Omega is nothing if not rigidly respectful of its heritage. Even though the brand impressively released six entirely new Master Chronometer calibers at this year’s Baselworld — including the one used in the new Globemaster Annual Calendar — the brand has opted, as per usual, to stick with the tried-and-true, manual-wind 1861 movement for the latest vintage-inspired limited edition in its Speedmaster collection, the Omega Speedmaster “CK2998.”
The watch is a re-production of one of the most collectible Omega Speedmaster references on the market, originally released in 1959 (yes, even before a later version of the watch went to the moon and earned the sobriquet “Moonwatch”), and features Alpha hands, a symmetrical case, and a dark blue bezel with a tachymeter scale. The bezel is made of ceramic and the tachymeter scale (a reminder that the Speedmaster was originally aimed at the auto racing set before its association with space travel) is treated with Super-LumiNova for extra legibility in low light.
On the opaline silvery dial, the same shade of blue has been used for the three subdials, as well as for the leather strap, with its beige contrast stitching and polished steel buckle. The Alpha-shaped hour and minute hands (as well as the subdial counter hands) are rhodium plated, and the central chronograph counter hand retains the classical “lollipop” shape used on the original model. The stainless steel case measures a contemporary 39.7 mm in diameter and features polished and brushed finishing.The applied indices are also rhodium-plated and are coated with a green-emission Super-LumiNova.
Omega Caliber 1861 — the manual-wind chronograph movement with 21,600-vph frequency and 48-hour power reserve that served its duty in the very first Omega Speedmaster “Moonwatch” — beats behind a solid, screw-down caseback engraved with the collection’s classic Seahorse emblem and the limited edition number.
The Omega Speedmaster “CK2998” will be limited to just 2,998 pieces worldwide and priced at $6,500. Each watch comes with a two-year warranty, a special presentation box, and a certificate of authenticity.
