One & Done: Chapter Eighteen - Omega (#defsoneanddone)

Welcome and welcome back! If you're new here, I'm exploring the 20 best-selling watch brands of 2022 (as seen on GQ Australia) and answering the question: If I could only have one watch from this brand FOREVER, which would I pick?

WELCOME TO THE TOP THREE!

Today we are looking at Omega, but if you want to see my previous article where I covered Audemars Piguet, follow #defsoneanddone or click the link here!

#3: Omega – Speedmaster Professional Silver Snoopy

You saw this coming. We all saw this coming. I mean, when I started this list, I saw this coming. Even a blind person could have seen this coming.

Just in case you didn’t know, the Omega Speedmaster has been to the Moon. And another thing – they sometimes like to remind people. Just a little bit. Okay, a lot. A whole lot. A metric buttload. To be fair though, if you went to the Moon, you would brag about it constantly too. It would be my outgoing voicemail.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMK5d2YEwG4

"I’m sorry I can’t come to the phone right now; I may be undertaking another mission on the Moon – like the other one I did that one time in case you didn’t know. Leave a message!"

And it’s because of that very reason that the Speedmaster is objectively one of the greatest watches of all time. Design-wise, it’s an incredibly versatile wear for any occasion. Functionality-wise, the newer renditions with the Co-Axial Master Chronometer movements not only work like a dream but look gorgeous in the process.

Finally, the whole “going-to-the-Moon” schtick effectively places Omega at the top of the totem pole for the best heritage of any watch in history. Don’t lie to yourself by arguing that last point, for no timepiece, can have a better adventure into the unknown than Omega, who has had the privilege to explore the greatest unknown in the universe.

For that very reason, however, they kind of suck. Not the watch itself, but the diehard, screaming throngs of horological cultists.

You know, the leeches that drink up all of Omega’s success and pretend that by wearing a Speedmaster, 'you too can feel like you contributed to the Moon Landing – regardless of whether you were even alive in 1969!'

Of course, I highly doubt that anyone outside of our little echo chamber that is our community really cares all that much about what piece of metal we have strapped to our wrists. It feels like there are certain brands like Omega, Rolex and even Grand Seiko that are always worn by individuals who try too hard to be interesting.

Sorry, GS and Rolex fans, it’s true. Not saying I don't love GS and Rolex, but you have to admit how niche some of this stuff can get.

On another note: While I don’t want to piss in anybody’s cereal, in my opinion, the release of the MoonSwatch further exacerbated this whole attitude of “I want a piece of the pie I didn’t deserve!” Looking at the gargantuan lines formed outside of Swatch stores as well as those once-exorbitant resale rates, buying a Speedmaster or a MoonSwatch felt like it was reduced to nothing more than just pretentious virtue signalling. (This was written before the Blancpain Swatch Craze, but is still relevant.)

Despite my misgivings, of course, there is a reference that is worth owning out there – not because of some holier-than-thou reasoning, but because they took the long-exhausted heritage of the Speedmaster and warped it into something fun. But it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows for the Omega Speedmaster Silver Snoopy, as it was born out of dire circumstances.

For context, the reason why this timepiece is called such is the result of NASA’s Silver Snoopy award, where Snoopy, the beagle from Peanuts, was selected as the mascot for all safety procedures. The award itself was frequently gifted to individuals who ensured the safety of astronauts whilst they carried out their respective missions.

If you are a fan of NASA, Omega, Space History, Tom Hanks, or Kevin Bacon, you may have heard the words Apollo 13 thrown around at some point. I won’t recount everything here, but essentially a massive accident had occurred that left the Apollo 13 crew spiralling out into space. They deduced that to get back to Earth, they would need to have to perform a precisely timed boost that would propel them back into orbit. Without their electronic timekeeping equipment, they stood no chance – and that’s where Omega comes in.

https://youtu.be/F54p5SRG1x0?si=9-xdDTHPVTe3Uaby

Using their NASA-issued Speedmaster chronographs, they were able to time the boost perfectly, with all astronauts making a relatively safe return to the planet. As a result, the Silver Snoopy Award was given to Omega, which lives on in these gorgeous new references.

As I said, though, whilst the story is one of great risk, human determination, and mechanical precision – that’s not exactly why I want the Silver Snoopy for myself. It’s incredibly refreshing to see a watchmaker as serious as Omega take themselves a little less so.

Accompanied by a stark white dial with dark blue subdials, bezel, and comfortable textile strap, Snoopy himself really pops on this 50th Anniversary reference, giving us an adorable grin whilst being decked out in some of his finest doggy astronaut gear.

He is also present on the case back, too – gone is the sapphire sandwich or the engravings, instead opting for a POV of our little blue marble from the Moon itself. Don’t worry if he’s missing on your watch, though, because if you start the chronograph, he will swing by to say hello again, grinning all the while, as he glides below the famous slogan “Eyes on the Stars.”

So, amidst the accolades and admiration that the Omega Speedmasters often find themselves in, a paradox emerges. The fervent enthusiasts and diehard fans sometimes overshadow the watch itself. The fervour to associate with a piece of history, like the MoonSwatch, can lead to a sense of entitlement that dilutes the genuine appreciation for horology.

For this reason, I wholeheartedly believe that Omega Speedmaster Silver Snoopy, a symbol of innovation and achievement, also demonstrates the brand's capacity for playful creativity, bringing a beloved cartoon character to life in the realm of haute horlogerie. It reminds us that, in the words of @Studio.Underd0g, ‘horology can be a little bit m0re playful from time to time' and while it’s important to keep our eyes on the stars, it is equally as important to ensure we don’t put our head in the clouds to do so.

Hope you didn't mind me tagging you in this one Richard - Please don't strike me down with your GPHG powers!

Finally, we're coming up to the final two. Cartier is next!