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Omega’s Seriously Impressive Speedmaster Chrono Chime

The Omega Speedmaster Chrono Chime is probably the biggest mike-drop launch from a watch brand for quite some time. Not just mike dropping, but jaw dropping and every other thing...

Sam Kan
5 months ago

I reckon this is probably the biggest mike-drop launch from a watch brand for quite some time. Not just mike dropping, but jaw dropping and every other thing dropping. This is so unexpected, and coming off the back from the MoonSwatch, this more than redeems Omega and the Speedmaster.

Usually a release like this would have been co-ordinated with all the major websites and watch blogs in order to have a synchronised content launch and push and yet, as of the time of writing, there was only the social media post from Omega and a few other scattered posts. It doesn’t seem to be co-ordinated in anyway.

But let’s get to the watch itself. This is the Speedmaster Chrono Chime and I’m having to base my post on the precious little info that’s available right now as of the time of writing.

Sure. This is a Speedmaster, but not as you know it. Featuring a high-beat movement in order to offer accuracy to 1/10th of a second (just like the Zenith El Primero), it is also an integrated split second chronograph as well as an integrated minute repeater.

Omega claims that this is a world first and the most complicated movement the brand has ever created.The calibre 1932 took 6 years to complete and this was done with the help of sister brand Blancpain. Take one look at the movement and you can plainly see that this is no ordinary Omega movement. The finishing, both front AND back is on a completely different level, and yes, do not expect your regular Omega pricing on this beast with a reported price tag of 450,000 CHF (~$709,000 AUD).

You have the main chronograph pusher integrated into the crown, like you would with a monopusher chronograph, but with an additional split second pusher at 2:00, and the all-important minute repeater pusher at 8. The hammers are seen from the cut out on the dial, surrounding the 9:00 subdial, in a clean, subtle and elegant design aesthetic, and finished off with a beautiful blue aventurine Grand Feu enamel dial. All up, Omega has registered 17 patents for this watch.

The calibre name of 1932 isn’t random either. It refers back to the Omega pocket watch used for timing at the 1932 Olympic Games.

There is a companion piece to the Speedmaster, using the same movement, but cased in a style inspired by the pocket watch, and in a “bull head” vertical arrangement.

The box that the watch comes in isn’t a run-of-the-mill box either. It is produced using century-old violin-making techniques with resonance plates made of spruce, sourced from the Risoud Forest on the border of Switzerland and France, it amplifies the tone and sound quality of each chime.

So the watch works much like a regular minute repeater, but instead of the combination of chimes sounding out the hours, the quarter hours and the minutes, it tells you the minutes, the 10 seconds, and the seconds.

On a watch like this one shouldn’t care about dimension specs, but here you are anyway: 45mm diameter, 53.3mm lug-to-lug. 17.3mm thick and total weight of 326g. It’s thick, but you are getting a split second chronograph minute repeater.

Suffice to say, I am seriously impressed. Omega, you are forgiven for the MoonSwatch.

The piece is a boutique exclusive, please check-in with your favourite Omega boutique team member for this piece.

For more, check out the bespoke Zenith created in collaboration with AFL legend, Buddy Franklin.