Yes, we at Monochrome-Watch plead guilty! We are recidivists. We’ve done it before with Rolex. We did it again with Tudor. Now, it’s time for us to share with you our predictions for what could (very well) be the watches that Omega will introduce this year at Baselworld. Last year the brand teased us with several videos and darkened photos that suggested a new Omega Seamaster 300. Fortunately, our predictions were quite accurate and Omega came in with the Master Co-Axial edition of the SM300. This year, we are including in our Omega 2015 Novelties some cool watches that could very well be there in two weeks.
The re-issue of the Omega Railmaster
This one is nearly too obvious. The first Omega Railmaster was part of a collection of 3 professionally-oriented watches launched in 1957 – a collection that includes the Omega Speedmaster CK2915, the Omega Seamaster 300m CK2913 and the Omega Railmaster CK2914. The first one was a racing chronograph that became an official racing timekeeper, the second was Omega’s answer to the Rolex Submariner (with a much higher water-resistance) and the last on was the answer to the Rolex Milgauss and a watch made for scientists and people working in magnetic fields.
If you look back at the two previous editions of Baselworld,Replica Omega Constellation reintroduced two of these watches. In 2013, they came with the Omega Speedmaster 1957 and in 2014, they introduced the Seamaster 300 Master Co-Axial. It seems definitely obvious (and maybe too simple, but whatever) to expect a new Railmaster from Omega this year, for Baselworld 2015. It will simply close the circle and be a natural end to the vintage re-editions. As with the Seamaster 300, we expect the 2015 Omega Railmaster to come in with a new Omega Caliber 8400, a chronometer-rated movement, internally certified with METAS control and fully anti-magnetic. Not does Omega really push its new antimagnetic technology, but in the context of the Railmaster, this movement makes a lot of sense.
The vintage edition was extremely close to the Seamaster 300, with the same dial, the same triangular indices, the same broad-arrow hands and (almost) the same shape. The main difference is, of course, the lack of a rotating bezel and a lower water resistance. So does our prediction for 2015, with a shape, a dial and hands (except the straight second hand) similar to the SM300. The bezel would simply be replaced with a flat polished one. This could be available in stainless steel with a black dial or in titanium with a blue dial, both on metallic bracelet or leather strap.
The Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 600m James Bond 007 Spectre edition with NATO Strap
You could easily tell us that Omega already introduced a James Bond 007 watch dedicated to the next movie, the Omega Replica Seamaster Aqua Terra 150m Master Co-Axial Limited Edition James Bond 007 Spectre. This is actually a fair point.. However, we’re pretty sure that this Aqua Terra won’t be the watch worn by Daniel Craig in ‘Spectre’, as he’s been spotted recently wearing a Seamaster Planet Ocean 600m with a NATO strap. So, we predict that Omega will introduce a new James Bond watch this year, based on the Seamaster Planet Ocean 600m and fitted on one of the official and high quality NATO straps (just like the Speedmaster Apollo 11 45th anniversary, Omega will certainly use some of these straps for the limited editions).
We also expect Omega to equip the rest of the collection with the Master Co-Axial movements and so, this limited edition, as the classical edition of the Seamaster Planet Ocean 600m, could feature this innovative, precise and antimagnetic engine – here with a date window at 3.
A new Omega Speedmaster Apollo XIII – Snoopy Award
This year will be the 45th anniversary of the unfortunate Apollo XIII Mission, the third mission intended to land on the Moon that was aborted after an oxygen tank exploded. Omega already introduced several watches to commemorate this mission, like the 1995 edition with a patch in the counter at 9. This could be one of the ideas for a limited edition, like they did last year with the Speedmaster Apollo 11 45th anniversary. Another idea, and actually the one we chose to predict, is a re-issue of the Snoopy Award Omega Replica Speedmaster Professional. The ‘Snoopy Award’ was given by NASA to certain crew members or staff for significant contributions above and beyond the call of duty or for recognition of excellence. The crew members of Apollo XIII, for their incredible reaction to a complicated situation, received this award.
It would make sense to see another Snoopy Award watch, considering the anniversary of Mission Apollo XIII and the 65th anniversary of Snoopy himself (created in 1950). So let’s imagine for Baselworld 2015 a new Speedy based on the classical Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch, with a patch in the small-second sub-counter and a matching blue bezel and NATO Strap.