Omega De Ville Tourbillon Co-Axial Master Chronometer

While you might know Omega for its iconic sports watches such as the Speedmaster or the Seamaster, or even for its elegant collections, the brand is rarely associated with Haute Horlogerie. But Omega can do high-end watchmaking and has proved it in the past with multiple achievements and handsome complicated watches. Today, the brand shows this expertise again in a truly superb manner. Meet the new Omega De Ville Tourbillon, with a centrally-mounted Co-Axial tourbillon, a Master Chronometer certification (antimagnetic) and a superbly decorated in-house movement. 

Omega isn’t just about instrument watches. The brand has a long tradition of precision and, this might surprise some, has been involved in tourbillon watches for quite a white. Indeed, back in 1947, Omega presented the first-ever wristwatch tourbillon calibre, which participated in the precision competitions at three major European Observatories. These calibres obtained excellent results, even setting a record in Geneva in 1950. In 1994, the brand introduced another important watch, the first self-winding Central Tourbillon wristwatch, with the tourbillon carriage positioned in the middle of the watch (something that became a signature element of Omega’s high-end collections). A decade later, in 2004, the brand would produce the first chronometer-certified tourbillon wristwatch.

Relying on this rich expertise, the brand pushes the concept even further and mixes these traditional elements with its current know-how, meaning antimagnetic properties and co-axial precision, with the Omega De Ville Tourbillon Co-Axial Master Chronometer – the first tourbillon to receive this stringent certification.

Visually, Omega remains in known territories, with a 43mm watch from the De Ville collection. The case retains fluid lines and elegant shapes. It is made of a combination of two gold alloys. 18k Sedna Gold (the brand’s proprietary rose gold alloy) is used for the lugs, bezel and caseback. 18k Canopus gold (the brand’s proprietary white gold alloy) is used for the central casebody, buckle logo and crown logo.

The dial also retains the apparent simplicity of past models, however, in this model, it is made of Sedna gold, which has been given a black PVD treatment and a sunray-brushed pattern. The indexes and hands are gold too. An iconic feature of Omega’s tourbillon watches, the combination of a central tourbillon and mysterious hands is retained. The tourbillon, which rotates once per minute, also serves as a small seconds indication. The cage is black ceramised titanium with hand-polished bevels and is surrounded by a fluted gold ring.

The pièce de résistance in this new Omega De Ville Tourbillon Co-Axial Master Chronometer is the movement… and what a movement! Developed for this new model, the calibre 2640 is entirely new. This hand-wound calibre (something rarely seen at Omega) has a twin-barrel architecture for a 3-day (72-hour) power reserve, indicated by a hand on the back of the watch. What’s new here is the combination of the co-axial escapement and the Master Chronometer certification, which means a tourbillon cage that is able to keep rotating even under a magnetic field of 15,000-gauss.

The best comes from the look of the movement itself, mainly with a decoration that wouldn’t feel out of place in some of the best members of the ‘indie watchmaking’ scene. This large calibre features a mainplate and bridges made from 18k Sedna gold and superb high-end finishing. The bridges are frosted, with hand-polished anglage, large jewels in polished sinks, contrasting surfaces on the periphery of the bridges with straight-grained execution, bevelled wheel spokes… Truly impressive from a large established brand like Omega!

Availability and price

The Omega De Ville Tourbillon Co-Axial Master Chronometer is presented on a black alligator strap and delivered in a special box with a travel pouch and watch crown winder. This will be a numbered edition, with a certificate that mentions the specific number of each watch. It will be priced at CHF 162,750 or EUR 158,000.

More details at www.omegawatches.com.