Omega made its first chronograph to be worn on the wrist in 1913, during that transitional era of timekeeping history when pocketwatches were beginning to fall out of fashion in favor of the newly ascendant wristwatches. This week, the venerable Bienne-based manufacture announced the milestone launch of 18 historically influenced timepieces, designed to channel the look of the 1913 original and outfitted with refurbished movements from that bygone era. Here’s what you need to know about the “First Omega Wrist-Chronograph Limited Edition.”
Fhe “First Wrist-Chronograph Limited Edition” re-creates an important timepiece from the brand’s history.
The watch is unmistakably a homage to the early 20th-century piece, a favorite of military pilots during the First World War, with its pocketwatch-sized 47.5-mm round case made of 18k white gold; its aviation-style riveted leather strap; and its white grand feu enamel dial, swept over by vintage-style “Empire” hands and marking the hours with hollowed out Arabic numerals in a period-appropriate font. Its bicompax design features a subdial at 9 o’clock for running seconds and another subdial at 3 o’clock with a now-rare 15-minute chronograph counter, a type popular among pilots at the time. As a nod to Omega’s more modern innovations, the brand’s proprietary Sedna gold is used for the crown and chronograph pusher, the latter ensconced at the 6 o’clock position...