James Robinson
Omega's Constellation has always been somewhat of a quiet achiever a low-key collection that has, thanks to the endless popularity of its space and seagoing siblings, been often overlooked and maybe even, at times, forgotten. That's all changing in 2020, though. Omega appears steadfast in breathing new life into the dressy-come-sporty collection. In January, we saw a brilliant new array of redesigned 36mm and 39mm iterations, and now the Bienne outfit has unveiled an entirely new 41mm variant.The DNALike the aforementioned smaller members of the collection, this new large-sized model is, of course, based on the Manhattan' Constellation. However, while some of the ubiquitous aesthetic traits remain, Omega has heavily reworked the design concept, and the resulting timepiece is a resolutely more contemporary one.The bezelPerhaps the biggest talking point is the glistening bezel. Hewn from a shimmering polished ceramic and still managing to incorporate the quintessential claws' at three and nine o'clock, the intricacy of its construction is no mean feat. Essentially, Omega has deployed the full force of its engineering team to create a materially innovative workaround for ensuring that the scratch-resistant materials blend into the solid steel or gold claws with perfect continuity. We'll have to wait for a hands-on experience to see just how well they've accomplished this, but from the press photos, it appears they've done very well indeed. As we've just alluded to, the new 41mm Constellation will be made available in a number of different examples from launch, which will utilise steel, 18k precious metals, or a combination of both in their construction.The movementPowering the new timepieces will be Omega's frankly brilliant Calibre Omega 8900 and 8901. This self-winding movement offers Master Chronometer certification, is magnetic resistant to 15,000 gauss and features the legendary Co-Axial escapement, free sprung-balance with silicon balance spring and 60 hours of power reserve. And, like most of Omega's watches these days, the new Constellations are sandwiched in sapphire crystal, so owners can enjoy the nicely decorated movement through a display caseback.The bracelet / strap optionsThe new 41mm Constellations will be paired with a number of different alligator leather bands with a soft rubber backing, which serves to only further enhance the blend of dress and sports watch traits. There's no word yet from Omega as to when these watches will be available in Oz, or indeed how much they will cost, we will update you as soon as we are able.
19.07.20