One of the cool things about the Omega Speedmaster is that it can truly be just about any watch it needs to be. It’s the Moonwatch, of course, but it’s also a racing chronograph, a dressy chronograph, a chronograph inspired by WWII era military watches, and it can even be a plastic toy. That, I think, is what makes it “iconic,” an overused word if there ever was one in our trade, but one that nonetheless applies perfectly to the Speedmaster. It’s also, from time to time, a pilot’s watch, and Omega’s newest release, part of a late-in-the-year drip of new product that has the brand positioned as one of the big winners of 2024, is a Speedmaster that is purpose built for the skies in a way we rarely see the Speedy outside of Omega’s quartz offerings.
The new Speedmaster Pilot, as it is known, has been the subject of speculation for much of this year. Leaked images of the watch on the wrist of US military pilots generated a great deal of discussion on the forums and Instagram, and our friends at Fratello provided a great overview of everything that was known about the Speedmaster “Flight Qualified” back in September. That watch (the one seen in the leaked images) appears to be made for military personnel only. The one seen here can be thought of as the civilian version. It differs somewhat in aesthetic details, but in terms of specs and features it appears to be identical, and offers its own unique Speedy experience.
This is a two register Speedmaster with running seconds at 9:00, and a dual hour/minute totalizer at 3:00 (and a date at the 6:00 position). The dial is laden with pilot inspired details, including a mock horizon indicator in the running seconds subdial, and a burn rate indicator in the 3:00 subdial. The tip of the chronograph seconds hand is in the shape of a plane (a little on the nose, but certainly not out of bounds for a watch like this), and there are large blocks of lume at each hour marker and on the hands, more than what we’d find a typical Speedmaster for sure.
The case shape calls back to early Speedmasters with fan-favorite straight lugs, but the size and proportions tell us something about how this watch was conceived. The diameter is listed at 40.8mm while the case height comes in at 14.7mm, noticeably taller than your run of the mill Speedy Pro. That’s likely due to the Speedmaster Pilot’s water resistance rating of 100 meters, a number on the spec sheet that leads one to believe we’re dealing with a watch that’s intended as a pure tool, as opposed to, for example, the new First Omega in Space, which is perhaps more of an exercise in vintage aesthetics and has just 50 meters of water resistance. Both the stainless steel case and matching bracelet are completely brushed, further emphasizing the toolish roots of the watch.
The Speedmaster Pilot runs on the Co-axial caliber 9900, a METAS certified automatic movement with 60 hours of power reserve. The 9900, in addition to having all the great technical features of any METAS tested caliber, also possesses my single favorite feature in a modern movement. Yes, that’s right: an independently adjustable hour hand. There are few things that make me happier than that local jumping hour, easily one of the most useful complications for domestic travel, and it’s of course completely appropriate for a watch with an aviation theme.
The new Speedmaster Pilot is available now with a retail price of $9,500. Omega
