Baselworld 2013…

A new co-axial chronograph from Omega pays tribute to the origins of the now iconic Speedmaster collection.  Speedy historians (can’t say that I am one), will surely appreciate design elements from the first ’57 Speedmaster model like the straight lugs and the flat bracelet, brought forward to today’s model which is combined with the latest in mechanical timekeeping i.e. a co-axial chronograph caliber 9300/9301 series with Si balance spring.

Perhaps (or perhaps not) borrowing a page from IWC, the column-wheel chronograph offers an intuitive reading of the chronograph hours/minute via two-hands on the 3 o’clock sub.  There is also a central chronograph seconds hand, a small seconds hand on the sub-dial at 9 o’clock and a date window at the 6 o’clock.

Several variations will be offered.

Early looks bode well for Omega fans this year which is going to be facing a lot of headline competition from Rolex and the 50th anniversary of the Daytona.

More to come, stay tuned to Perpetuelle and you won’t miss a beat.

Baselworld 2013 preview…

44mm black ceramic case, automatic mechanical Omega coaxial caliber 9300 (bicompax chrono)

Now as you know Baselworld starts this week.  Of course Perpetuelle’s coverage of the show will be second to none.  As you know and have come to expect.

If you want to see what’s new and you want to see it now, then you know where to come.  The action starts about 48 hours from now — see you back again soon!

First Look…Baselworld 2013 preview…

Here’s your first look at a great looking new piece from Omega, the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean GMT.  A perfect addition to the Planet Ocean lineup.  As you can see from the bezel and dial it is a GMT watch, though the as noted by Omega this piece will carry the GoodPlanet name, an ocean conservation group that Omega has worked with since 2011.   The watch has a 43.5mm steel case, 600 m water resistance, made with the Omega co-axial caliber 8605 with Silicon balance spring, and available on bracelet and rubber strap.
Click through for more looks and details on the new SMPO GMT

Click through to read my full book review

Baselworld 2013 preview…

With SIHH 2013 behind us, we now begin to turn our attention to Baselworld 2013 (April/May).  A number of previews will be seen here over the next couple months — starting first with the new OMEGA Constellation Sedna.   Sedna, you ask?  It is a new 18K gold alloy (min. 75% gold), created by OMEGA and other Swatch Group scientists which blends three elements: gold, copper and palladium; as you can see it possesses nice hues of rose and red, though from these images it is hard to distinguish its uniqueness vs. other rose or pink golds.

According to Omega, it takes its name from a trans-Neptunian object which astronomers called 90377 Sedna, an object which possesses one of the reddest surfaces in the Solar System, at least as far as galactic objects go.  Sedna is also the goddess of the sea and marine animals in Inuit mythology.

The case features both polished and brushed elements; indexes and hands are also made of Sedna gold, as is the strap clasp.  The dial has the “pie-pan” design which traces its roots back to the very first Constellation from 1952.    Inside the watch is the Omega co-axial caliber 8501, with silicon balance spring.

Elements in Sedna™ (min. 75% gold)

The OMEGA Constellation Sedna will be produced in a limited edition of 1,952 pieces, signifying the year OMEGA debuted the renowned Constellation watch family.  No doubt this is a great looking Connie!

More broadly, I see “Sedna” as emblematic of an interesting and ongoing trend in technology-driven materials innovation.  Just think about all the new case materials that have brought us stunning watches in recent year’s — sapphire crystal (MB&F HM2 and Richard Mille’s 56-01), Hublot’s “Magic Gold”, ceramics (JLC Deep Sea Cermet), and composite (Panerai), just to name a few.  Sure, Sedna is not of an earth-shattering nature, it is probably more of a marketing tool for Omega and perhaps eventually other Swatch Group brands, but it does show that beyond design and movement production, there are other ways for brand’s to differentiate their products in today’s highly competitive market.

The anti-magnetic Omega Caliber 8508, fitted in an OMEGA Seamaster Aqua Terra

Today in Geneva, OMEGA announced its creation of a watch that is resistant to magnetic fields greater than 1.5 tesla (15,000 gauss), far exceeding the levels of magnetic resistance achieved by any previous watch and solving a problem that has challenged watchmakers for centuries.  Unlike other efforts to combat the effects of magnetism, the OMEGA movement does not rely on a protective container inside the watch case but on the use of selected non-ferrous materials in the movement itself.  Watches such as the the Rolex Milgauss (‘Mil’=1,000) and the IWC Ingenieur (which we will be seeing and hearing a lot about this year) use the traditional inner-protective cage approach in their watches.  By comparison to the Caliber 8508′s 15,000 gauss rating, these famous watches are anti-magnetic up to 1,000 gauss and ~6,000 gauss, respectively.  Offering 15x the magnetic resistance of these famous watches, you can see that the innovation encapsulated here in the 8508 is quite special.  More looks and insights, below.
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In celebration of the New Year we will take a look at one of my favorite watches of recent years, the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Liquidmetal Titanium.  Photos taken over the New Year’s holiday at Königsleiten ski village in Österreich (Austria) mark the occasion.  Enjoy the review!

Click through for our hands-on review of the Seamaster Planet Ocean Titanium Liquidmetal

First Look…”The Last Manned Lunar Landing”

In December 1972, NASA’s Apollo program came to a successful end as Captain Eugene Cernan, commander of the Apollo XVII, became the last human being to leave footprints on the lunar surface.    Compared to previous Apollo missions, Apollo 17 astronauts traversed the greatest distance using the Lunar Roving Vehicle and returned the greatest amount of rock and soil samples. Eugene Cernan, commander of Apollo 17, still holds the distinction of being the last man to walk on the Moon, as no humans have visited the Moon since December 14, 1972.  Cernan was also on the Apollo 10 mission in 1969, and the Gemini IX-a mission in 1966.

To celebrate 40 years since brand ambassador Eugene A. Cernan’s legendary last moonwalk, OMEGA is now out with the Speedmaster Moonwatch “Apollo XVII” 40^th Anniversary Limited Edition, a timepiece whose innovative technology and commemorative design serve as a lasting tribute to human ingenuity and the exploration of space.  We’ve got high-res closeups, specs and pricing — below.
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This year’s Olympic games in London marks Omega’s 25th Olympic Games as official timekeeper.   The last games held in the city of London (in 1948) saw the introduction of several sports timekeeping innovations pioneered by the Omega, and of course Omega never looked back as it continued to innovate over the next 80 years.  In keeping with recent tradition, the brand has introduced a trio of special timepieces to celebrate the Olympics, and of course Perpetuelle has the inside look.  All three are Seamaster models; two are three-hand watches with dates and the third is a chronograph.  All have the “London 2012″ Olympic emblem stamped on the caseback to identify them as special editions.  Here is a quick look at each of the various 2012 Omega Olympic Seamasters.  Prices are also stated.

OMEGA SEAMASTER WATCHES FOR LONDON 2012 OLYMPIC GAMES

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

limited production of 1,948 pieces (price: $6,800) and comes in a special London 2012 games presentation box

The OMEGA Seamaster 1948 Co-Axial “London 2012” Limited Edition, is a redesign of OMEGA’s first automatic Seamaster, which debuted in 1948, the same year of the last London Olympics, which OMEGA was also responsible for timing.

The stainless steel case is 39 mm in diameter, with brushed and polished finishing, and has a polished bezel and lugs. The dial is opaline silver, with a small seconds subdial at 6 0′clock. The vintage-style, applied “Omega” logo on the dial is of 18k white gold; white gold is also used for the Arabic numerals and hour markers. The movement is Omega’s Caliber 2202 (COSC chronometer with co-axial escapement).

The caseback is topped off by a yellow-gold medallion sporting the London 2012 Olympic logo.

On black leather strap with polished, stainless steel buckle

Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Co-Axial Chronograph “London 2012″ (Men)

44-mm case and blue-PVD-coated dial

The model with rose-gold-and-steel case retails for $10,500; the stainless-steel model is $7,600

Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Co-Axial Chronograph “London 2012″ (Ladies)

34mm case and blue-PVD-coated dial

Prices are $7,000 for the bicolor bicolor yellow gold/stainless steel edition and $5,700 for the stainless steel

Did You Know?

The Omega Seamaster made its debut in the last London Olympics year of 1948.

Here is a short video teaser of the movie Planet Ocean, a film directed by Yann Arthus-Bertrand and Michael Pitiot in partnership with OMEGA.  The movie will be premiered in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, next week on June 19.   The video provides a sneak peek at some of the extraordinary images of our remarkable oceans.

See some of OMEGA’s newest Seamaster planet Ocean watches here:  Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean “SKYFALL” Edition, Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Ceragold (45.5mm), OMEGA Seamaster Planet Ocean Chrono Cal.9300/9301, Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean TITANIUM Liquidmetal

OMEGA Planet Ocean Movie

A behind-the-scenes look at Planet Ocean

Planet Ocean, a film directed by Yann Arthus-Bertrand and Michael Pitiot in partnership with OMEGA, will be premiered at Earth Summit 2012 in Rio on June 19^th . The 90-minute documentary, which also draws on the talents of some of the world’s leading aerial and underwater cinematographers, oceanographers and biologists, has been created to change the way people look at the oceans and to encourage them to imagine conservation and stewardship as responsibilities shared by everyone on Earth.

In anticipation of the film’s premiere, OMEGA is happy to share some behind-the-scenes footage with you as Yann Arthus-Bertrand and his team take to the skies in helicopters armed with sophisticated camera equipment. It will also provide you with a sneak peek at some of the extraordinary images of our remarkable oceans – the source of all life on our planet.

Earth Summit 2012, created around the themes of vision, cooperation and transformation, will take place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from the 20^th to the 22^nd of June.