Icon. The OMEGA Speedmaster, the companies iconic Moonwatch, has remained relatively unchanged since its release 55 years ago. It has evolved into a variety of models with cases sizes ranging from 35.5 mm to 44.25 mm. It has been built from a variety of precious metals and come up with every type of conceivable dial you can imagine. This chronograph watch has seen its functionality expanded with dual time features and the splits second complication. It even spawned a modernized branch, the Broad Arrow. It has housed manual winding and self winding movements. And still, after 55 years, if you want one that is pretty much identical to the original Speedmaster, you can still get one.
BaselWorld 2012, saw the announcement of two new Speedmasters: the Omega Speedmaster "First Omega in Space" Numbered Edition chronograph and Speedmaster Racing.
OMEGA Speedmaster Racing. The new OMEGA Speedmaster Racing design is geared toward motorsports. The OMEGA Speedmaster Racing has a 40 mm stainless steel case with a matte black aluminium tachymetric ring on its bezel. It is offered in a choice of grey, grey/yellow or grey red tachymetric scaling. The case is water resistant to 100 meters.
The watch is a chronograph. The main second hand is used in conjunction with the chronograph function, while continuous seconds are displayed in a sub-dial at the 9 o'clock position. The 30-minute and 12-hour counters, at the 3 and 6 o'clock positions, and the small seconds hand sub-dial are textured with a triangular “Clous de Paris” pattern. There is a date window at the 6 o’clock position. The hour and minute hands as well as the hour markers are coated with Super-LumiNova.
Inside the Speedmaster Racing is the OMEGA calibre 3330, which has a column-wheel chronograph mechanism and is equipped with a Co-Axial escapement and an Si14 silicon balance spring. The Co-Axial escapement is a OMEGA innovation which is intended to reduce friction, and consequently the watch requires less maintenance. The movement is certified as a chronometer, meaning that it has been tested to have a deviation of not more than +4 or -6 second per day.
The Speedmaster Racing is comes with either a stainless steel bracelet or a black rubber strap.
Well, there you have it. Another Speedmaster. It really is OMEGA's policy to come out with a dizzying array of watches. At present there are over 60. On the one hand, it gives you a wide array of choices. On the other, a Speedmaster is not necessarily easily recognizable as such.
About OMEGA SA. The forerunner of OMEGA was founded 1848, by Louis Brandt. The name OMEGA was first used in 1894. It was used as the name of one of the Louis Brandt brother’s watch movement calibers.
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