Omega Is Closing Out 2024 With Another Extremely Cool Speedmaster
StyleThe Speedmaster Pilot is a flight-qualified, military-inspired version of the Swiss brand’s most famous watch.By Oren HartovDecember 10, 2024OmegaSave this storySaveSave this storySaveWhile we love to fantasize that soldiers are wearing hardy dive watches and complicated chronographs into dangerous situations, the truth is that they’re largely sporting reliable and nearly indestructible G-Shocks. An exception to this rule, however, is airmen: Flyboys, with all their advanced training and multi-million dollar equipment, do sometimes get to rock some pretty cool wristwear. Now, thanks to Omega's new Speedmaster Pilot, you can wear a piece up to their technical and aesthetic standards.The new Speedmaster was teased earlier this year in a wristshot showing a pilot in a U-2 spy plane—the stealthy, matte-black beast that can casually reach altitudes of nearly 70,000 feet. The image sent Omega fans into a tailspin as they tried desperately to suss out the watch’s origins and specs. It seemed that this dual-register, straight-lugged version of the Speedy was only available to U.S. military personnel—which, though it lent the watch an air of mil-spec legitimacy, was a distinct letdown for civilians who wanted to cop its colorful looks for themselves. Omega's new Speedmaster Pilot is a version for civilians complete with a matching steel bracelet.The new Speedy brings both military provenance and a sprinkling of a vintage piece beloved among Omega collectors. Diehard Omega nuts will be reminded of the old Flightmaster watches from the 1970s. The new Speedmaster Pilot is not an exact match for the manually-wound Flightmaster with its profusion of crowns, pushers, hands, and wild colors, but some of those hues are indeed present in this latest release. Atop a brushed 40.85mm stainless steel case with straight lugs—like those found on the original 1957 Speedmaster—is a matte aluminum bezel with a tachymeter scale in white and orange and a classic “Dot Over Ninety” indication.The dial on this watch is a true showstopper. It’s comprised of a grained, matte-black texture that’s interrupted only by two chronograph subdials. A combination 60-minute and 12-hour totalizer at 3 o’clock features orange and grey hands and a cockpit-inspired “burn-rate” indicator while a running-seconds indicator at 9 o’clock features an artificial horizon background in light blue and black with a bright yellow hand.The pops of color don’t end there, however: The central chronograph seconds hand has a Flightmaster-esque, plane-shaped orange tip, while the chunky blocks of Super-LumiNova likewise have orange tips. Another eye-pleasing feature is that the indices as well as the watch’s thick sword hands glow green in low light, lighting up the watch dial like a dashboard instrument. A date indicator with a black background and white typography is present at 6 o’clock, and the whole shebang is powered by the automatic Omega Calibre 9900 movement with 60 hours of power reserve. The presence of an automatic movement makes for a case thickness of 14.54 mm, so don’t expect the Speedmaster Pilot to slip sveltly under a cuff, not a problem if you’re wearing it over a flight suit as intended.Most PopularGQ RecommendsThis Aesop Sale Smells Too Good To Be True (But It Is)By Danielle DiMeglioJewelry26 Wallet-Friendly Bracelets to Make Your Neck JealousBy Olivia HawkinsGQ RecommendsThe Lululemon Belt Bag Is Black Friday's Greatest HitBy Tyler Chin Unlike the versions of the watch being offered to US military pilots and other personnel, the civilian version has a matching multi-link bracelet (instead of a NATO strap—though civilians can buy a strapped version if they wish), a blue and black running seconds counter (instead of a grey and black version), and a caseback inscribed with the Omega hippocampus logo (instead of its wearer’s name, rank, and squadron logo). But case thickness aside, there’s little to complain about either version. With its striking, colorful looks; 100m of water resistance; excellent automatic movement; and incredible dial, the Speedmaster Pilot is a hugely welcome addition to Omega’s tool watch catalog. Not quite a Flightmaster and not quite a Moonwatch, it’s nevertheless an exciting example of rare, modern military engineering for under $10K.The new Speedmaster Pilot caps off what’s been a sensational year for Omega’s flagship model. 2024 started with the long-awaited white-dial Speedy, October brought a release inspired by the first version of the watch to go to space, and this new piece might be the best version yet. While the watch is best known for its classic Moonwatch configuration, Omega continues to remind collectors of the Speedy’s nearly peerless variety.
While we love to fantasize that soldiers are wearing hardy dive watches and complicated chronographs into dangerous situations, the truth is that they’re largely sporting reliable and nearly indestructible G-Shocks. An exception to this rule, however, is airmen: Flyboys, with all their advanced training and multi-million dollar equipment, do sometimes get to rock some pretty cool wristwear. Now, thanks to Omega's new Speedmaster Pilot, you can wear a piece up to their technical and aesthetic standards.
The new Speedmaster was teased earlier this year in a wristshot showing a pilot in a U-2 spy plane—the stealthy, matte-black beast that can casually reach altitudes of nearly 70,000 feet. The image sent Omega fans into a tailspin as they tried desperately to suss out the watch’s origins and specs. It seemed that this dual-register, straight-lugged version of the Speedy was only available to U.S. military personnel—which, though it lent the watch an air of mil-spec legitimacy, was a distinct letdown for civilians who wanted to cop its colorful looks for themselves. Omega's new Speedmaster Pilot is a version for civilians complete with a matching steel bracelet.
The new Speedy brings both military provenance and a sprinkling of a vintage piece beloved among Omega collectors. Diehard Omega nuts will be reminded of the old Flightmaster watches from the 1970s. The new Speedmaster Pilot is not an exact match for the manually-wound Flightmaster with its profusion of crowns, pushers, hands, and wild colors, but some of those hues are indeed present in this latest release. Atop a brushed 40.85mm stainless steel case with straight lugs—like those found on the original 1957 Speedmaster—is a matte aluminum bezel with a tachymeter scale in white and orange and a classic “Dot Over Ninety” indication.
The dial on this watch is a true showstopper. It’s comprised of a grained, matte-black texture that’s interrupted only by two chronograph subdials. A combination 60-minute and 12-hour totalizer at 3 o’clock features orange and grey hands and a cockpit-inspired “burn-rate” indicator while a running-seconds indicator at 9 o’clock features an artificial horizon background in light blue and black with a bright yellow hand.
The pops of color don’t end there, however: The central chronograph seconds hand has a Flightmaster-esque, plane-shaped orange tip, while the chunky blocks of Super-LumiNova likewise have orange tips. Another eye-pleasing feature is that the indices as well as the watch’s thick sword hands glow green in low light, lighting up the watch dial like a dashboard instrument. A date indicator with a black background and white typography is present at 6 o’clock, and the whole shebang is powered by the automatic Omega Calibre 9900 movement with 60 hours of power reserve. The presence of an automatic movement makes for a case thickness of 14.54 mm, so don’t expect the Speedmaster Pilot to slip sveltly under a cuff, not a problem if you’re wearing it over a flight suit as intended.
Unlike the versions of the watch being offered to US military pilots and other personnel, the civilian version has a matching multi-link bracelet (instead of a NATO strap—though civilians can buy a strapped version if they wish), a blue and black running seconds counter (instead of a grey and black version), and a caseback inscribed with the Omega hippocampus logo (instead of its wearer’s name, rank, and squadron logo). But case thickness aside, there’s little to complain about either version. With its striking, colorful looks; 100m of water resistance; excellent automatic movement; and incredible dial, the Speedmaster Pilot is a hugely welcome addition to Omega’s tool watch catalog. Not quite a Flightmaster and not quite a Moonwatch, it’s nevertheless an exciting example of rare, modern military engineering for under $10K.
The new Speedmaster Pilot caps off what’s been a sensational year for Omega’s flagship model. 2024 started with the long-awaited white-dial Speedy, October brought a release inspired by the first version of the watch to go to space, and this new piece might be the best version yet. While the watch is best known for its classic Moonwatch configuration, Omega continues to remind collectors of the Speedy’s nearly peerless variety.
