Russell Sheldrake
It seems like Omega just couldn’t stop releasing watches this year, with a flurry of new pieces in the final two months to tide us over until the New Year. And given that this is a brand that is very easy to love when you consider everything they do, whether it be the only brand commercially producing the Co-Axial escapement, staying true to the first watch to land on the Moon, or perpetually gracing the wrist of James Bond, no matter how you look at Omega, they seem to offer something for everyone. Let’s not forget either that 2024 is an Olympic year, one that Omega always has circled as the Games’ official timekeeper. And with that, we’ve seen all kinds of Omega pieces out in the wild, even the odd unreleased one, thanks to Daniel Craig.? For me, this year has shown that Omega is listening to the collector base, producing watches that play to the characteristics that the brand’s passionate core cares most about. And we will see that in the list below.Given the sheer number of releases that Omega has given us in 2024, I have to leave a few off this list that, and it feels criminal to do so, but the task was to only do five. So, I am going to have to give a few honourable mentions before we get into the full list. First, the new Aqua Terras in 34mm, 38mm, and 41mm – I love a variety of sizes without any compromise in design. Next, the new Speedmaster Pilot with vintage touches and a super functional independently adjustable hour hand. And finally, the Seamaster Regatta for the 37th America’s Cup. Now, enough of that, let’s get into the actual list.Omega Seamaster 300M (x3)I’m going to slightly cheat here, and include three watches in this section, but they are all the same family and were released within a couple of weeks of each other. These are the three new Seamaster 300Ms that draw on the design of the super-popular No Time To Die edition. While they all do away with the MOD arrow on the dial, they keep that domed sapphire crystal, no date window, and comfy mesh bracelet. With a tough choice between the black, silver, and green dial, I am leaning towards the brushed silver with its titanium bezel insert. Although I’m sure Andrew would go for the latest green with Bronze Gold bezel.?Price: starting at US$5,900Omega Speedmaster Anniversary Series First Omega in SpaceBuilding on this theme of playing to the collecting core, when Omega released the latest version of the First Omega in Space, it was clear they took notes from the 2012 version. Omega gave us just enough vintage elements, like the faux-aged lume, alpha hands, and style of bezel to evoke the original watch worn by Wally Schirra in 1962, combined with all the modern fixings that make it easy to wear day-to-day. And the depth of the CVD blue-grey dial makes this an extremely special Speedmaster. Price: US$7,500 (on a leather strap)Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional white dialThere is no way I could have written this list without including what has been, for many, the release of the year from Omega. The thick, pillowy white varnish and lacquer on this dial play perfectly in contrast with the strong black tachymeter bezel and blacked hands and markers. An inversion of the classic Moonwatch Professional with added pops of red to make the dial come alive, it’s hard to find fault with this version. While the original will always hold its place in the horological history books, this white dial seems to have won 2024.?Price: US$7,800 (on leather or rubber strap)Omega ConstellationAt the start of the year, Omega brought us a wide update to the often unfairly overlooked Constellation line with a host of meteorite dials. With the majority of this release having diamond bezels and sitting below 30mm, the 41mm pieces were a real star (see what I did there?) for me. I’ve always been a fan of the Genta design, and having a sporty take on a dress watch made even better here with that ever-recognisable Widmanst?tten pattern from the space rock dial.?Price: US$9,300 (steel or titanium)Omega Speedmaster Chronoscope Paris 2024 collectionAs pretty much everyone was aware, this has been an Olympic year, with the 2024 games taking place in Paris. And as always, with an Olympic year, we were treated to a pantheon of limited and special editions from Omega to mark the games – and this all-gold Chronoscope takes first place in my book. To me, this is everything you want from an Olympic edition watch: the potential to time any event you may come across, buckets of Moonshine gold, and a strong look that is almost unmistakable. While it might not be the most practical for competing, Omega already has you covered there with the Aqua Terra Ultra Light. This is the watch to wear when you’re sat next to the President of the IOC during the opening ceremony, rather than competing in the pole vault. Price: US$51,400 (Moonshine gold on a matching bracelet)
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