It has been an exciting start to 2019 for Omega. In just one month the company has presented revived versions of two of its most legendary movements. Most noteworthy was the first announcement, since the calibre 321 that equipped the Speedmaster watches that went to the moon was presented as the movement only – with the first watch it will equip still unknown. The second announcement concerned the 19-ligne calibre that gave the company its name. At the time of its introduction in 1894 it revolutionised industrial production with the use of interchangeable components that could be serviced by any watchmaker.
Now, 125 years later, the 19-ligne calibre is brought back to life not thanks to advanced techniques like the computer tomography that was used to map the movement inside Eugene Cernan’s Omega Speedmaster at the Omega Museum (the watch could not simply be opened up, since it it on loan from the Smithsonian Institute) but thanks to the use of original components that have been carefully stored in the company’s archives for over a century.
All the bridges, mainplates, escapements and bi-metallic balance springs in the “new” 19-ligne calibre will thus be original. Jewel settings and rubies will also be true to the original design, while certain other components will use more modern technology. The gear train geometry has also been recalculated to bring it into line with modern standards. This new movement is housed in a limited edition of 19 hunter pocket watches with a gold case.
At this stage we have only seen a first prototype, so expect more details in the near future. In the meantime, however, Omega has another way of celebrating the 125 years of its name with an equally stunning but non-limited timepiece: The De Ville Trésor 125th anniversary piece. It may not be limited, but don’t expect to see many of them, because Omega has chosen to fit them with its first-ever red dial in grand feu enamel. Such artisanal dials are rare enough in the Omega collection, and the way the company produces them is also a lot different to those of its peers. Instead of a more traditional gold or metal base, Omega applies the enamel to a white alumina-based ceramic disk, which is then heated to in excess of 1,000 degrees Celsius. The high heat resistance of the alumina means that there is much less risk of any deformations and, therefore, that fewer firings are required.
This wonderfully rich dial is adorned by slender hour markers and hands in gold and housed in a 40mm diameter yellow-gold De Ville Trésor case, paired with a burgundy leather strap. The full case back in gold has a red enamel capsule in the centre featuring the original Omega logo and font, together with the 125 years inscription – all in gold fired at “petit feu” temperatures (around 600 degrees Celsius) on the grand feu red base.
The De Ville Trésor 125th anniversary edition also features a brand-new movement: the Omega Master Chronometer calibre 8929 is the brand’s first manually-wound implementation of the METAS-certified master chronometer movement with Omega co-axial escapement and offers 72 hours of power reserve.
Those interested in acquiring this future collector’s piece can do so only from Omega’s own stores, where they can also find out the price.
