Introducing the Omega Railmaster Co-Axial Master Chronometer “Denim”

The Omega Railmaster Co-Axial Master Chronometer was one of the coolest releases of 2017 (and it was also one of the most underrated—that was the year Omega also released their 1957 Trilogy). The new Railmaster is a legitimate successor to its namesake, boasting Omega’s 8806 Co-Axial caliber, which is a Master Chronometer-certified movement with a whopping anti-magnetic rating of 15,000 gauss. It’s also a damn fine looking watch. We reviewed the Railmaster last year, so click here if you want to learn more about it.

One of the biggest complaints people had about this watch was, unsurprisingly, the color of the lume. Omega went with a vintage-toned lume, which is intended to ape aged tritium. I, for one, saw no problem with its use here. I quite liked the way the warmer lume played against the cooler metallic dial, but to each his own.

It looks like the good folks over at Omega may have been listening to their critics with the latest extension of the Railmaster line. For 2018, Omega is releasing the Railmaster Co-Axial Master Chronometer “Denim.” Yes, you read that right—denim. But wait, don’t throw your hands up just yet. The actual watch is pretty darn cool.

Omega has dubbed this one “Denim” for two reasons: the supplied mil-strap is made of denim, and the dial, according to Omega’s copy, is supposed to mimic denim’s weave. The former is definitely true—the strap is fashioned out of denim and features leather accents and lining. The latter, however, just looks like a blue take on the Railmaster’s fantastic striated dial, which is a big thumbs up in my book. I guess when you combine both elements the watch has a bit of a horological Canadian-tuxedo thing going on, but swap out the strap for a metal bracelet and you’ve got something really special.

Remember when I wrote that Omega listened to their critics? Note that there’s no vintage lume here. Instead, it’s rendered in light gray, an unusual color as far as luminous paint goes, but one that works really well against the blue. The central seconds hand is sort of a muted, burnt orange, matching the Railmaster text on the dial.

The brushed steel case measures 40 millimeters across with 20-millimeter lugs. The crystal is double-domed sapphire with anti-reflective treatment on both sides. The case is rated to 150 meters. Around back, the case back features Omega’s NAIAD LOCK design, which ensures the correct orientation of the case back when screwed in.On the denim strap, the Omega Railmaster Co-Axial Master Chronometer “Denim” is $4,900, and on a steel bracelet it’s $5,000, which, while not inexpensive, is still aggressive pricing for a watch as robustly spec’d as this one is. Omega