With its five chronograph sub-dials mimicking the Olympic games’ emblem, the Omega Speedmaster Five Counter Olympic Beijing takes the idea of an “homage” a bit too literally.
Your mileage may vary, but, after owning maybe half a dozen of different chronographs, I came to a conclusion that two counters is just enough for a modern chrono. Most people opt for three because it’s a standard and they experience an acute FOMO just looking at a bi-compax dial.
The most eccentric among us (and probably Audi owners) may choose something like this Eberhard & Co. Chrono4 BADBOY with whole four sub-dials. But five? Well, it needs to be something truly special.
Well, some people at Omega consider five counters just right for the brand that serves as the official timekeeper of the Olympic Games since 1932.
Positioned like the five Olympic Rings (but unfortunately not sized as evenly,) the counters add a “days of the week” indicator and a 7-day chronograph display to the usual hours, minutes, and small-seconds sub-dials.
Starting from left to right, the counters show:
- a 30-minute chronograph recorder,
- a 12-hour chronograph recorder,
- a day indicator (this one will have problems with legibility, I suppose)
- a 7-day chronograph recorder, and
- a small seconds counter.
Compared to a standard Speedmaster, the Omega Five Counter Beijing doesn’t look as clean and legible.
It’s not just the increased number of completely unnecessary indicators. It feels like the gold rims around the counters and the unusually thick rose gold hour markers are to blame.
Even in these promotional pictures the extra-wide hour and minute hands make it next to impossible to see current readings on the sub-dials. The same is with the information on the centrally positioned “days of the week” indicator: it will be obstructed most of the time.
To me, the design of the counters (the positioning of the numerals and the look of the railway-style tracks, for example,) isn’t thought over enough for a brand of such pedigree.
There is a certain haste to them like somebody in Omega’s marketing department has suddenly remembered that the Olympic Games are coming and ordered guys in the design bureau to present a working prototype ASAP.
Like, maybe, yesterday.
Yes, I understand Omega’s eagerness to make the watch ready sooner in order to present it before the Olympic Games actually begin. Yet, for a brand of this caliber, this approach looks a bit too forced. Like, “we can’t figure out anything creative, but we have the budget, so we’ll just add two more indicators and call it a day” forced.
Well, it is still a Speedmaster and, given its unusual design, the watch has a good potential of becoming a highly coveted collector’s item.
After all, when it comes to the model in rose gold, Omega decided to limited the production to just 88 numbered pieces. Given that in Chinese numerology “8” is a lucky number, the version “88/88” will probably be the best investment that you can make today (if you are lucky enough to buy one, that is.)
As far as the colors and materials are concerned, you can order the large 44mm model in four versions:
- There is an imposing 18-karat rose gold with black leather strap (pictured, ref. 321.53.44.52.01.001;)
- a more traditional yellow gold (321.53.44.52.01.002, also on black leather strap;)
- a more affordable stainless steel that comes with the same leather strap as models in gold (321.33.44.52.01.001;)
- and a tad more practical stainless-steel version with a matching bracelet (321.30.44.52.01.001.)
Photos: Omega
WWR’s verdict
Originality 5/5
Build quality: 5/5
Usability: 4/5
Overall Legibility: 3/5
Nighttime Legibility: 3/5
Review Score: 4/5
Omega Five Counter Speedmaster Beijing Olympic specification
Price range: $8200 (stainless steel, MSRP) / $24,000 (rose gold and yellow gold, MSRP)
Movement: Automatic, caliber 3888, in-house, co-axial escapement, Swiss Made
Power reserve: 52 hours
Case: 18-karat rose gold / Yellow gold / Stainless steel
Functions: Chronograph (four counters), day of the week, date, hours, minutes, small seconds
Case diameter: 44.00 mm
Front crystal: Sapphire with anti-reflective treatment on both sides
Back: Solid
Dial: Black
Hands: Matching case, white Superluminova
Strap: Leather straps or a stainless steel bracelet
Water resistance: 100 meters