The battle between Rolex and Omega for the heart and souls of buyers in the upper-mid tier segment of the Swiss watch industry is one of the enduring sagas of the luxury world. A strange thing to consider, given the age disparity between the two brands–Louis Brandt’s 1848 atelier that would later become the Greek symbol had a goodly head start on Rolex, which didn’t emerge from the consciousness of already enterprising young sales genius Hans Wilsdorf until 1908, and even further take shape as the watches we know and covet until 1926 onward. However, looking at it from the perspective of our current times, it’s still quite easy to forget that there is anything but Rolex as the dominant king, the very archetype, of what a luxury wristwatch is. Indeed, the Rolex inventions of an incredibly sturdy waterproof case, a revised and extremely reliable selfwinding movement of exceptional functional and chronometric excellence, and designs that have aged beautifully and consistently have all contributed to that assurance, and with it, the prowess of an object that has exceeded the very concept of a watch to become a talisman of success, or an alternative form of currency at times; of late, the Rolex aura has gone even farther into the realm of a speculative investment, for better or worse. In short, Rolex is a nonpareil within the market, when compared to products both below and well above its tier within horology. Much of that has certainly been due to an excellent product combined with equally superlative (*ahem*) marketing. If it weren’t for the latter, and the consistency of the brand message, would we still see Rolex as we do? When considering Omega’s own massive contributions to horology for well over a century, some may begin to wonder a bit, and when products like THIS are revealed…it also begs the question, is it an outright travesty that Omega isn’t the undisputed master in this ongoing battle for buyer affection?
Behold the new 18K Sedna gold Speedmaster Chrono Chime and consider what watchmaking fireworks it brings to the table. The most complicated Omega caliber to date, and replete with the now obligatory Co-Axial Escapement, as well as a master chronometer certification, it offers the world’s first minute repeater variant on the beloved chronograph complication, and not just any chronograph complication mind you, but the notoriously complex split-second variety (all complete with a rapid 5Hz balance frequency and the resultant 1/10th second timing precision)! But let’s get back to the most romantic part of this highly technical watch, and what makes it a different from the already prestigious “normal” minute repeater: as a standalone complication, the typical repeater chimes the hours in a low tone, the quarter hours with a high-low combination, and the remaining minutes on top (if any) in individual treble peals when the slide piece on the case is activated. In the Speedmaster Chime, the minute repeating mechanism chimes not the hours and minutes of the time your watch shows, but rather the elapsed time presented by the chronograph display after its use to measure a sequence. So for example, if you were to activate and run the chronograph for 5 minutes, and 53 seconds, and then halt it before activating the repeater mechanism, you’ll hear a series of these notes: low tone (x 5) to indicate the five minutes, a high/low combination x 3 (to represent the three quarters up to :45), and a finale of eight individual treble tones to mark the individual minutes. The tempo of these strikes is beautifully controlled by a patented governor mechanism to allow maximum sonority and clarity of sound as well, something which only a few of the greatest companies (like Patek Philippe) really have down to a wondrous science. Have a listen for yourself here, to hear what you can expect should an Omega Chrono Chime cross your path.
Omega’s long and rich brand heritage is sometimes lost in a sea of limited edition offerings, and I think–as many probably have lamented as well–that this has been its biggest consistent weakness. It is, perhaps, an inevitability with Omega’s status as the commercially mightiest brand within a corporate portfolio of the mighty Swatch Group, where new (and not always inspired) product is constantly being produced to keep brand revenue and stock market share prices up. Yet, while this Devil’s Due of having the might of the corporate giant behind it has had this occasionally cheapening effect on the perception by hobbyists, the very considerable positive side has been hugely deep pockets to develop the horological might of the great Omega, much as we’ve seen with smaller, more niche brands in the group, such as Breguet and Blancpain. Indeed, it was the deep high horology expertise of the group’s sister Blancpain brand, which was tapped to bring this project to fruition, a long-term benefit to both maisons, at least as far as I see the situation. And make no mistake, the inspiration of creations like the Chrono Chime (as well as other less complex but appealing releases) certainly make up for the occasional Swatch Group peccadillo here and there.
Despite what sometimes seems to be, Omega as a whole is much, much more than gimmicky Agent 007-themed divers, and the umpteenth basic Speedmaster Moon Watch edition. Nor is it even “just” about making dependable everyday luxury watches of fine quality at reasonable prices, such as the versatile Aqua Terra or the now-iconic wave-dialed Seamaster 300M line. Omega is a brand that has crossed horological disciplines like few others. As a start, its fanatical devotion to chronometric excellence through the years is remarkable, and like arch-competitor Rolex, Omega have devoted themselves to manufacturing series-produced movements of exceptional practical quality, culminating in the series production of the Daniel’s Co-Axial Escapement, a really remarkable thing if you consider the almost universal hegemony of the Swiss Lever across the watch industry. Omega’s long-standing commitment to creating tool watches suitable for adventures above the earth, and below the deepest oceans is equally impressive, and while Rolex may have great chops in this arena as well, Omega’s mightiest technical watches of both past and present can rival anything the crown has made, and sometimes arguably surpass them. And while haute horlogerie has not been the Omega’s bread and butter compared to the great Swiss patricians like Vacheron Constantin, AP, or Patek, the brand from Biel has certainly produced more than their fair share of remarkable tourbillon watches (both within the parameters of chronometer competitions and production watches such as the Central Tourbillon), minute repeaters, perpetual calendars, and of course…exquisite and innovative chronographs, such as the masterpiece under discussion. None of this sort of mechanical art can be claimed by Rolex, and while one can say that this isn’t Rolex’s game and be right in so doing, it means that Omega offers a combination of diversity, quality, watchmaking prestige, and technical audacity–all with a certain humility of sorts–that is scarcely matched by anyone. It’s been said by a lot of fans that Omega has been on a real roll for the past decade, and I’d have to agree. While not many may have the resources to buy a Speedmaster Chrono Chime or its more subtly luxurious mechanical twin, the 1932 Chrono Chime seen below, the unadulterated watchmaking craft and engineering behind this titan is a tacit nod to the ingenuity and quality contained, albeit in smaller measure, within every Omega currently offered, as well as many references from the past. In a world where luxury watch delivered value is seemingly ever more smoke and mirrors, that kind of authentic prestige is the sort that can make one really proud to wear and support a brand.
