Three watches I wish that Omega, TAG Heuer and Tudor made…

Ricardo Sime

It’s inevitable that you’ll get to a point in your collecting life where you hit a wall. You find a watch you love. Everything about it is perfect. Well, almost everything. Try as hard as you can, there are a handful of things that keep you from taking that last step into ownership. This is the point where you start wishing you could whisper into the ear of the brand CEO all that you desire in hopes that they listen and create the watch of you want.

Though the scenario above will likely never happen (and if it did, restraining orders would be involved) it doesn’t hurt to dream of that perfect watch. I’ve done it countless times throughout my collecting life. And though none of my wishes have come true, I still have hope that these three watches eventually see the light of day.

Speedmaster Racing (Manual Wound)

Before we ever dreamed of touching the moon, we were testing our limits on land. From the salt flats of Bonneville, to the straights of Indy, speed was the name of the game. And in 1957, Omega joined the party with the first Speedmaster, the CK2915, or what is commonly known as the Broad Arrow.

Though the reference was only made for 3 years, it had a lasting effect on the brand. So much so that a version was released, in 2017, to celebrate its 60^th anniversary. It was a faithful, limited reissue, that did much to honour the original. Yet, at the same time, it was the tease of all teases because it showed what modern Omega could do with a smaller case (38.6mm) and a hand wound movement (Calibre 1861).

Those two specifications emphasize what I wish could be found in Omega’s modern racing collection. Currently, it consists of Bi-compax, 44.25mm Co‑Axial Master Chronometer chronographs that stretch the limits of many wrists. My wish is for a 41mm or 42mm hand wound version of these watches, styled in the same way. I honestly believe that there is a plethora of buyers who would gravitate towards such a watch.

TAG Heuer Monaco 37mm Automatic

From the moment it graced Steve McQueen’s wrist in Le Mans, the Tag Heuer Monaco has solidified its place in the list of iconic watches. It is a cornerstone piece for the brand and was the first watch I truly fell in love with when I started this hobby. I even visited an authorized dealer, money in hand, to buy one. However, the moment I put it on my wrist, one thing held me back from taking the plunge; the size. At 39x39mm, the watch wore large on my 7.5-inch wrist. Even though I knew the bold design of the watch is what made it so popular, I had never realized how those dimensions would look in person. I just couldn’t move forward with the purchase.

It wasn’t till many years later, when I got to sit down with one of the original Monaco’s worn by McQueen in Le Mans that I remembered just how much I wanted to add the Monaco to my collection. But the sizing still remains an obstacle. At the end of the day, I wish TAG Heuer could slim down the watch by 2mm on both the length and width. They have a 37mm case that they currently use for their Quartz Monaco and I would like to see them use it for the automatic.

Tudor Black Bay 58 GMT

When Tudor gave us the two punch combo of the Black Bay 58 and Black Bay GMT in 2018, many of us couldn’t believe how far the brand had come. They had taken the extremely popular design of the Black Bay and opened it up to a group of people yearning for a smaller size. In the GMT, they provided a more affordable (and I would add less flashy) watch when compared to the Rolex GMT-Master II.

From the moment collectors were able to get both watches in hand, the rumblings began. “I wish they had put the GMT in the 58 case.” “The GMT case is too thick. I wish they made a BB58 GMT”. “I think I’ll wait for a BB58 GMT”. My feelings aligned with these individuals because whereas the thickness of my Black Bay Steel diver didn’t bother me, on the GMT, it was a hard sell. And every time Tudor releases another BB58 model, we’re all reminded of the fact that this watch doesn’t exist and opinions such as the ones above, come up again.

However, it seems a BB58 GMT model may not be as easy as once thought. The date wheel issues of the Tudor GMT MT5652 movement may lead to the brand creating a new movement or at the very least, a redesign. Both options would be costly and will likely mean a BB58 GMT will not be seen any time soon. Even with that being said, I still hope the brand moves forward and makes the watch; a watch I’m pretty sure would be its biggest seller yet.