Omega's Speedmaster Super Racing: A dramatic evolution in its movement

Omega, a leader in the watch industry with its extraordinary anti-magnetic and water-resistant performance, has announced the Speedmaster Super Racing, a watch that will surpass the limits of mechanical precision, due for release in 2023. With the company paving the way for mass production, Vice President Gregory Kissling visited Japan with a copy of the Chronochime, Omega's most complicated watch to date. We take a look at the current state of Omega, a company boasting world-class research and development capabilities.

The most capable and motivated challenger

　Looking back on the past year in the watch industry, one of the most impactful events was the stunning debut of the Speedmaster Super Racing in January 2023. Thanks to its ultra-precise regulator, the "Spireto™ system," it was the first timepiece certified to achieve a daily deviation of 0-+2 seconds, and this technological feat sent shockwaves through the watch world. Initially, there were concerns that the complexity of the Spirito™ system would limit production, but as expected, Omega's potential knows no bounds. It was successfully mass-produced, and the watch has finally begun to arrive, primarily in boutiques around the world.

　Let's summarize its mechanical features and innovations once again. "Spirate" is a compound word made from the words "spiral" (spiral, hairspring) and "rate." Silicon hairsprings are resistant to magnetism and temperature changes, but they have the drawback of being prone to cracking and not being able to be finely adjusted. This is why all silicon hairsprings, not just Omega, use a free-sprung balance that adjusts the weight of the balance wheel, rather than a regulator that changes the effective length by clamping the hairspring.

　However, with a free-sprung balance, it is difficult to evenly fine-tune the multiple weights attached to the balance wheel, and special tools are required. There is also a risk of touching and damaging the silicon balance spring during adjustment.

　The Spirit™ system combines the best of both worlds - a regulator and a free-sprung balance - and their synergistic effects have allowed it to surpass the limits of mechanical precision. Vice President Gregory Kisling cited seven benefits: 1. Adjustment can be performed even while the balance is moving, reducing adjustment time. 2. The adjustment range can be seen on the scale on the dial regulator. 3. Fine adjustments are possible. 4. Easy to use (perhaps boutiques will be able to offer this service in the future). 5. Adjustments can be made quickly in one simple step. 6. There is no need to adjust the weight like with a free-sprung balance, so there is no risk of unbalanced weight. 7. The resonator is not touched during adjustment, so there is no need to worry about damaging the balance spring or dislodging the shock-proof device. "It's like one of the Seven Wonders," Kisling said, and his presentation was going smoothly.

　However, this technology requires sophisticated production capabilities. Omega leveraged the vast skills and resources within the Swatch Group to develop and mass-produce the technology 100% in-house. Omega has four key locations in Switzerland, including two near Neuchâtel: ASULAB, which contributed significantly to the approach and design of the Spirit™ system, and Nivarox FAR. The former is Swatch Group's R&D center, staffed with physics and photonics experts, while the latter actually manufactures the silicon balance springs. The balance springs are then moved to Villeret, where they are paired with the balance wheel at Nivarox FAR. Next, on the ETA and Omega movement assembly line across the street, the balance bridge is attached and integrated into the Caliber 9920, and the balance wheel weights are used to achieve COSC-certified rate accuracy. Omega's Bienne facility handles casing, METAS testing, and bracelet assembly. After achieving a daily deviation of 0-+2 seconds, the dial regulator is reset to zero before shipping.

　The appeal of the Speedmaster Super Racing isn't just its internal mechanism. The exterior design is a homage to the Seamaster Aqua Terra, which achieved ultra-high magnetic resistance of 15,000 gauss in 2013 with the use of a silicon balance spring and non-magnetic materials, and is extremely unique and innovative. The dial and bezel in particular exude Omega's technical expertise and style.

　First, Kisling asked us a question about the dial, which features a striking contrast between black and yellow: "Why do you think they chose the honeycomb pattern?" We struggled to answer, but they replied, "Black and yellow are warning colors used near strong magnetic fields. Ten years ago, a collector saw the Aqua Terra 15,000 Gauss second hand with these two stripes and first coined the name 'honeycomb hand.' Bees are synonymous with beehives and honeycomb patterns. So in 2016, we adopted a honeycomb dial for the Aqua Terra concept watch, which was able to withstand an extreme magnetic field of 160,000 Gauss. The Speedmaster Super Racing, along with its honeycomb second hand, continues that tradition."

　This honeycomb pattern was created using a laser, as stamping would leave the sides rough. This is a special laser designed for cutting brass, not for ablation. Both the upper and lower layers of the sandwich structure are coated with black DLC, and the lower layer is sprayed with clear lacquer and polished to add depth.

　The bezel surrounding the dial begins with a ceramic ring made from zirconia oxide, which is machined with a diamond tool. Next, a tachymeter scale is engraved using a laser, capable of engraving to a specific depth. Five layers of yellow enamel are then applied on top of this, and the Grand Feu enameling process is carried out by heating it to over 800°C. Finally, all that remains is the enamel that covers the engraved scale, which is then chemically polished to a high shine.

　Omega has experience with this process itself, but this is the first time they have tried to create a new enamel color for a bezel. Yellow is a particularly difficult color, and it usually takes three years to create a new enamel color on an industrial scale for a mass-produced model like the Speedmaster. What's more, it is extremely difficult to create a consistent yellow tone using different materials, not just the bezel, but also the hands, luminous elements, and even the strap. Omega's ambitious approach is truly amazing.

The Sprite™ System accelerates into the future

"The SPIRATO™ System project began 10 years ago. It's been quite a journey."

　During an exclusive interview, Gregory Kisling spoke with deep emotion. When asked if he had been involved from the beginning, he replied with a smile, "Yes, it was me who approached people and started the project," and added, "We were able to get to this point in the end thanks to the cooperation of many people. Many 'creators' were involved."

　The creators of the watch were not limited to Omega. Thanks to its vertically integrated structure, the diverse skills of different departments were able to help at various stages of the project. Kisling emphasizes that he believes this is precisely where the Swatch Group's strength lies.

"Another big factor was that we didn't have to go to the trouble of outsourcing prototypes. Once we'd done a simulation, we could make all the prototypes in-house. We tested them and if they didn't work, we'd start another simulation. It took us 1000 tries before we found the perfect geometry for the balance spring. It was three years ago that we were finally convinced that this would work. In terms of regulating the movement, it's a truly revolutionary device. However, it is merely an adjustment tool, and it does not in itself ensure the precision of the movement. Its true value can only be demonstrated thanks to the technological innovations that Omega has accumulated over the past quarter century."

　These include the mass production of the Co-Axial escapement in 1999, the silicon balance spring, the 15,000 gauss antimagnetic movement, and the Master Chronometer certification system in 2015.

"Our mission is to continue to pursue excellence and precision. There are multiple technological breakthroughs, each connected and interrelated, and only when they all come together can they be completed. We have been on this journey for the past 10 years."

　However, the COVID-19 pandemic occurred midway through the project.

"Having to develop such a complex project online rather than in person was challenging."

　Additionally, while the company has publicly stated that it plans to expand the Spirit™ system to other models, will it be possible to adjust it to existing movements, like the early Co-Axials?

"The 9900 was thick enough to incorporate the Spirito, but the other three in-house calibers don't have that much space, so we're making the Spirito itself thinner to accommodate. We'll gradually figure out what we need to make thinner if we give it a little more time. First, we need to get a patent for it (laughs)."

Not "addition" but "fusion": Why Omega should take on the Chrono Chime

　This movement, the most complex ever made by Omega, will be unveiled in the fall of 2022, and the actual watch has now arrived in Japan for the first time, accompanied by Gregory Kisling. Kissling spoke about the significance of Omega creating the world's first complicated watch that plays the timing results of a chronograph with a minute repeater:

"If this had simply been a minute repeater with a split-seconds chronograph, I think it would have disappointed many Omega fans. They would have thought that this was not a watch that Omega should make, and that other brands were more suitable. However, Omega, with its pioneering spirit, developed it from an entirely different perspective. Rather than "adding" one complication to another, it "fused" two complications and developed it from scratch, creating a new level of complication. This was a watch that only Omega, as the official timekeeper of the Olympic Games and the first to create a minute repeater wristwatch in 1892, could take on."

　Just like the Spirit™ system, which was developed and mass-produced by leveraging the Swatch Group's strengths, the Chrono Chime is a masterpiece that brings together the Group's collective efforts. The movement was jointly developed with Blancpain over a period of six years, and Breguet's magnetic repeater governor, which solved the problems of noise and friction, enhanced the quality.

　On the other hand, the co-axial escapement that Omega focused on was originally designed for a standard frequency, so it was difficult to make it a high-beat escapement of 10 vibrations per second, which would allow it to display 1/10 of a second, the same as the pocket chronograph from 1932. In addition, in order to obtain Master Chronometer certification, non-ferrous metals were used for 50 parts.

　Let's also take a look at the key features of the chrono chime, which plays a key role in the mechanism. While a regular minute repeater reads the current time, the chrono chime reads the chronograph's measurement results, so the snail cam that reads the minutes is installed in the minute counter. The central seconds chronograph wheel incorporates a snail cam that counts every 10 seconds and another snail cam that measures the seconds, all integrated into the vertical clutch. Pressing the button with a musical note at the tip at 5 o'clock (8 o'clock on the Speedmaster Chrono Chime) activates the chrono chime, which announces the measurement results with a low tone for the minutes, a succession of low and high tones for the 10 seconds, and a high tone for the seconds.

　What's interesting is that the silence between the three chime phases is constant at about 1.5 seconds. A regular repeater has a fixed phase length, so phases with fewer sounds have longer periods of silence. This is what makes the beautiful, good tempo of the chrono chime stand out.

　It's safe to say that Omega is the most capable and ambitious challenger when it comes to watch innovation. With a legendary story that spans space and the deep seas, Omega has, over the past quarter century, continuously broken through the limits of specifications such as anti-magnetic properties, water resistance, and precision. And with this Chrono Chime, they have proven that they have not lost their challenging attitude even at the craftsmanship level. This is not about complicating or sophisticating existing methods, but about making a drastic change from the ground up. True, original innovation can only be born from bold challenges, not imitation. That is certainly Omega's domain.