The Best New Timepieces From Geneva Watch Days
Who doesn’t love a watch fair? Herein, the best of what we saw at the horological world’s newest festival.
Related articles
Whether you’re a serious collector or merely an aspiring one, it’s hard not to love a watch festival—even if it’s relatively small. This year’s edition of Geneva Watch Days, which first took place last August in the wake of Baselworld’s demise, didn’t disappoint. A group of 27 brands debuted new wares for the occasion, which was held this week in the titular Swiss city. And even though the entirety of the world’s horological press corps didn’t get to see all of the new watches in the metal, thanks to ongoing pandemic-related travel constraints, there was still a lot to like from afar. Below, a look at some of the most inspiring new timepieces at the show.
Bulgari
Bulgari Gérald Genta Micket Mouse, Octo Roma Papillon Tourbillon and Octo Roma World Timer Bulgari
Bulgari kicked off Geneva Watch Days with a slew of new timepieces. The Italian maison went big for the micro event with nine new releases across four collection ranges including everything from high complications and high jewellery pieces to sports watches and a surprise appearance from one of Disney’s most recognizable characters.
The robust lineup includes a new 41 mm Octo Roma Central Tourbillon Papillon (approx. $173,000) which uses a typically feminine inspiration for one of its more complicated pieces with a more conceptual take on the perennial motif that reimagines the way we read time.
The brand didn’t forsake a focus on its less-famous, but no less distinctive, Octo Roma collection. The collection’s new WorldTimer (approx. $11,220), introduced today at the Geneva Watch Days show, tells time around the world the Bulgari way. It contains a new, integrated movement, the 261-component automatic calibre BVL257.
As for the Disney partnership? Bulgari is bringing Mickey Mouse to one of its most iconic formats—the chunky, round Gérald Genta Arena case. The elite brand has been making Mickey Mouse watches since long before Bulgari acquired it in 2000. They have become coveted collectors’ items, along with Genta’s high complications and iconic case designs. You can learn more about all of those watches and the rest of Bulgari’s new offerings at the link below.
Ferdinand Berthoud
Ferdinand Berthoud FB 1.6-3 Ferdinand Berthoud
Known for producing extremely complicated watches in ultra-small quantities, even Ferdinand Berthoud is getting in on the steel sports watch craze, albeit with a one-of-a-kind model. This is not only the first all-black model from the niche watchmaking house, but it is also its first steel model. The alloy is sand-blasted and covered in a black DLC coating. Contrasts to its noir background include elements like a sandblasted hour and minute counter treated with a lighter matte material with hands made of gold, as well as hour markers and a central seconds counter in red, and a power reserve aperture in gold with a red arrow indicator.
On the flip side, the half-bridges (made in sapphire crystal and therefore ensuring an even heftier price tag) are angled, engraved and coloured red—enclosing the tourbillon carriage and central seconds hand. Also visible through the caseback, is the fusee-and-chain transmission, an ultra-complex and very hard-to-make solution for providing a constant force escapement that was common during this brand’s namesake founder’s heyday. Berthoud himself may have never imagined one might exist in a blacked-out DLC coated steel timepiece bearing his name some two centuries later.
As you can imagine, this piece will belong to a rarefied collector. It will only be available at the Art in Time gallery in Monaco and part of the proceeds will go to benefit Prince Albert’s Foundation in the French principality.
Ulysse Nardin
Ulysse Nardin Marine Torpilleur Watches Ulysse Nardin
Ulysse Nardin is a founding partner of Geneva Watch Days and, while it only focused on one collection, presented five new models for its Marine Torpilleur collection. All come equipped with Silicium escapements (the company was among the first to use the material in 2001 on its Freak model) and are marked with the signature “Chronometry since 1846” to herald Ulysse Nardin’s 175th anniversary.
Parmigiani
Parmigiani Tonda PF Annual Calendar Parmigiani
Parmigiani is getting a bit of a makeover under the direction of the brand’s newly appointed CEO, Guido Terreni, who took over the helm in January of this year. The first fruits of his labour were revealed at Geneva Watch Days. The new look is cleaner and more directional with a focus on the Tonda collection, which has a new chronograph, annual calendar and split-seconds model. The new lineup is dubbed the “Tonda PF” in reference to the new branding, which removes the Parmigiani Fleurier name in favour of a simple PF logo at 12 o’clock. And while that’s no small change, Parmigiani’s fan base will likely approve—many collectors over the years have grumbled or joked about the brand name’s similarity, in both pronunciation and spelling, to Italy’s most pervasive cheese, parmesan.
The new 42mm Tonda PF Annual Calendar exemplifies these changes: It comes with retrograde date, day, month indications, as well as a 122-year moonphase aperture that displays the cycle in both hemispheres. But its looks are cleaner and more minimal, a sure sign that change is afoot. You can see the rest of the new watches at the link below.
Girard-Perregaux
Girard-Perregaux Tourbillion With Three Flying Bridges Girard-Perregaux
Girard-Perregaux’s new Tourbillion with Three Flying Bridges was created to celebrate the company’s 230th anniversary, and is the first in this line to cast all three bridges in 18 carat pink gold. Along with supporting the geartrain, barrel and tourbillion the bridges also act as the mainplate, and they feature a black PVD coating that turns their lustre into something of a wearer’s secret. Each flying bridge is painstakingly cut by hand using a small piece of boxwood, requiring skilled artisans a full day to achieve its finish. Following the release of the Perregaux Free Bridge model in 2020, the new watch will be the final reference to join the manufacturer’s Bridges collection.
H.Moser & Cie
H. Moser & Cie Streamliner Perpetual Calendar H. Moser & Cie
A casual glance at H. Moser & Cie’s new Streamliner Perpetual Calendar might leave you with the impression of an exquisitely finished watch with a simple date complication. Look a little closer, and the fourth central hand on its elegant fumé dial invites the question, What’s that for?
The watch, a seamless marriage of Moser’s Perpetual 1 and its popular Streamliner series, uses that fourth hand to indicate the months: January when it’s pointing at 1 o’clock, and so on. The Flash Calendar instantaneous date-change mechanism that figures into the HMC 341 calibre means the date automatically changes at midnight. The hand-wound movement is robust enough to achieve 168 hours of power reserve, and there’s a handy indicator at 10 o’clock.
The 42.3mm cushion case, like its sinuous integrated bracelet, has alternating brushed and polished finishes. It’ll set you back $54,900—a small price to pay for one of the most beautiful ways to know the date.
Greubel Forsey
Greubel Forsey GMT Earth Alex Teuscher/Greubel Forsey
They say the third time’s the charm, and Greubel Forsey’s GMT Earth might just prove it. The model, which debuted in 2011 and got a second version in 2018, is now in its third and final iteration—and the watchmaker is sending it out with a bang. This year’s version, created in a very limited edition of 11 pieces, features a lightweight titanium case and a primarily black and metallic finish that enhances the watch’s urbane aesthetic.
Model three preserves the sapphire crystal alcove that allows the wearer to see its spinning globe from all angles, including at the equator, that Greubel Forsey incorporated into the 2018 edition. It also preserves the original’s clear and readable display: There’s an off-centre hours and minutes display with a small sub-seconds dial, a power reserve indicator, and a GMT indicator with a red hand that helps it stand out against the black gold, lacquer-filled disk.
The spinning globe, which takes up the most real estate on the dial, completes one revolution every 24 hours. You can watch it spin through the sapphire crystal or through the caseback, where the world time indicator shows you the UTC, or Coordinated Universal Time, of 24 major cities representing every time zone. It’s the ultimate travel watch—but if you find yourself grounded, it’s a trip across the world you can wear on your wrist.
Urwerk
Urwerk UR-100 Electrum Diode SA – Denis Hayoun
Revisiting the three-satellite time display of the UR-100 model, launched in 2019, Urwerk’s futuristic watchmakers Martin Frei and Felix Baumgartner came full circle with a new kind of alloy—inspired by the material used in Greek coins from antiquity—to create the latest Electrum version. Although it appears gold in the image, Frei and Baumgartner say it actually gives off a greenish-gold hue IRL. The duo approached two different companies to try and recreate this particular colouring used in ancient currency with no luck. The particular method is health hazardous in today’s times. Instead, they sourced from a company that supplied a type of gold with similar effect, using a mixture of gold and palladium, to Rolex in the ’60s and ’70s and asked them to reproduce it for just 25 pieces of the Electrum.
The concentric rings on the metal, meanwhile, took inspiration from both modern and ancient beauty. Their design board included everything from a runway dress from avant-garde Dutch fashion designer, Iris van Herpen, to the tiered seating of an ancient Greek theatre.
For their next project, the watchmakers teased they have something else up their sleeve—a wild new movement inspired by the automotive industry will be revealed in the coming months.
Breitling
Breitling Top Time Classic Cars Watch Collection franz j. venzin
Breitling took the lifestyle route with a rollout of three new timepieces inspired by 60s-era cars like the Chevrolet Corvette, Ford Mustang and Shelby Cobra. All three chronographs in the Top Time Classic Cars Capsule Collection (approx. $7400) take their hue cues from each sports car. The Top Time Chevrolet Corvette model (pictured centre) has a red dial and black subcounters based on the body of the Corvette C2 or “Sting Ray” from the mid-60s. (Coincidentally, founder Louis Chevrolet was a race car driver born in Switzerland’s watchmaking mecca of La Chaux-de-Fonds.) The green dial with black subdials, our personal favourite, is based on the first Ford Mustang from 1964 and the blue-and-white iteration matches the racing stripes of the Shelby Cobra, created by race car driver and manufacturer, Carroll Shelby, in the 1960s for competitions.
Chevrolet Corvette, Shelby Cobra and Ford Mustang Breitling
The Top Time watches will be a must for collectors with any of these cars in their vintage fleet. Both the Chevrolet Corvette and Ford Mustang models come in 42mm with the Breitling Caliber 25 as their engine—a self-winding 1/8th of a second chronograph movement with 42 hours of power reserve. The logos of the cars that motivated their production are located at 12 o’clock. The Top Time Shelby Cobra is slightly smaller at 40mm and houses the calibre 41, a 1/4th of a second self-winding chronograph movement with 42 hours of power reserve. Its car logo is placed at 6 o’clock. Whether you start with the car or the watch, this launch will inspire you to acquire both. The cars, however, will burn a hole in your pocket.
MB&F x L’Epée
MB&F x L’Epée Orb MB&F
The ongoing collaboration between MB&F and L’Epée never ceases to disappoint. The partnership brings together Max Büsser of MB&F’s wildly creative ideas realized in the form of table clocks with L’Epée’s expertise in the decorative objets. For the duo’s 14th project together, Büsser enlisted a third collaborator, Maximillian Mærtens of Studio Mærtens, a Berlin-based interdisciplinary industrial design studio, to conceive the Orb. Inspired by an eye, the iris is the clock itself in the centre surrounded by curved lacquered white (or black if you prefer) structures that open up in four sections like a flower to expose its inner working parts and perch on its petals on your desk as an alternative display. The petals also swivel so you can play with the position. It’s almost as if the “eye” pops out of its socket to peer at you from your tabletop—a humorous reminder that time is ticking.
The clock comes with 8 days of power reserve and is equipped with a mechanism based on L’Epée’s historic 1839 carriage clocks, known as “officer’s clocks.” The curved aluminium dial sports a domed mineral glass with a hole in the centre to set the time with a key. It has two barrels: one for the time and one for the striking hours, which are each wound separately. It comes in palladium-plated brass and stainless steel and retails for $43,000. Available in white or black, they are limited to 50 pieces each. Although, the most literal interpretation of theme, in white, is our favourite. The company says these will be delivered to retailer in the next two weeks, but are available for pre-order now. Regardless, these are a must-see IRL.
Subscribe to the Newsletter
Recommended for you
A New Chapter for Jaeger-LeCoultre’s ‘Reverso Stories’
A special Reverso exhibit arrives in Sydney this week.
By Josh Bozin
May 8, 2024
Watch of the Week: TAG Heuer Formula 1 | Kith
The legendary sports watch returns, but with an unexpected twist.
By Josh Bozin
May 2, 2024
You may also like.
By Josh Bozin
02/05/2024
30/04/2024
You may also like.
A New Chapter for Jaeger-LeCoultre’s ‘Reverso Stories’
A special Reverso exhibit arrives in Sydney this week.
In 2024, few watchfiends would be unfamiliar with Jaeger-LeCoultre and its enduring Reverso collection. Since 1931, the Reverso has been celebrated as one of the great dress watches of the 20th century.
In recent years, the watch has only gone from strength to strength—in 2023 alone, we received the new Reverso Tribute Chronograph, the impressive Duoface Tourbillon, and the slimmer Reverso Tribute Small Seconds—capturing the imagination of casual observers, collectors, and those looking to scale the horological ladder.
Thanks to exceptional branding experiences, such as ‘Reverso Stories’, a travelling experiential trunk show, it is also part of the cultural conversation. Jaeger-LeCoultre is again summoning its movable experience to Australia, this time in the heart of Sydney’s CBD. For a limited time, eager fans can glimpse the Reverso collection up close and personal via a multi-sensory exhibition tracing the history of this remarkable timepiece.
Presented in four chapters ( Icon, Style and design, Innovation, and Craftsmanship), the Reverso story will be told through the lens of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s expert watchmakers, who combine nine decades of craftsmanship, inventiveness, and design into one interactive experience.
As a bonus, guests will be privy to a large-scale art installation by Korean artist Yiyun Kang—commissioned by the Maison under its ‘Made of Makers’ programme—and the launch of three exceptional new Reverso timepieces, yet to be revealed. These watches will showcase skills such as enamelling, gold-leaf paillonage, and gem-setting, mastered by the manufacturer’s in-house Métiers Rares (Rare Handcrafts) atelier.
Completing the immersion into the spirit of Art Deco, guests will be able to enjoy a complementary refreshment post-experience at the pop-up Jaeger-LeCoultre 1931 Café.
—
‘Reverso Stories’ will be held in Sydney’s Martin Place from 10–19 May 2024. It will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. (and 5 p.m. on Sundays) and free to the public. Visitors are welcome to book online here or register upon arrival.
For more information, visit Jaeger-LeCoultre.
You may also like.
Watch of the Week: TAG Heuer Formula 1 | Kith
The legendary sports watch returns, but with an unexpected twist.
Over the last few years, watch pundits have predicted the return of the eccentric TAG Heuer Formula 1, in some shape or form. It was all but confirmed when TAG Heuer’s heritage director, Nicholas Biebuyck, teased a slew of vintage models on his Instagram account in the aftermath of last year’s Watches & Wonders 2023 in Geneva. And when speaking with Frédéric Arnault at last year’s trade fair, the former CEO asked me directly if the brand were to relaunch its legacy Formula 1 collection, loved by collectors globally, how should they go about it?
My answer to the baited entreaty definitely didn’t mention a collaboration with Ronnie Fieg of Kith, one of the world’s biggest streetwear fashion labels. Still, here we are: the TAG Heuer Formula 1 is officially back and as colourful as ever.
As the watch industry enters its hype era—in recent years, we’ve seen MoonSwatches, Scuba Fifty Fathoms, and John Mayer G-Shocks—the new Formula 1 x Kith collaboration might be the coolest yet.
Here’s the lowdown: overnight, TAG Heuer, together with Kith, took to socials to unveil a special, limited-edition collection of Formula 1 timepieces, inspired by the original collection from the 1980s. There are 10 new watches, all limited, with some designed on a stainless steel bracelet and some on an upgraded rubber strap; both options nod to the originals.
Seven are exclusive to Kith and its global stores (New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Hawaii, Tokyo, Toronto, and Paris, to be specific), and are made in an abundance of colours. Two are exclusive to TAG Heuer; and one is “shared” between TAG Heuer and Kith—this is a highlight of the collection, in our opinion. A faithful play on the original composite quartz watch from 1986, this model, limited to just 1,350 pieces globally, features the classic black bezel with red accents, a stainless steel bracelet, and that creamy eggshell dial, in all of its vintage-inspired glory. There’s no doubt that this particular model will present as pure nostalgia for those old enough to remember when the original TAG Heuer Formula 1 made its debut.
Of course, throughout the collection, Fieg’s design cues are punctuated: the “TAG” is replaced with “Kith,” forming a contentious new brand name for this specific release, as well as Kith’s slogan, “Just Us.”
Collectors and purists alike will appreciate the dedication to the original Formula 1 collection: features like the 35mm Arnite cases—sourced from the original 80s-era supplier—the form hour hand, a triangle with a dot inside at 12 o’clock, indices that alternate every quarter between shields and dots, and a contrasting minuterie, are all welcomed design specs that make this collaboration so great.
Every TAG Heuer Formula 1 | Kith timepiece will be presented in an eye-catching box that complements the fun and colour theme of Formula 1 but drives home the premium status of this collaboration. On that note, at $2,200 a piece, this isn’t exactly an approachable quartz watch but reflects the exclusive nature of Fieg’s Kith brand and the pieces he designs (largely limited-edition).
So, what do we think? It’s important not to understate the significance of the arrival of the TAG Heuer Formula 1 in 1986, in what would prove integral in setting up the brand for success throughout the 90’s—it was the very first watch collection to have “TAG Heuer” branding, after all—but also in helping to establish a new generation of watch consumer. Like Fieg, many millennial enthusiasts will recall their sentimental ties with the Formula 1, often their first timepiece in their horological journey.
This is as faithful of a reissue as we’ll get from TAG Heuer right now, and budding watch fans should be pleased with the result. To TAG Heuer’s credit, a great deal of research has gone into perfecting and replicating this iconic collection’s proportions, materials, and aesthetic for the modern-day consumer. Sure, it would have been nice to see a full lume dial, a distinguishing feature on some of the original pieces—why this wasn’t done is lost on me—and perhaps a more approachable price point, but there’s no doubt these will become an instant hit in the days to come.
—
The TAG Heuer Formula 1 | Kith collection will be available on Friday, May 3rd, exclusively in-store at select TAG Heuer and Kith locations in Miami, and available starting Monday, May 6th, at select TAG Heuer boutiques, all Kith shops, and online at Kith.com. To see the full collection, visit tagheuer.com
You may also like.
8 Fascinating Facts You Didn’t Know About Aston Martin
The British sports car company is most famous as the vehicle of choice for James Bond, but Aston Martin has an interesting history beyond 007.
Aston Martin will forever be associated with James Bond, ever since everyone’s favourite spy took delivery of his signature silver DB5 in the 1964 film Goldfinger. But there’s a lot more to the history of this famed British sports car brand beyond its association with the fictional British Secret Service agent.
Let’s dive into the long and colourful history of Aston Martin.
The origin of the Aston Martin name
The company that would become Aston Martin started out as a car dealership. In 1912, Englishmen Robert Bamford and Lionel Martin partnered to sell cars, but soon after they decided to build their own models. Their first prototype debuted in 1915, named in honour of Martin, a racing driver, and his favourite racing venue, Aston Hills. Thus, the name Aston Martin was born.
A speed-demon co-founder banned from driving
Aston Martin co-founder Lionel Martin wasn’t just a keen racing driver—he was an all-out speed demon. As a student, Martin won numerous gruelling bicycle racing records, including riding nearly the full width of England in one 22-hour stretch. He competed in motorcycle and sidecar races and automotive hillclimb competitions. It seems he also brought that need for speed to the public roadways: In 1909, having neglected to pay a previous speeding fine, Martin was caught driving 41.5 km/ph in London and was banned from driving for two years—during which he set yet another cross-country bicycle record.
A tractor company takes over
The years after World War I were tumultuous for Aston Martin, with financial difficulties and numerous takeovers. In 1947, Aston Martin went up for sale and was purchased by David Brown Limited, a company that specialised in farm tractors and industrial gears. Sir David Brown, grandson of the company’s founder, was a lifelong car enthusiast and racer, having built his own competition cars while working as an engineer at the family company. The first car built by Aston Martin after this takeover was called the DB1, named after the tractor company (and the man) that had saved the carmaker.
An indirect connection to Bentley
Around the same time that Sir David Brown took over Aston Martin, he purchased another struggling British carmaker, Lagonda. The company was developing a revolutionary twin-cam six-cylinder engine called the LB6, and Sir David wanted the engine for his new line of Aston Martin sports cars. The Lagonda engine had been designed by none other than W.O. Bentley—the man who co-founded Bentley Motors, who had long since been pushed out of the company bearing his name.
The history of the DB Series
Aston Martin built seven vehicles named in honour of owner Sir David Brown: The DB1, DB2, DB3, DB4, DB5, DB6, and the combo-breaker DBS all bore Sir David’s initials. In 1972, Sir David sold the car company, and the new owners ended the DB series of vehicles, but the name was revived in 1993 with the DB7 in honour of Sir David—who himself was given an honorary position at the company that same year.
Bond, James Bond
Of course, the most famous Aston Martin of them all is the DB5. Just over 1,000 examples were built between 1963 and 1965, but millions worldwide know this as the James Bond car. In the books, author Ian Fleming had specified an earlier Aston Martin DB Mark III as Bond’s car. Still, the DB5 was introduced in the 1964 Bond film Goldfinger, equipped with gadgets including machine guns, smoke screens, oil slicks, an ejector seat, and rotating license plates. Bond has driven several Aston Martin models over the years, including a V8 Vantage, a V12 Vanquish, and two DBS models, but the original DB5 will always be considered the quintessential Bond car.
The angular years
Today, the Aston Martin badge is most closely associated with swooping, evocatively curvy car designs, but in the 1970s the company was obsessed with angular, wedge-shaped designs. The trend began in 1976 with the Aston Martin Lagonda, a shockingly unconventional four-door luxury sedan with “folded-paper” body styling and the world’s first all-digital instrument panel. The Lagonda’s styling was further evolved in 1979 with the Bulldog, a radical concept car with gullwing doors and a sharply pointed nose. The Bulldog was meant to become the fastest road car on earth, but the project was abandoned before production could begin.
For Bond’s eyes only
While most of James Bond’s Aston Martins have been commercially available to anyone who could afford one, the DB10 seen in the 2015 film Spectre was exclusive to 007. As Aston Martin executive Marek Reichman explained to Variety, director Sam Mendes, producer Barbara Broccoli, and Bond star Daniel Craig were touring Aston Martin’s design studios when they saw a concept sketch on the wall. The Bond team insisted that this should be 007’s next car, and Aston Martin spent the next six months furiously working to turn the drawing into a real-world car. The DB10 was unveiled during the launch of the film Spectre, and eight of the 10 examples built were featured in the movie, with the remaining two used for promotional appearances.
You may also like.
By Josh Bozin
02/05/2024
30/04/2024
What Venice’s New Tourist Tax Means for Your Next Trip
The Italian city will now charge visitors an entry fee during peak season.
Visiting the Floating City just got a bit more expensive.
Venice is officially the first metropolis in the world to start implementing a day-trip fee in an effort to help the Italian hot spot combat overtourism during peak season, The Associated Press reported. The new program, which went into effect, requires travellers to cough up roughly €5 (about $AUD8.50) per person before they can explore the city’s canals and historic sites. Back in January, Venice also announced that starting in June, it would cap the size of tourist groups to 25 people and prohibit loudspeakers in the city centre and the islands of Murano, Burano, and Torcello.
“We need to find a new balance between the tourists and residents,’ Simone Venturini, the city’s top tourism official, told AP News. “We need to safeguard the spaces of the residents, of course, and we need to discourage the arrival of day-trippers on some particular days.”
During this trial phase, the fee only applies to the 29 days deemed the busiest—between April 25 and July 14—and tickets will remain valid from 8:30 am to 4 pm. Visitors under 14 years of age will be allowed in free of charge in addition to guests with hotel reservations. However, the latter must apply online beforehand to request an exemption. Day-trippers can also pre-pay for tickets online via the city’s official tourism site or snap them up in person at the Santa Lucia train station.
“With courage and great humility, we are introducing this system because we want to give a future to Venice and leave this heritage of humanity to future generations,” Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro said in a statement on X (formerly known as Twitter) regarding the city’s much-talked-about entry fee.
Despite the mayor’s backing, it’s apparent that residents weren’t totally pleased with the program. The regulation led to protests and riots outside of the train station, The Independent reported. “We are against this measure because it will do nothing to stop overtourism,” resident Cristina Romieri told the outlet. “Moreover, it is such a complex regulation with so many exceptions that it will also be difficult to enforce it.”
While Venice is the first city to carry out the new day-tripper fee, several other European locales have introduced or raised tourist taxes to fend off large crowds and boost the local economy. Most recently, Barcelona increased its city-wide tourist tax. Similarly, you’ll have to pay an extra “climate crisis resilience” tax if you plan on visiting Greece that will fund the country’s disaster recovery projects.
You may also like.
By Josh Bozin
02/05/2024
30/04/2024
Omega Reveals a New Speedmaster Ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympics
Your first look at the new Speedmaster Chronoscope, designed in the colour theme of the Paris Olympics.
The starters are on the blocks, and with less than 100 days to go until the Paris 2024 Olympics, luxury Swiss watchmaker Omega was bound to release something spectacular to mark its bragging rights as the official timekeeper for the Summer Games. Enter the new 43mm Speedmaster Chronoscope, available in new colourways—gold, black, and white—in line with the colour theme of the Olympic Games in Paris this July.
So, what do we get in this nicely-wrapped, Olympics-inspired package? Technically, there are four new podium-worthy iterations of the iconic Speedmaster.
The new versions present handsomely in stainless steel or 18K Moonshine Gold—the brand’s proprietary yellow gold known for its enduring shine. The steel version has an anodised aluminium bezel and a stainless steel bracelet or vintage-inspired perforated leather strap. The Moonshine Gold iteration boasts a ceramic bezel; it will most likely appease Speedy collectors, particularly those with an affinity for Omega’s long-standing role as stewards of the Olympic Games.
Notably, each watch bears an attractive white opaline dial; the background to three dark grey timing scales in a 1940s “snail” design. Of course, this Speedmaster Chronoscope is special in its own right. For the most part, the overall look of the Speedmaster has remained true to its 1957 origins. This Speedmaster, however, adopts Omega’s Chronoscope design from 2021, including the storied tachymeter scale, along with a telemeter, and pulsometer scale—essentially, three different measurements on the wrist.
While the technical nature of this timepiece won’t interest some, others will revel in its theatrics. Turn over each timepiece, and instead of a transparent crystal caseback, there is a stamped medallion featuring a mirror-polished Paris 2024 logo, along with “Paris 2024” and the Olympic Rings—a subtle nod to this year’s games.
Powering this Olympiad offering—and ensuring the greatest level of accuracy—is the Co-Axial Master Chronometer Calibre 9908 and 9909, certified by METAS.
A Speedmaster to commemorate the Olympic Games was as sure a bet as Mondo Deplantis winning gold in the men’s pole vault—especially after Omega revealed its Olympic-edition Seamaster Diver 300m “Paris 2024” last year—but they delivered a great addition to the legacy collection, without gimmickry.
However, the all-gold Speedmaster is 85K at the top end of the scale, which is a lot of money for a watch of this stature. By comparison, the immaculate Speedmaster Moonshine gold with a sun-brushed green PVD “step” dial is 15K cheaper, albeit without the Chronoscope complications.
—
The Omega Speedmaster Chronoscope in stainless steel with a leather strap is priced at $15,725; stainless steel with steel bracelet at $16,275; 18k Moonshine Gold on leather strap $54,325; and 18k Moonshine Gold with matching gold bracelet $85,350, available at Omega boutiques now.
Discover the collection here
You may also like.
By Josh Bozin
02/05/2024
30/04/2024
