Originally conceived for pilots of the US military (and covered here by Fratello), the Omega Speedmaster Pilot is now available to civilians. The origins of the watch explain the military-influenced, instrument-style dial design, which is meant to evoke the utilitarian nature of an instrument panel inside a fighter jet.

The regular production version of the watch retains the same specs as the military exclusive, but with different livery. The case has the straight lugs of the Speedmaster “Ed White” but in a larger format thanks to the automatic cal. 9900 inside.

Initial thoughts

I’m something of an outlier amongst enthusiasts since I prefer automatic to manual-wind, even within the Speedmaster collection. While a manual-wind movement is traditional for the Speedy, I appreciate the day-to-day convenience of an automatic. Additionally, Omega’s latest-generation automatic chronograph movements are all impressively high-spec.

While the Speedmaster Pilot may not achieve the same aesthetic purity as its manual-wind counterparts, it remains an excellent everyday option, especially with the military provenance.

That said, the military provenance is not exactly military-issue. The watch was designed for military pilots who presumably buy it on a personal basis for off-duty wear; it is not an actual mil-spec instrument watch. This can be seen in the dial design, which has aviation-inspired elements, rather than actual, functional indicators for pilots.

Even though this is make-believe military, the Speedmaster Pilot is still a reasonable value proposition considering the usual Omega quality, in particular the cal. 9900 that’s a METAS-certified Master Chronometer amongst other things.

Aviation-inspired

The Speedmaster Pilot has a large case typical of Omega’s watches equipped with its automatic chronograph movements. The stainless steel case is 40.85 mm in diameter and 14.7 mm in thickness, though it retains the familiar straight-lug Speedmaster case that’s paired with a retro-style “flat link” bracelet.

The bezel insert is in matte black aluminium and incorporates a historical detail with a “dot over ninety” or “DON” bezel, along with subtle orange accents that echo the dial.

The grained, matte black dial features design elements that evoke the aesthetics of an aircraft cockpit. The three o’clock sub-dial echoes the look of an airspeed display, while the nine o’clock small seconds sub-dial adopts a horizon indicator-style design.

Beneath the solid case back bearing the Speedmaster seahorse emblem engraving is the in-house, self-winding cal. 9900, which beats at 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz) and offers 60 hours of power reserve. It’s one of Omega’s highest-spec movements and equipped with a column wheel, vertical clutch, Co-Axial escapement, and a silicon balance spring.

Key facts and price

Omega Speedmaster Pilot
Ref. 332.10.41.51.01.002

Diameter: 40.85 mm
Height: 14.7 mm
Material: Steel
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 100 m

Movement: Cal. 9900
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, and chronograph
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Winding: Automatic
Power reserve: 60 hours

Strap: Steel bracelet; additional grey NATO-style strap

Limited edition: No
Availability: Now at Omega boutiques and retailers
Price: US$9,500

For more, visit omegawatches.com

To mark the Chinese New Year that begins on January 29, 2025, Blancpain has unveiled the Villeret Traditional Chinese Calendar “Year of the Snake”. For the first time, the brand combines a platinum case with a green grand feu enamel dial on its wristwatch that has the unusual complication of a Chinese lunisolar calendar.

As with previous editions, the Villeret Chinese Calendar displays the symbol of the Chinese Zodiac in a small aperture located at noon, in addition to featuring a snake motif engraved on its frosted white gold rotor.

Initial thoughts

The ability of a perpetual calendar to accurately track months, dates, and days for decades, mechanically and without any manual adjustments, remains impressive even as the complication has become common. Watches with a traditional Chinese calendar, however, remain rare and arguably more impressive.

Only a handful of brands have incorporated the traditional Chinese calendar into a wristwatch, with Blancpain being one of the earliest to do so, way back in 2012 ( and more recently H. Moser & Cie. has done the same).

Admittedly, the latest edition of the Villeret Traditional Chinese Calendar introduces little new beyond the platinum case paired with a green enamel dial. Both the design and movement remain the same. While not intrinsically novel, the new version of the Traditional Chinese Calendar remains an interesting complication, with the new livery being appealing in itself.

Year of the serpent

The snake zodiac edition is essentially identical to past versions of the model, save for the aesthetics. The platinum case is a large 45.2 mm in diameter by 15.1 mm in height. Unlike conventional perpetual calendars, the Traditional Chinese Calendar incorporates the signature Blancpain correctors for the calendar that take the form of discreet tabs concealed beneath the lugs.

The green grand feu enamel dial has the Chinese calendar indications in sub-dials, including the zodiac symbol at 12 o’clock. The three sub-dials feature markings in white enamel print, and indicate the Chinese days and months, double hours, leap year, and the five elemental attributes of the zodiac animal, along with a decorative yin and yang symbol at three o’clock.

A serpentine hand indicates the date on the scale located on the dial’s perimeter, while the moon phase at six o’clock features a black moon disc.

The watch is driven by the in-house cal. 3638 that boasts a seven-day power reserve thanks to three barrels.

The movement is finished well as is typical of Blancpain. This particular edition has a solid gold rotor with a relief engraving of a snake.

Key facts and price

Blancpain Villeret Traditional Chinese Calendar “Year of the Snake”
Ref. 0888-3432C-55B

Diameter: 45.2 mm
Height: 15.1 mm
Material: Platinum
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 30 m

Movement: Cal. 3638
Functions: Hours, minutes, date, lunar calendar and Chinese hours
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 168 hours

Strap: Crocodile with folding clasp

Limited edition: 50 pieces
Availability: At Blancpain boutiques
Price: On request

For more information, visit Blancpain.com.