The countdown to this spring’s Baselworld watch fair has begun, and Omega is among the first brands to release info and photos on some of its new offerings for 2013. For the men, there’s the Constellation Sedna, whose case is constructed of an all-new alloy called Sedna gold; for the ladies, there are several striking new dial options in the LadyMatic collection.
The Omega Constellation Sedna is the first watch with a case crafted in 18k Sedna gold, an alloy developed entirely in-house by the Swatch Group, which blends gold, copper and palladium for, Omega says, an uncommonly long-lasting reddish hue. (Omega, which is part of the Swatch Group, was also the first watch brand to use another new material, the so-called LiquidMetal, which is now in use by other brands in the group.) The alloy requires a minimum gold content of 75 percent, along with a precise portion of copper, to create the vibrant red color, while the palladium strengthens the material’s luster and makes it longer-lasting. “Sedna” is the name of a Trans-Neptunian object — i.e, a body in space that orbits our sun at a greater average distance than the planet Neptune — whose surface has been described as one of the reddest in the Solar System.
The watch’s indices, hands and clasp are also made of Sedna gold, and the bezel features a brushed finish and engraved tone-in-tone Roman numerals. Its silvery “pie-pan” dial is reminiscent of that on the very first Omega Constellation, launched in 1952. The movement inside the case, Omega’s co-axial Caliber 8501, with its silicon balance spring, is visible through the transparent sapphire caseback. The watch, which comes with a brown leather strap, is limited to 1,952 pieces, in tribute to the year of the original’s release.
Omega introduced its LadyMatic collection of women’s watches with in-house mechanical movements, in 2010. This year, the line expands with the addition of four new dials: shaded gray, blue mother-of-pearl, purple, and pink mother-of-pearl. Like their predecessors, the new LadyMatics are powered by Omega’s automatic Caliber 8520, developed specifically for the brand’s ladies’ models, which has been COSC-certified as a chronometer. The stainless steel cases are 34 mm in diameter with white, black or rose-colored ceramic elements, offered on either a satin-brushed leather strap or polished steel bracelet. The dials have a decorative “SuperNova” pattern and are adorned with 11 diamond-set indices set into faceted white-gold holders. The crowns are highlighted by a “brilliant Omega cut” diamond, and the bezels are either plain, polished stainless steel or bedecked with diamonds in a snow-set pattern. Prices on all the new watches are yet to be determined.
