Omega makes a special Speedmaster wristwatch reserved exclusively for US military pilots.

The Speedmaster Flight Qualified Pilot’s Watch features a 40.85 mm diameter, matte-finished, stainless steel case that does not have twisted lugs, nor does it have the design of a straight lugs Speedmaster. It’s attractive nonetheless.

With a dial design that uses black as the base, a white chapter primary chapter ring, and colorful orange, yellow, and light gray accents, the watch appears to be inspired by a mixture of different models in the Omega archives. The dual counter dial, with central hours and minutes hands, a center chronograph seconds hand, a small seconds subdial on the left, a 12-hour and 60-minute combined chronograph subdial on the right, and a date window at 6 — is relatively clutter-free. Something expected of any pilot’s watch because they need to be able to read it quickly without distracting them from flying.

The combined chronograph subdial at 3, with gray and orange needle-shaped hands, is both attractive and pragmatic. Most importantly, it enhances legibility — something any good pilot’s watch design should always focus on. Interestingly, the date window at 6, which is subtly displayed via a black date wheel with white numbers, could enhance legibility even further if it was removed altogether.

Using Omega’s advanced caliber 9900 allowed the designers to display the chrono hours and minutes in a single subdial — arguably, one of the main benefits of this modern Co-Axial Master Chronometer movement.

Each caseback can be engraved/embossed with custom pilot wings, shields, and patches, specific to different military units, which makes these unattainable (at this time) military Speedmasters even more desirable to those associated with the respective unit, to veterans, and perhaps to those who collect military gear. But again, these are reserved exclusively for people who can prove they’re pilots in the US Armed Forces.

While it would generate sales if Omega made these available to civilians, for something so cool and under the radar — why not keep it that way?

 

Photo by Omega.