Omega Adds Three New Annual Calendars to the Globemaster Collection

We discuss Omega frequently in the pages of Worn & Wound, usually in the service of the Speedmaster or Seamaster. This, I think, is completely understandable, as the enthusiast culture around both of these product lines runs deep, and there are frankly so many Speedies and Seamies (I just made that up) to talk about. We can probably all agree that the jokes about endless limited edition Speedmasters are pretty old at this point. That said, it’s always worth noting that Omega is actually quite a bit more than their highest profile sports watches, and they’ve just unveiled a trio of new Globemasters that perfectly underscore this fact, and remind us of the brand’s chronometrically inclined roots. 

Let’s take a step back and look at what the Globemaster actually is. Unlike the other more well known and sport oriented Masters in the Omega family, the Globemaster was born in the modern era. Introduced in 2015, the Globemaster ushered in the age of METAS certified Omega movements, something that six short years later is basically ubiquitous across Omega product lines. METAS certification involves a battery of tests that ensure not just exceptional chronometry across the entire power reserve of a watch, but a level of robustness and resistance to magnetism that should make owners feel at ease for years. For many, METAS certification is seen as a new gold standard in the ever growing arena of watchmaking certifications, and it’s even been adopted this year by another big name in the watch world. METAS certification making its debut in the Globemaster made a certain amount of sense for Omega in 2015, as the brand positioned the line as part of the Constellation collection, the Constellation being the first wristwatch under the Omega banner to be chronometer certified, all the way back in 1952.

In addition to being the answer to a future watch trivia question, the Globemaster is also the home to one of Omega’s most complicated movements, Calibre 8922. This annual calendar movement displays the current month at the dial’s perimeter via a centrally mounted pointer with the date at the 6:00 position. The calendar only needs to be adjusted in February, making it nearly as convenient as a perpetual calendar (it’s just one day, people) at a fraction of the cost, at least among the big Swiss brands. 

The three new watches introduced this week are all in the 41mm Globemaster case size, and feature the line’s trademark pie pan dial. First up is a verdant green dial in a stainless steel case with 18K white gold accents on the dial (hands and markers). The bezel on this version is made of tungsten-carbide, by far the most tool-oriented aspect of any of these new Globemasters. There’s also a burgundy dialed variant with Sedna gold accents, including the bezel, and finally a solid 18K Sedna gold reference, which features a matching gold dial and is by far the most opulent of the bunch. 

The Globemaster occupies a peculiar place in Omega’s catalog, as it represents a type of daily-wearer watch that is not currently in vogue. The common comparison that’s often drawn with the Globemaster is the Datejust – both are on the dressier side of the line that divides sporty and formal, but they also are both made to last and stand up the type of mild abuse that most people will put a watch through in their daily lives (these new Globemasters all have water resistance ratings to 100 meters). While the two-tone and solid gold variants are pricey ($11,200 and $31,000, respectively), the stainless steel model with a green dial carries a retail price of $8,400, which is more than competitive with a Datejust (if you can find one at an AD, that is), and it has an incredibly useful complication to boot. Omega