By Harlan Chapman-Green
Last year we saw Omega release a reworked version of the Speedmaster Mark II. This watch combines Omega’s latest movement and case technologies to make a watch that will please most fans of the brand, but leave others looking at the slightly strange case shape with disdain. This year Omega has made a special edition of another watch which divides fans firmly down the middle, the theme for this watch is, of course, the Summer Olympics which take place in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil next year, an event which Omega has timed for many years much to the annoyance of Rolex no doubt.
The Bullhead Seamaster first entered the world in 1969 and was designed to be used by rally drivers to effectively time their laps, it is immediately recognised because of its case and push-piece layout. The bullhead design theme moves the time setting crown and the two chronograph pushers onto the top of the case as opposed to their usual position at 3 O’clock. Although truthfully there is very little resemblance between the shape of this case and the head of a bull, you could imagine that the chronograph pushers are the horns of the case, quite what the other two crowns represent remains a mystery. However we do know that the crown at the bottom of the case is used to adjust the inner rotating bezel on the piece, this is a diving watch of sorts after all.
We all like a good dash of colouring on our watches from the simple blue dial of a submariner to the range of colours used on this piece. Because this is a special production piece for the Olympics, it only seems right to make use of the colours of the 5 rings which make up the symbol of the Olympics which are blue, yellow, red, green and black. Blue is the easily main theme of this watch with the inner rotating bezel and the perforated leather strap both being the colour blue. The indexes on the bezel and the stitching on the strap are where you’ll find the other four colours being used the most.
The dial on this special edition watch is stark white in colour and has silvered hands to represent the time with a date window at 3 O’clock. The hands and the indices on the dial have a thin strip of lume applied to them to make them legible in the dark as well. The chronograph is indicated on the dial by the usage of red hands on the central chronograph seconds hand and the 30 minute counter in a sub-dial at 12 O’clock.
The stainless steel on this case is 43mm in diameter and will protect the Co-Axial 3113 calibre down to a depth of 150m, the watch has a power reserve of 52 hours without the chronograph running, the back of the case is closed to show the logo of the 2016 Olympics, the logo and the piece counter as there are only going to be 316 examples made which will sell for $9,900 (€7,900). For more info, please visit omegawatches.com
HARLAN CHAPMAN-GREEN – CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
A keen bass guitar player, Harlan enjoys all the perks modern watchmaking technologies the industry has to offer. Although you might catch him sampling Omegas or the Rolex, Harlan loves all things Haute Horology, with his three favourite brands being Breguet, A.Lange & Söhne and Vacheron Constantin. He hopes to study timekeeping more in depth someday and will never be able to thank his father enough for introducing him to the industry. Read his articles here.
