!

Original Review can be seen on http://www.watchmatchmaker.com/2_womens_watches/basel-2012-the-ups-and-downs.html#more-7482

The OMEGA Constellation Double Eagle 4-Counters

The Constellation Double Eagle watches have long celebrated OMEGA’s close relationship with the Royal and Ancient Game of golf. The Double Eagle is a robust watch for all seasons, with its screw-in case helping to guarantee water resistance to 100 metres (330 feet, 10 bar) – but it is as fashionable as it is sporty.

This year, the popular line is extended with the introduction of the redesigned OMEGA Constellation Double Eagle Co-Axial 4-Counters.

This stunning watch is powered by OMEGA’s Co-Axial calibre 3890 and is a COSC-certified chronometer.

The black dial features a distinctive truncated inverted Clou de Paris motif and its four counters, or sub-dials, are appealingly arranged across the watch’s face. From left to right, the sub-dials represent the small seconds, a seven-day recorder and 12-hour and 30-minute counters. Just above the centre of the watch is a window which shows the day of the week.

Like the other members of the family, the Constellation Double Eagle 4-Counters has a sporty dial in matt black with contrasting counters. The stainless steel Double Eagle 4-Counters has an integrated black rubber strap with a satin-brushed stainless steel foldover clasp.

The attention to detail in the design of the Double Eagle 4-Counters is reflected by its 18 Ct white gold facetted hour markers, facetted and truncated Dauphine hands, and applied OMEGA symbol and name.

A date window at 6 o’clock completes the dial, which is protected by a domed, scratch-resistant sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment on both sides. The screw-in transparent sapphire crystal case back reveals OMEGA’s revolutionary Co-Axial movement.

The Double Eagle 4-Counters is equipped with a black aluminium bezel with silver Arabic numerals.

The Constellation Double Eagle 4-Counters blends rugged performance and reliability with a distinctive flair – this is a watch which is equally at home on the course or on the town. And the dramatic arrangement of four counters on the dial reminds you: this is an OMEGA!

 OMEGA Constellation Double Eagle

Source: http://wristwatchnews.co.uk/?p=6