Introducing The Ultra-Precise Omega Speedmaster Super Racing

It was in 2013, 10 years ago, when Omega presented the first step in its incredible journey through anti-magnetism and accuracy. With a watch based on the Seamaster Aqua Terra, the brand managed to make a watch capable of resisting to magnetic fields up to 15,000 gauss… And this was the first chapter in a story that later, combined to all the tech developed by the brand and its co-axial escapement, brought the Master Chronometer certification… To celebrate a decade of precision watchmaking, Omega is now presenting a new chapter in its story, with a watch that feels familiar visually (based on a Speedmaster Racing) but that hides a new hairspring and fine tuning system – the Omega Spirate System – and an accuracy guaranteed between +0 and +2 seconds/day – probably a best-in-class for the industry. Meet the new Omega Speedmaster Super Racing.

In 2013, Omega launched a watch claiming to have the highest level of magnetism resistance of any production mechanical wristwatch. Resistant to magnetic fields of over 15,000 gauss (or 1,000,000 A/m or 1.5 Tesla), the Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra exceeded the magnetism resistance of most if not all other watches, thanks to the use of proprietary non-magnetic alloys for key movement components. Indeed, it was the movement that was magnetic-resistant, without the need for a special protective case.

Following that, Omega launched, jointly with Metas, the Master Chronometer certification, which has since become a best-in-class certification, combining all areas of control on the watch – precision, magnetism and even origin of the parts and watch – with a claimed accuracy of 0/+5 seconds/day. All is explained in these articles here and here, and in this video.

The new step to reach ever greater claimed accuracy is named Spirate. And it’s a brand new spiral and fine-tuning architecture, all for the sake of precision, as the new watch you see today has a claimed accuracy between +0 and +2 seconds/day. As a reminder, the idea of fine tuning a watch is to bring the frequency of the balance wheel the closest as possible to the theoretical frequency – at 4Hz in the present case. This is done by adjusting the screws on the balances, but it isn’t as precise as some watchmakers would want. The other way is to act on the stiffness of the hairspring, with an index or a swan-neck system.

Omega has a new method to fine tune the rate of a watch movement, with the Spirate. It combines a new silicon hairspring architecture and a new eccentric tuning system, with a snail cam acting on a flexible blade. This system as an unprecedented finesse, allowing regulation as close as 0.1 seconds/day, thanks to a graduated tuner – somehow taking back some of the designs of old watches, with a snail-shaped index on the cock. The graduated tuner allows fine tuning on a scale of of 5 seconds, with increments of 0.1 seconds/day. It remains combined with the co-axial escapement. The idea of Omega is to bring the Spirate technology into more collection in the near future.

The rest of the watch is rather classic. This new Omega Speedmaster Super Racing is an evolution of previous Racing models – larger, automatic, two-counters Speedies with modern looks and colours. As such, the case remains identical, with a 44.25mm diameter, a 50mm lug-to-lug and a 14.9mm height. Made of steel, it retains the classic asymmetrical look with lyre-shaped lugs, box-shaped sapphire crystal and brushed and polished surfaces. Water-resistance remains rated at 50 metres. The crystal is framed by a ceramic bezel with a yellow grand feu enamel tachymeter scale… all classic for the brand and collection.

The dial of this Omega Speedmaster Super Racing is a bit more special, as it pays tribute to the 2013 Aqua Terra, with its combination of black with yellow accents. The dial has a new, rather cool grid/honeycomb pattern. It has a sandwich construction, with laser-etched top plate with honeycomb pattern and a DLC-coated lower plate. It features applied markers in yellow (with a new and exclusive Super-LumiNova colour) and the classic two-counter layout of the Racing collection – small seconds at 9 o’clock, chronograph counter with minute and hours at 3 o’clock and date at 6 o’clock. Another reference to the 2013 AT watch is visible on the small seconds hand, with its bee-like yellow and black stripes. Finally, the date has a special 10 number, as a nod to the decade of anti-magnetism and precision.

Inside the case of the Speedmaster Super Racing is the calibre 9920, based on the classic architecture of the 99xx series. This automatic, in-house movement features a double-barrel architecture with 60h power reserve, a column wheel, a vertical clutch and of course, the co-axial escapement now combined with the new Spirate System spiral. It is of course certified Master-Chronometer and comes with the 0/+2 sec/day accuracy. It retains the classic 4Hz frequency of other calibres from the series.

The watch comes worn on the same bracelet as the Chronoscope – 3-link architecture, brushed and polished, with folding clasp. The bracelet measures 21mm at the lugs and tapers to 16mm at the clasp. The clasp has a micro-adjustment with a push-and-slide mechanism. It allows a few millimetres of adjustment (about 5mm) for hot summer days. The presentation box also includes a black and yellow NATO textile strap.

Availability & Price

The Omega Speedmaster Super Racing (ref. 329.30.44.51.01.003) with its Spirate System will be part of the permanent collection and available as of August 2023. It will be priced at CHF 10,200. More details at omegawatches.com.