brand watches wiki – rolex watches, omega watches, replica watches

The story of the Speedmaster began in 1957, when OMEGA’s Claude Baillod designed the watch for his manager, Head of Creation Pierre Moinat. The first few models (CK2915 and CK2998) had a symmetrical shape and were replaced by the a-symmetrical case as we happen to know it now, in 1963. When the Speedmaster was chosen by NASA to become part of the astronaut’s equipment, OMEGA added the wording ‘Professional’ on the dial in 1965. The rest is history and has been discussed and documented by many, including here at Fratellowatches.

Besides the Moonwatch, OMEGA developed and produced a number of Speedmaster watches that were not part of the Professional series. We would say that the Speedmaster ‘Reduced’ is probably the most popular non-Moonwatch Speedmaster and that the Speedmaster Automatic ‘Holy Grail’ the most sought-after model. For now at least.

This article is all about the new OMEGA Speedmaster Co-Axial Chronograph ref. 311.30.44.51.01.002 with the in-house caliber 9300 movement. This two register Speedmaster chronograph was introduced during BaselWorld 2011 but has been a bit in the shadow of the (also) newly introduced Seamaster Planet Ocean line-up. The new Speedmaster non-professional does not get the attention it deserves to be honest.

It is not a Speedmaster Professional, so we won’t do a comparison. But let us say this: The Speedmaster Co-Axial Chronograph is meant for those who love the NASA heritage, the Speedmaster-cult status and the design of the ‘original’ but need a watch with a date, an automatic mechanical movement and – perhaps – an in-house movement.

OMEGA was able to send us a Speedmaster Co-Axial Chronograph for review purposes and in short: we had a hard time giving it back. The size of 44.25mm is more modest on the wrist than it seems by specification, so don’t let this scare you. The dial of the watch is simply mesmerizing and very thought-through with only 2 sub registers. OMEGA combined the 12 hour recorder with the minute recorder in one sub register, which is quite easy to read when using the chronograph to time certain things (we timed a few long trips with this watch).

We’ve heard people commenting on the watch that there is too much distance between the sub registers, however, our logical explanation would be that when the sub registers would be more close to the center pinion, the short end of the chronograph second hand could possibly block the view of one of the sub registers. Our other guess is that people need to adjust to this lay-out and can’t stop comparing the Speedmaster Professional ‘Moonwatch’ with this Speedmaster Co-Axial Chronograph.

Before we get to the previously mentioned in-house chronograph caliber 9300 (also discussed here in detail), let’s have a look at the new Speedmaster bracelet. A comfortable Oyster-style bracelet with ‘Speedmaster’ engraving in the clasp. The clasp is identical to those on previous Speedmaster models, using two pushers to open and a simple but firm ‘click’ to close. The links of the bracelet are connected to eachother using screws instead of pins. Well, that’s not entirely true. There is a pin inside, that is being locked by two small screws on each side.

We expressed our worry about losing one of the two screws and thus losing the pin inside. Head of Development of OMEGA ensured us that this system has been tried and tested and that you shouldn’t fear. During our period of testing this Speedmaster Co-Axial Chronograph, no issues occurred with the bracelet.

During the test period of this watch, we’ve been invited by OMEGA to visit their revamped museum in Bienne (reported here, lots of pictures), have a lunch with CEO Stephen Urquhart and visit the production facilities of the Co-Axial escapement and their new in-house movements.

Unfortunately, we could not take pictures during the factory tour, but let us assure you that OMEGA does everything it takes to make sure the movements meet all requirements by both COSC, OMEGA and you, the critical customer. The new caliber 9300 chronograph movement is chronometer certified (which means it is very accurate – between -6/+4 seconds deviation per day – and will be for at least 5 years) and will not disappoint you in terms of look & feel. Look & feel? Yes, we think it is important how a chronograph ‘feels’ when operating the start, stop and reset buttons. We’ve had multiple comments on our test watch from (watch)friends who noticed that the start/stop mechanism feels like silk. With ‘look’ we mean the esthetics of the movement, which is in this case, sheer beauty.

Because we also witnessed the production process of the new range of in-house movements, we’ve seen that a lot of effort and time is being put in finishing all the various parts of the movement. Both those you can see through the transparent case back but also those that can’t be observed by the wearer of the watch.

RJ examining tiny movement parts @ OMEGA Factory

Talking about the transparent case back, this is – in our opinion – one of the coolest extras on this Speedy. It seems that the sapphire crystal they used for the case back is almost identical to the one on the front of the watch (which isn’t the case of course). This results in a very domed crystal on the case back, which you will definitely notice when wearing it on your wrist. The transparent case back catches sun light in certain angles, which gives it a very interesting look. The photo below should demonstrate this.

When you flip the watch, you”ll get a great view on the caliber 9300 movement. Partly, because the movement is covered by a main plate that covers most of the gears and gear trains. However, because the case back is entirely made out of sapphire, the view is still impressive. The finish of the movement and rotor clearly makes up for this. Also, the silicon parts are also noticeable through the sapphire crystal.

Although the watch is significantly larger than the Speedmasters we are used to be wearing, it is one hell of a comfortable watch as a daily wearer. Despite the diameter of 44.25mm it wears comfortably on the wrist and it actually tooks us only a few minutes before we were used to it (instead of wearing 39/40mm diameter watches). Because we have and have had our share of Speedmaster Professional watches, we certainly appreciate the fact that OMEGA kept using the design of the case that mr. Claude Baillod came up with in 1957.

The position of the pushers, crown guards and crown does remind us of the design of the Speedmaster Automatic ‘Reduced’, where the crown is somewhat smaller (because automatic instead of handwound) and is located deeper between the crown guards. The large black dial is being magnified from certain angles due to the [super] domed sapphire crystal and makes it extremely readable in combination with the white baton hands. Also cool, the date aperture located on 6 o’clock shows a black date wheel and a silver colored date. Completely in line with the printing on the tachymeter.

A bit hard to capture on a picture, the lume is great as well. The hour markers and hands stay bright for a long time only after being exposed to (sun) light for a few moments.

Setting time and date is very easy, just pull out the crown in the 2nd position (2 clicks) and move the hour and minute hands and put the crown in the first position (1 click) to set the date. The date is being set by moving the hour hand independently from the minutes hand. This takes a bit longer than you are used to with a quick set date, but it’s manageble. It is a similar to setting the date on a Rolex GMT-Master II.

If we have to mention something critical about this watch, perhaps this would be it: the lack of a quick-set date. However, it didn’t bother us until we had to change the date and we soon forgot about it again when the watch was back on the wrist.

We’ve noticed that some people have difficulties with the price tag of this Speedmaster Co-Axial Chronograph. This OMEGA lists for 6.400 EUR (approx $ 8250.- USD). These kind of prices were – and perhaps are –  quite unusual for OMEGA but comparing this Speedmaster Co-Axial to chronograph watches of other brands with similar features and built quality it is actually not that expensive. The Speedmaster Professional retails for much less, but again – this is not a Speedy Pro and definitely has some advantages over the hand wound ‘Moonwatch’.

More information:

Official OMEGA Facebook Page

Official OMEGA Website

From:FratelloWatches RSS

Read Full Post »

Everything that can be said about the Omega Speedmaster had already been said, at least that was the case until Basel World 2011. 

At its core, the basic Speedmaster – the Speedmaster Professional – has remained largely unchanged; a 3-register chronograph with a fixed tachymetre bezel built atop a Lemania-based manually wound movement. Its unmistakable proportions and details have come to define what most folks think of as a classic chronograph  The automatic Speedmaster, though, has always taken a backseat to the professional employing less than classic designs and movements, often based on very simple ETA or Valjoux ebauches.

All that changed last March when Omega introduced an entirely new Speedmaster, a Speedmaster fitted with an in-house automatic, co-axial column wheel chronograph.  This isn’t your Speedmaster Professional, and it doesn’t pretend to be, it’s something entirely different.  This is the Speedmaster of an entirely new generation, the Speedmaster that will take Omega into the next century.  It’s bigger, bolder, we think bettter, and certainly more expensive (roughly double the price of the ETA-based automatic Speedmasters.) 

I recently spent a week with the new Omega Speedmaster Co-Axial Chronograph to find out how it stacks up to the original, and a host of other high-end alternatives – read on for a detailed review of a watch that has the potential to become a new staple in sport watches. 

From:HODINKEE

Read Full Post »

Omega have continued to develop the co-axial escapement invented by British watchmaker George Daniels. The connection between the gears of a mechanical watch and it’s heartbeat, the balance wheel. June, 2010. … OMEGA watches Co-Axial EscapementSwiss Geneva スイス tourbillon tourbillion トゥールビヨン balance time 時計 clock wrist 懐中時計 hand watch hours minutes seconds calendar chronograph date GMT クロノグラフ tachometer reserve wind automatic gears wheel movement ムーブメント craft make handmade precision timepiece crown dial skeleton art diamonds horology complication retrograde moonphase moon

Read Full Post »

I recently learned an interesting fact regarding the history of the Omega Seamaster collection. The Seamaster and Seamaster Planet Oceans that we know today are hardy tool watches suitable for diving, James Bond, and overall feeling like high-function instruments that is made really well. You’d think these pieces started out as serious dive watches. That isn’t the case actually. When the first Seamaster watches came out, Omega had other pieces in its collection that were more focused on sport. The Seamaster was meant to be a fashionable watch that one could wear up in the Hamptons while playing with their kids and not worry if it got splashed on. It was meant to be a luxury watch from day one.

Overtime the Seamaster became an icon and important watch for Omega – especially as the brand continued to focus on a range of important high-intensity activities from racing to diving, and everything else where sturdy and reliable watches were needed (not to mention space travel). Flash-forward to now and we have an incredibly wide range of Seamaster watches, and its higher-end cousin the Seamaster Planet Ocean. For review I am checking out two 2011 Seamaster Planet Ocean Co-Axial Chronometer watches which well represent where the collection and brand are at today.

In short the Seamaster Planet Ocean Co-Axial Chronometer of today comes in over 20 references, is available in 42mm wide or 45.5mm wide cases, and is available with blue or black dials with various color differences. Inside is an in-house made Omega movement, and it is a comfortable beauty on the wrist.

The “Co-Axial Chronometer” part of the watch name separates these Planet Ocean watches from others that do not contain the Omega produced caliber 8500 movements. The other new Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean watches with in-house made movements are the Seamaster Planet Ocean Co-Axial Chronometer Chronograph watches that contain Omega’s caliber 9300 automatic chronograph movements. Those are excellent pieces, with fantastic movements, but I personally like my dive watches three-handed. For a super chrono, Omega has the Speedmaster which now also comes with the 9300 movement.

I got to visit Omega and see the caliber 8500 movements being produced. Debuted in 2007, these large diameter movements are made for big watches and are amazing instruments that come from one of the most sophisticated timepiece movement assembly lines ever created. The need for such a production line is due to the fact that Omega must (relatively speaking) mass produce these – but with a very high quality output. They use a very cool automated assembly line that combines mostly human labor with robots that help with precision tasks. It takes about a full day to assemble and test just one 8500 movement. The movements are then sent to COSC for Chronometer testing, which takes another three weeks.

Aside from looking great, the 8500 has a few notable facts that any potential buyer would like to know about. Let me first add that Omega has the movements displayed through sapphire casebacks on the Seamaster Planet Ocean watches. This is no simple task as the watches still need to be water resistant to 600 meters. Usually dive watches have solid casebacks – but not here. The 8500 has dual mainspring barrels and a power reserve of about 60 hours. It has a DLC coated black balance wheel that is free sprung, and of course a co-axial escapement. The automatic rotor winds the movement when spinning in both directions, and when adjusting the time, you can set the hours in one hour increments to make it easy while traveling. The only thing missing really is the silicon (silicium) hairspring that the 9300 movement has. Oh, and there is also the 8501 movement which is the same but with am 18k rose gold rotor and balance wheel bridge. You’ll find that in Seamaster PO watches with gold cases mostly.

The movement is great and certainly a major selling point of the watch. The wavy polished lines on the movement surfaces are very tasteful. For review I checked out two Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean watches. Both 45.5mm wide and one with the steel case and black dial, and the other in the titanium case with a blue dial. Both had ceramic bezels, but the blue model has Omega’s very special Liquid Metal ceramic bezel (explained more here). Omega also makes smaller 42mm wide models of the Seamaster PO. This is a good thing for the “world market,” but I like the larger sized 45.5mm wide models best myself. It helps that the Seamaster PO case design features shorter lugs which helps keep the watch look good on smaller sized wrists.

The steel case is very solid and well-made, but also heavy. On the steel bracelet this is a hefty watch. Not an issue for me at all, but some will prefer a lighter timepiece. Those people have two options. First they can opt for Omega’s excellent rubber strap with deployment clasp, or there is the titanium Seamaster PO with the blue dial. This one features either a titanium bracelet or rubber clasp. Let me again say that the rubber they use is among the best I’ve ever had. Wonderful look and feel, and the clasp works really nicely.

The famous PO bracelet is a beautiful thing to look at and wears nicely. It does however lack the ability to micro-adjust the size. This means that it could offer the perfect fit, but also possibly be just a bit too large or small as you can only add and remove whole links. There might be a half-link option, but I am not sure. The design of the case and bracelet means that it should be comfortable if it is a bit looser than you might like, but purists like me want a precision fit. Omega sees the Planet Ocean as a Rolex Submariner competitor (and they are similar in price for the high-end POs). The Submariner does have a more sophisticated bracelet – so I would be surprised if Omega wasn’t working on a new bracelet clasp for use in the future. The deployment clasp is push-button and operated very smoothly.

So wearing the watch is overall really good, but what about reading it? Omega has long since been perfecting the dial of the Planet Ocean, but surprisingly it has remained very true to Omega watch dials from many decades ago. It is a retro dial that you’d never know is retro. The double broad arrow hands are well defined and properly sized. Arabic numerals mixed with large applied hour markers made for a handsome and very easy to read look. Those Arabic numerals come in orange on some other versions of the same watch. The dial has pretty much everything you need, and very little you to not. It is a very good balance of information markers and empty space – a virtue Omega has held for a long time.

The black dialed version is actually textured – though you need to see it in the right light. The blue dialed version is more flat and glossy. I have to say that as good as the AR on the slightly domed sapphire crystal was – these dials proved to be a pain to photograph. Which is odd as they are really clear to the eye. This likely has to do with the mixture of matte and shiny elements on the dial (Omega does like to hint at bling a bit). Speaking of the sapphire crystal – it is very evenly cut and offers no discernible distortion when viewed at from extreme angles. The date windows are further done nicely. They have matching colors to the black dial and raised silver numerals – a great detail point.

Lume is beyond excellent for the watches. Much of the lume is richly applied blue SuperLumiNova, but the minute hand and bezel pip are green. This color difference assists with darkness viewing. Overall Omega has does a lot of things to make the watch easy to read. Ceramic bezels are very nice because they offer a high level of durability. Both of these watches are ceramic bezels, but the blue one on the titanium watch is more sophisticated due to it being liquid metal. These is a link to what that is above. The black ceramic bezel is actually dark gray if you look closely, and it has the indicators somehow printed on the ceramic. Not sure exactly how it works. As Omega is able to industrialize the Liquidmetal process more in the future, I anticipate it being as hot a word on Omega watches as “Co-Axial” is.

For the rare diver who actually does submerge with a mechanical watch (as opposed to a dive computer) then feel free to bring PO along. For a long time Omega has retained the external helium release value on the side of the case. That with 600 meters (about 1000 feet) of water resistance and the Seamaster PO can go just about anywhere. The helium release valve is a bit funny because it is mostly here to add a bit of “cred” to the watch as well as offer an addition crown that makes the watch look cool. Call it extra-functionality or vestigial – it doesn’t matter. It is a feature you’ll never use but somehow feel better about having it in your watch.

As a daily wear or occasional sport piece the Seamaster Planet Ocean just always seems to fit the bill. I really enjoyed my time with this piece and can easily say that it among the best mass-produced high-end dive watches out there. There is little lacking and a lot of good stuff here. From a comfy fit, to a great movement, Omega in the end seals the deal with a very pretty face. It isn’t inexpensive however. The price for the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Co-Axial Chronometer watch ranges from $ 5,800 on the low-end up to $ 8,600 for the blue dialed titanium version on the titanium bracelet. The steel model with the steel bracelet is $ 6,200. There are even higher-end models in gold and with diamonds on the bezel that are $ 20,000 and over. Omega really offers a number of Seamaster Planet Ocean models to suit all tastes – mine included.

From:aBlogtoRead.com

Read Full Post »

The quintessential 20th century watchmaker is, of course, the late George Daniels. We recently showed you the prototype of the looming Co-Axial Anniversary Watch.

On December 13, Sotheby’s in London will be selling a 18k yellow gold Millennium Watch from 1999 also featuring Daniels’ famous Co-Axial escapement. The watch is beautiful and in our opinion, exceptionally important.  The pre-sale estimate is 60,000-80,000 GBP.  Keep in mind that Mr. Daniels made less than 40 watches in the entirety of his life, so one such as this will not appear publicly very often.

For more information, click here.

From:HODINKEE

Read Full Post »

Click to enlarge.It doesn’t get much better than this.  In fact, I’m not sure I can think of a watch that would warrant more respect from a room full of watchsnobs than the watch seen here.  It is an early prototype of a George Daniels Co-Axial 35th Anniversary Watch.

While the finished prototype remained behind glass at Salon QP, Mr. Roger Smith did allow us to fondle this early example of what will be the lasting legacy of the greatest watchmaker of the last 200 years, George Daniels.

When completed, the Daniels Co-Axial Anniversary watch will be made in a series of 35 pieces and retail for 182,000 pounds.  For more details on this exceptional timepiece, click here.

From:HODINKEE

Read Full Post »

We received a Speedmaster Moonwatch Omega Co-Axial Chronograph to go hands-on with it for a while. Although Omega refers to it as ‘Moonwatch’, it is not of course. When it was introduced during BaselWorld 2011, we covered it as soon as we could (click here) and could not wait to give it a try. It’s here since today and we will test drive it for a while before giving you a detailed report about it.

First impressions are great! The size is good (44.25mm), the bracelet is massive and tiny screws have been used to keep the links in place instead of pins, the caliber 9300 movements looks awesome and we actually like the two registers.

More to come.

Larger versions of these pictures can be found on our FratelloWatches Facebook page. Do not forget to Like! us

From:FratelloWatches RSS

Read Full Post »

By Camille Hansen

Omega Speedmaster Co-Axial Chronograph Watch

Omega recently introduced it’s newest watch to the Speedmaster collection, the Speedmaster OMEGA Co-Axial Chronograph Watch, also known as the Moonwatch for the reason that it was the first watch worn on the moon. This stunning watch resembles the rest of the Speedmaster family with the stylish black beveled dial, black tachymeter located on the bezel and Moonwatch style hands. To spice things up, Omega equipped this sporty watch with the first of its kind proprietary OMEGA Co-Axial caliber 9300 chronograph.

The Speedmaster OMEGA Co-Axial Chronograph comes with two sub dials, instead of the more common three dial Speedmaster chronograph. The two dials are located at 3 o’clock and at 9 o’clock. There is a calendar at 6 o’clock and tachymeter with white numbers, circling the black dial.

The inventive condensed Co-Axial chronograph delivers the same accurate time as a three dial chronograph. The sub dial at 3 o’clock contains a 12-hour and a 60 minute counter hands. While the column wheel chronograph also has a small seconds hand on the 9 o’clock sub dial. The double pushers function separately with no harm to the chronograph. It also comes with a main seconds hand.

The Speedmaster OMEGA Co-Axial sports a black beveled dial with white hour hands, with a box-form scratch resistant sapphire crystal covering it. The screw down back is also protected by a see-through scratch resistant sapphire crystal cover, exposing the exquisite mechanisms beneath. The box-form sapphire crystal allows for a slimmer design.

The Speedmaster OMEGA Co-Axial luxury watch comes with a stainless steel 44.25mm case and a stainless steel bezel. These remarkable watches also come with a silicon balance spring to bring accurate and lasting performance. Since silicon takes a while to wear out and a very low chance for exhaustion this guarantees the silicon spring will stay in tact for a long time to come. With the combination of the OMEGA Co-Axial feature and the silicon balance spring the OMEGA Co-Axial Chronograph watch will be around a for a while.

The New Omega Speedmaster Co-Axial Chronograph Watch.

The Speedmaster OMEGA Co-Axial makes a great addition to the Speedmaster family, with its in-house built OMEGA Co-Axial caliber 9300 chronograph ingeniously compacted into accurate sub dials and the classy round dial black dial with uniquely box shaped scratch resistant sapphire crystal on both the top and the bottom.

From:Luxury Watches That Impress Review Blog

Read Full Post »

Driving in London is bad enough, but during the 2012 Summer Olympics it is going to be even worse. Omega will be there. Omega is always there. I hope they have a few private helicopters for the event (or hotels within walking distance of ALL the events). As the long-time official timer of the Olympics, Omega also gets to release special watch models each two years for the games. These Omega Olympics watches are often fantastic, and for 2012 Olympics they have devised a retro piece.

Most Omega Olympics themed watches are based on their modern collection but this is a vintage-themed model. It is based on classic designs from the late 1940s. Specifically 1948 – which is apparently the last year London held the summer Olympics. According to Omega is it also the debut year of the Seamaster watch. What a coincidence!

I have a hunch that there is going to be yet another watch for the 2012 Olympics that Omega will release closer to the games. The release of this Omega Seamaster 1948 Co-Axial Chronometer just seems early – although it fits the bill well for a proper limited edition model. Actually to be specific, the watch was debuted exactly one year before the Olympic games are sent to begin in the summer of 2012.

Looking at the original watch you can see how similar the design is and where Omega drew influence for this recreation model. The new piece will be limited to 1,948 pieces – a number that should surprise nobody. The case is 39mm wide in steel with an 18k yellow gold caseback. The case has a sapphire crystal and is water resistant to 120 meters. The caseback has the London 2012 Olympics logo done in relief. The case is very old-timey sport with an easy to read dial and lovely detailing all over the face. You know what really surprises me? Just how faithful Omega has been to the Original dial. Just look at the 2011 Seamaster Planet Ocean watch and tell me just how much of the original DNA is in it? A lot actually.

This new limited edition Omega Seamaster 1948 Co-Axial Chronometer watch is larger than the original with an automatic Co-Axial movement. It has also been COSC Chronometer certified, using the in-house made caliber 2022 automatic movement. Aside from the 18k gold caseback, Omega adds additional gold on the dial. The applied Omega logo and hour indicators are all done in 18k white gold. The result is very subdued and appealing, just what many retro-watch lovers are looking for.

Omega matches the finely conservative watch to a black alligator strap. The combination of history, style, and Olympics fandom will help this be a very popular limited edition for Omega in honor of the upcoming games. Price is said to be relatively reasonable at $ 6,800.

From:aBlogtoRead.com

Read Full Post »

Question by Married looking a thruth method: ROLEX (Submariner Date 1000 ft ) or OMEGA (New Coaxial Seamaster Professional 2000 ft )?
Retail price is the same. Both are professional diving steel watches. Omega’s Coaxial is a new technology.

Best answer:

Answer by SweetGeorgiaPeach
Omega baby… but it also depands on the look you desire and the price.

What do you think? Answer below!

Read Full Post »