HANDS-ON: The Omega Speedmaster Super Racing is the brand’s most accurate watch yet
Zach BlassRolex and Omega are the Coke and Pepsi of the watch industry. As two of the biggest brands in the world, they are constantly pitted up against one another head to head. Since the brand’s inception, Rolex has been known for incremental progress and updates. Omega, on the other hand, has taken more risks and pushed harder on the fronts of material innovation and movement technology. For example, Omega acquired and industrialised the production of the Co-Axial escapement, helped develop and lead the industry in the usage of the METAS Master Chronometer certification, and have produced watches in proprietary gold alloys and ceramic – the latter of which Rolex never has. Earlier this week, Omega made another monumental leap with their horological capabilities. Their Master Chronometer certification has held their watches to a 0/+5 second per day accuracy standard, just one second shy of Rolex’s Superlative Chronometer standard -2/+2 seconds per day. But, in their pursuit of supreme accuracy and efforts to regulate not losing time, Omega just ousted Rolex with their new Spirate System that allows for regulation that’s certified to run within an astounding 0/+2 seconds per day. I went into full detail regarding this new system in my story here, but now it is time to go hands-on with the watch that houses it: the Omega Speedmaster Super Racing.
Editor’s note: The iPhone photographs below are courtesy of our very own Andrew McUtchen, who was live in the manufacture for the launch of the Spirate System and Omega Speedmaster Super Racing.
The case
Like previous Speedmaster Racing models, the Omega Speedmaster Super Racing has a seemingly intimidating case diameter measurement of 44.25mm, but its 50mm lug-to-lug span across the wrist is feasible for most to wear safely. In typical Speedmaster fashion, you have twisted lyre lugs mirror polished on the outer shoulders with the inner sloped facet and outer flat case flank facet richly brushed. As a racing chronograph, it has a more land-suited 50 metres of water-resistance for the 14.9mm thick case. So, while it can take a surface swim – so long as you do not engage the chronograph pushers underwater – I would still advise opting for a diver or more water-resistant watch in that scenario.
The dial
In tribute to the Seamaster Aqua Terra >15’000 Gauss that kicked off Omega’s era of industry-leading anti-magnetism in 2013, the stainless-steel Super Racing utilises a black honeycomb dial with yellow SuperLuminova® accents to the hands and indices. The two-register dial is very balanced, with a running seconds register at 9′ and dual-elapsed minutes and elapsed hours register at 3′ split between a dial-matching date complication at 6′. A neat Easter egg is tucked into the date wheel, with each 10th day of a month conveyed by the Speedmaster font to commemorate the 10th anniversary. The outer minutes track has a dark matte backdrop, with checkered racing hash marks, and the central medallion has a black polished base that rests beneath the three-dimensional honeycomb pattern, applied diamond-polished and bevelled black arrowhead indices and applied logo, as well as the outer minutes track that all connect to form the upper layer.
The strap and bracelet
If you are bracelet fiend like myself, you will be glad to know the Omega Speedmaster Super Racing is outfitted on the same rolled-link bracelet as the Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch 3861. The stainless-steel bracelet is mixed finished, with the two narrow intermediary links mirror polished and the three broader pieces satin brushed. Each link is expectedly secured by screws, not pins and collars, and the bracelet can be finely sized further thanks to Omega’s newly rolled out micro-adjustment clasp. As wonderful as the bracelet is, the fabric strap arguably ties together the whole look better. Continuing the black and yellow colourway, it has more of a a casual racing vibe. Both are bundled into the offering, so you can be a casual racer by day and dressy driver by night swapping between the pair.
The movement
The main source of intrigue in regard to this offering is the newly debuting automatic Master Co-Axial calibre 9920, Omega’s first calibre to utilise the new Spirate System. The Spirate System’s inclusion means this co-axial column wheel chronograph calibre is regulated to leave the factory running on average between zero to plus two seconds per day – an astounding level of accuracy. As we have seen in previous calibres, Omega has nicely, albeit industrially, decorated the calibre with Geneva waves in arabesque across the rotor and bridges. If you are curious to see the new Spirate System, you can see the eccentric adjustment mechanism on top of the full balance bridge and the new silicon hairspring expanding and contracting within the balance wheel beneath.
The verdict
Is this my favourite Speedmaster ever made? Not particularly. For my personal taste, the innovation inside is more alluring than the watch itself. That being said, the Omega Speedmaster Super Racing is an objectively good-looking watch – so long as you do not have an aversion to yellow accents. This bumble-bee racer is a fun and robust entry into the Speedmaster pantheon that wears more compact than its diameter suggests, with a strong modern innovative vibe inside and out. And, as we all know all too well, it is a historic first for the brand that means it will always be imbued with additional value for collectors.
Omega Speedmaster Super Racing pricing and availability:
The Omega Speedmaster Super Racing is available now for purchase. Price: CHF 10,200
| Brand | Omega |
| Model | Speedmaster Super Racing |
| Case Dimensions | 44.25mm (D) x 14.9mm (T) x 50mm (L2L) |
| Case Material | Stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 50m |
| Dial | Black/yellow honeycomb |
| Crystal | Sapphire crystal and exhibition caseback |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet and black/yellow fabric strap |
| Lug width | 21mm |
| Movement | In-house automatic Master Co-Axial calibre 9920 with SpirateTM System |
| Power Reserve | 60 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, small seconds, date, chronograph, time zone function |
| Availability | Now |
| Price | CHF 10,200 |