I honestly had no idea but apparently there are 100 days (slightly under by the time you read this) until the Olympics kick off in Paris. The reason I know this now? Omega has taken the opportunity of the countdown to release a new Speedmaster Chronoscope Paris 2024 edition, draped in the colours of the competition.
Omega has been the official timekeeper of the Olympics since 1932, moving from highly accurate stopwatches all the way through to cutting-edge tech for timing down to the millionth of a second. When every second counts, they’re the ones doing the counting. But just as enduring as their relationship with the greatest sporting event in the world is Omega’s penchant for thematic limited editions. In fact, not long ago they launched a snazzy new Seamaster in that exact vein.
The latest in that long, illustrious line is the Speedmaster Chronoscope Paris 2024 edition. There are actually two versions – four if you count straps, which I do not – one in stainless steel with an anodised aluminium bezel, the other in Omega’s lustrous Moonshine gold with a ceramic bezel, both in 43mm. Basically, do you want entry level or premium?
Either way, they both come with the same dial design in the gold, black and white colourway of the Paris 2024 games, the chicest games to date. The white comes in the form of a silvery opaline dial with a trio of 1940s-styled timing scales snailing around the centre – a trio of tachymeter, pulsometer and telemeter for all your sporting needs. They’re joined by a pair of black subdials for a vintage bicompax feel and gold numerals to pair perfectly with the silver.
Overall, it’s not a dramatic change to the standard Chronoscope, but it’s still a gorgeously classical look for the vintage Speedmaster. Even if it weren’t an Olympic tie-in (or in spite of, depending on your position) this is a handsome pair of watches. For my money, the gold amps up the classical feel, but then that’s quite a lot more of my money than the steel.
The new Omega Speedmaster Chronoscope is equipped with the Co-Axial Master Chronometer Calibre 9908 / 9909, certified by METAS to within an inch of its life to be leaps and bounds above your standard COSC. It’s accurate, anti-magnetic and an all-round fantastic calibre, with a double barrel for 60 hours of power reserve. Good stuff.
This being an Olympics edition, that movement’s sealed in by a commemorative stamped medallion with a mirror polished Paris 2024 logo and the Olympic Rings. As you’ll notice, there’s no limited-edition number, meaning these are now mainline collection watches. In the meantime, you can be pretty sure Omega has plenty more planned ahead of the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad. Watch this space.
Price and Specs:
More details at Omega.
