Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. The Horage Omnium is Back with New Colours and In-House K1 Automatic (Live Pics & Price)
Second-generation Omnium with in-house K1 automatic movement, new dial colours and power reserve indicator.
You could say that Horage, the young independent Swiss watch brand based in Biel, started life back to front. Frustrated by the lack of third-party movements on the market after presenting its first watch – Omnium – at Baselworld 2009, the founders of Horage decided to put everything on hold and procure their own movements. Seven years in development, Horage presented its first modular automatic movement, the K1. Developed with sister engineering firm THE Plus AG, the K1 was retrofitted inside the Omnium in 2015 and other models like the Autark. Now in its tenth version with 18 possible configurations, the K1 automatic with power reserve equips the second-generation Horage Omnium. Available in 40mm steel cases with three new dial colours, each colourway will be limited to 25 pieces.
Independence
Independence was the fundamental concept behind the Horage watch brand that Andreas Felsl and Tzuyu Huang dreamed up in 2008. After designing a watch for Baselworld 2009, the founders realised that accessible movements weren’t accessible and put the project on ice. Undaunted, they decided to go about watchmaking back to front and started with the movement. Enlisting the help of watch movement experts, the K1 automatic was finally ready for action in 2015. In 2020, Horage and its sister brand, THE Plus AG, unveiled a second modular movement with a micro-rotor known as K2 for its own watches and third parties and a sub-10,000k tourbillon.
40mm case
The latest generation Omnium models use 904L stainless steel, a more corrosion-resistant grade of steel than the widely used 316L counterpart that also imparts a better sheen when polished. The simple, round 40mm case with a case height of 10.6mm has straight lugs that dip at sharp angles and according to the brand, pays tribute to “Bauhaus-inspired skyscrapers”. Functional and almost austere in its simplicity, the case has contrasting brushed and polished surfaces, and the large crown features the dotted ‘H’ of the brand name in relief.
Three colours
Available in Gorge Blue Ray, Brushed Swiss Pearl, or Root Beer (blue, silver and brown), the texture of the silver and brown dials is vertically brushed while the blue model is sunray brushed. The applied Arabic numerals and diamond-cut hour and minute hands are treated with Super-LumiNova, as is the diamond-shaped insert on the central seconds hand. The big date function on the first generation Omnium has been replaced with a power reserve indicator at 6 o’clock with apertures that diminish in size to reach the red warning level.
Although some of the pictures would suggest that the dial has three different tones, with a large swathe of colour in the centre and two bands at either end that diminish in colour, this is not the case. There’s a trick, something actually rather interesting in terms of design… The five horizontal bands and the change in colour are the result of a work on the top sapphire crystal, which is faceted, thus producing different reflections depending on the angle. When viewed from the side, you can appreciate the distinctive facets and the distortions created around the periphery. A very nice touch, and a design feature that makes this watch unique and different.
in-house automatic k1
The exhibition caseback reveals the brand’s in-house automatic K1 modular movement with its laser-etched logo on the tungsten rotor and the laser-etched squares in the bridges. Designed and engineered in the brand’s facility in Biel, the beat rate is slightly lower at 25,200vph (compared to the norm of 28,800vph), allowing for an extended power reserve of 65 hours. The movement is regulated in-house to chronometer-level accuracy of -4/+6 seconds per day and submitted to a 15-day testing process in five different positions and three different temperatures. The in-house silicon escapement protects the movement from magnetic fields and dispenses with the need for lubrication. With 18 configurable variations, the K1 powering the Omnium offers time and power reserve functions.
Availability & Price
The three Horage Omnium Gen 2 watches are available on brown or black calfskin straps with a pin buckle or a 904L stainless steel bracelet with a double-folding butterfly clasp. Each colour is limited to 25 pieces. The price is CHF 2,500.
For more information, please visit Horage.com.
