As official timekeeper of the Olympics, Omega has never failed to capitalize on the biennial event. Making an inordinate number of SKUs for any occasion, regardless of its importance, is a hallmark of the Swatch Group marque. That said, the Olympics are kind of a big deal, and the Paris Olympics are geographically closer to the company’s Biel/Bienne headquarters than any games since the 1992 Albertville Winter Olympics. Given the proximity, the executives at Omega surely see a big opportunity to create a string of successful Olympics-linked releases. The Omega Speedmaster Chronoscope Paris 2024 models tweak the original Chronoscope for the special occasion, including a solid-gold version on a bracelet.
Omega debuted the Speedmaster Chronoscope collection almost 3 years ago, including two stainless steel models and a bronze model. The Chronoscope was and remains notable for its hand-wound movement, bi-compax layout, and concentric triple -chronograph scales at the center of the dials. The cases, though remain familiar. Measuring 43mm, the Omega Speedmaster Chronoscope Paris 2024 watches are offered in stainless steel and 18k Moonshine Gold. As ever, the signature bombé lugs are present, and the watch measures 48.6mm from tip-to-tip. However, it should be noted that these models are 13mm as opposed to the original’s 12.8mm, and that’s on account of the solid Paris 2024 caseback. The watches have a sapphire crystal (sorry, fanboys) and get 50m water resistance. The bezel on the steel version is anodized aluminum, while the gold model gets a black ceramic bezel with gold markings.
The watches are offered in four variations, one each in steel and gold. The gold model comes on either a full gold bracelet, which includes the brand’s built-in microadjustment mechanism, or on a two-stich black leather strap with a matching gold buckle. For the steel model, it’s available on the standard Speedmaster bracelet with the same quick-adjust mechanism, or on a rally-style perforated leather strap. As a nice touch, the interior walls of the perforations have been painted white to coordinate with the silver dial. For me, it’s go big or go home: gold on gold.
The dials here appear identical to the others in the Chronoscope line, save for Moonshine Gold PVD accents instead of the blue or silver offered on other models. While Omega still refers to these dials as silver, it appears the use of gold accents on for the applied numerals, and subdial hands and subdial scales bring a bit of warmth to the dial that’s missing from the others. This gold accenting is in line with the Paris 2024 Seamaster, a wonderfully 90’s-looking two-tone piece that would be more at home in Albertville in 1992 than in Paris in 2024. Don’t be deceived by the bi-compax layout, though. The 9 o’clock subdial offers a running seconds, but the 3 o’clock is a full second time zone, with hour and minute hands. This seems especially apt for a global event like the Olympics. Both subdials are slightly recessed and feature circular grooving.
At the center of each dial is a concentric set of four rings offering telemeter, pulsations, and tachymeter scales, with the tachymeter taking the inner two rings. This will be great if you want to see how long it takes someone to run a 10000m race, how long it takes the cheers to reach you from outside the stadium, and check your pulse in response to the excitement of it all. For my part, the look crowds the dial a bit too much; even though the scales aren’t spiraled like they were on old watches, the look is antiquated and cluttered in a way that simply doesn’t appeal to me.
I think it’s rather a shame that Omega used a solid caseback, because the Omega 9908/9909 (steel/gold) cailbers are truly beautiful. They are on full display in the other version of the Chronoscope, and you get to see the massive 3/4 plate with signature arabesque wave pattern that radiates radiating outward from the bow-shaped balance bridge. Further, you can’t appreciate the gold balance bridge of the 9909! In any case, the co-axial, column wheel chronograph movement is manual wind and is COSC and METAS certified for exceptional accuracy. It delivers 60 hours of power at 28,800vph.
I’d save your responses, to be honest. This is the second Paris 2024 release, but it absolutely will not be the last. Remember, the brand still has the Constellation and De Ville collections to work with (plus the numerous sublines within all its collections). Availability of these pieces is unclear, though if they follow the path of the Paris 2024 Seamaster, they’ll only be available in Omega’s Paris boutique, and while not limited, it’s reasonable to assume they won’t be available forever. The Omega Speedmaster Chronoscope Paris 2024 models are priced at $9,500 USD for the stainless steel on strap (Ref. 522.32.43.51.02.001), $9,800 for the stainless steel on bracelet (Ref. 22.30.43.51.02.001), $32,700 USD for the Moonshine Gold on strap (Ref. 522.62.43.51.02.001), and $51,400 USD for the Moonshone Gold on bracelet (Ref. 522.60.43.51.02.001). For more information, please visit the Omega website.
