Omega 2024 Speedmaster Pilot: the iconic Flight-Qualified model goes on sale for all
It’s no secret that Omega has deep roots in the skies (and space), and now there’s a new take on that legacy available that anyone can buy: the new Speedmaster Pilot.
What is the Flight-Qualified Speedmaster Pilot?
The Speedmaster Two Counters Pilot sees Omega release an iconic “secret” watch to its collection of consumer models that anyone can buy.
Omega has made a range of watches for speciality fields in the past. It makes watches for astronauts, Arctic explorers, scientists, Olympic timekeepers and more. But not all of these watches have been available to the public. The so-called “Flight Qualified” Speedmaster Pilot has been shrouded in mystery for decades, but now it’s here for everyone.
Until now, the Flight-Qualified Speedmaster – featuring Omega’s certified 9900 movement – was available exclusively to US military pilots in the Air Force, Army and Navy. Pilots would also be able to have their aircraft, mission or military branch’s wings engraved on the caseback.
Now the watch that flies with the US armed forces and all the way up into space is available for everyone in Omega’s boutiques around the world. And it’s a must-have for Speedmaster collectors.
What makes it different?
Whereas most Speedys currently on the consumer market have their roots in motorsport, the consumer version of the Speedmaster Pilot is all about the cockpit.
The 42mm case is cast in brushed stainless steel, with glass designed to minimise reflections caused by harsh cockpit lighting.
For me, it’s the subdials that stand out the most. You get what’s know as a “burn rate” recorder at the 3o’clock position. It features a bright orange triangle, while the small seconds subdial at 9 o’clock features a yellow hand against a blue artificial horizon. The “burn rate” a crucial for pilots, referring to the rate at which an aircraft consumes fuel.
At 9 o’clock, there’s a small seconds subdial which takes design inspiration from an aircraft’s artificial horizon instruments. The central chronograph hand adds further character with its bright orange airplane-tip, tying the watch’s aesthetic directly to flight.
The hands and markers are coated with Super-LumiNova, ensuring exceptional readability even in low-light conditions. Combined with Omega’s anti-reflective sapphire crystal and grained matte-black dial, the watch offers optimal functionality.
Under the dial, the Speedmaster Pilot is powered by Omega’s Calibre 9900 movement, a METAS-certified Master Chronometer with a 60-hour power reserve and resistance to magnetic fields of up to 15,000 gauss.
It’s smaller than something like the Speedmaster Professional with a 40.85mm case, and it’s fitted on a steel bracelet. If you want the pilot-authentic experience of a NATO strap, don’t despair. Buyers will score one in the box, reenforced with Kevlar threads.
Pricing and release date
The Speedmaster Pilot is priced at just under $16,000. That puts it alongside other modern Speedmaster releases like the Chronoscope and Racing models. It’s available now exclusively through Omega boutiques—not online. Sorry, net rangers.
