Table of Contents
Introduction
If we were wondering what was next in Omega 321‘s product lineup, here is how the brand kicked off 2022: the new Omega Speedmaster 321 Canopus Gold, celebrating the Speedmaster’s 65th anniversary. By introducing such an exclusive 321-powered Omega “boutique” Speedmaster, Omega extends its heritage collection, and we hope other timepieces will come along the way.
The Omega Calibre 321 project
In making the most faithful and most precious Omega CK 2915 reissue so far, the brand has raised the bar so much that the modern Canopus Gold looks like a contemporary luxurious hardcopy of the original Speedmaster. The CK 2915 prides itself on being the first chronograph to adopt an outer tachymeter scale and laid the foundations for everything Speedmaster, Moonwatch included, moving forward.
Back then, the glorious calibre 321 was gradually replaced by more cost-effective – and commercially viable – mass-produced hand-wound movements. Also, remember that the first-ever Omega Speedmaster Calibre 321 came with a steel case and bracelet and played as a racing chronograph, considering how popular car racing was during the late 1950s and beyond.
In 2020, Omega relaunched the 321, the first outcome being the Omega Cal 321 Ed White in steel, thus attracting plenty of vintage Omega 321 die-hard fans to eventually purchase the new one instead of a vintage timepiece adopting the same movement. As I once posted, I believe the Omega Calibre 321 project is the answer to a highly refined worldwide community of Omega collectors’ suggestions and requests.
With that said, the new Omega Speedmaster 321 Canopus Gold brings the term “exclusive” to new heights as never done so far. Regarding the product, the commemorative model is a one-to-one Omega CK 2915 reissue if we exclude the technical package, including Canopus Gold, the latest Omega‘s proprietary white gold alloy introduced with the Moonwatch Master Chronometer. The 2022 Omega Speedmaster Calibre 321 in white gold comes with an exquisite 38.6 mm large case, measuring 13.92 mm in thickness, whose 19-mm lug width tapers to 15 mm on the folding clasp. Style and proportions make it the “Holy Grail Speedmaster”.
The timepiece also comes with the legendary “step dial” now crafted in black onyx, and whose bezel’s numerals are filled with “Grand Feu” enamel; the new Canopus Gold sounds like the ultimate vintage-inspired chronograph (with a consistent pedigree).
Style is always subjective; that’s why I barely understand why designers laser engraved the hippocampus on the see-through case back. It kind of dilutes the vintage feel and ends up slightly covering the 321‘s intricate and stunning design, among the watch’s “talking points”. The 2022 Omega Speedmaster 321 Canopus Gold comes in a curated wooden box that includes a loupe.
Omega’s modern Calibre 321
Here is one of the most respected Chrono calibres ever made; it was highly refined when it first appeared, and its contemporary reissue holds to the original version. The new one is hand-assembled at Omega‘s premium “Atelier d’Excellence”. Reverse-engineered via tomography, the current 321 includes modern additions, like Sedna Gold™ plating on bridges and the main plate.
Also, it runs at the original 2,5 Hertz frequency while guaranteeing an improved 55-hour power reserve when fully wound. The fully-visible column-wheel – horizontal clutch activated – mechanism makes it for the ultimate Omega chronograph. The whole assembly is carried out entirely by a single master-watchmaker.
How much does the Omega Speedmaster 321 Canopus Gold™ cost?
At first sight, the watch community has talked about the product as much as they did with retail price, totalling a hard-to-believe 81,000 euros. The Omega Speedmaster 321 Canopus Gold is the most expensive Omega Speedmaster ever, and most enthusiasts still question a price this high. That’s what we all thought when revealing the RRP on Omega‘s official website and still do by adopting a standard pricing technique. In contrast, I tried to find an explanation as seen from a consumer’s or the brand’s perspective.
The model is not any Speedmaster; it is an Haute Horlogerie conceived and executed timepiece. Each calibre 321 is not rolling out the ordinary production line but comes in strictly limited quantities per year; it results from a very accurate reverse engineering process of the original one. Nevertheless, the Speedmaster Ed White, adopting the same movement, costs as much as less than fifteen thousand euros, approximately.
Yet, the Omega Speedmaster 321 Canopus Gold outperforms its sibling in either historical relevance and materials; I’d assume, therefore, a retail price in the 45,000 euros territory. However, additional factors are in the equation; it is, first and foremost, a consistent re-edition of the first-ever Speedmaster, crafted in white gold. Then, if we approach the vintage marketplace, you’ll find out that an original 1957 Speedmaster sells for no less than 110,000 Euros on the market.
At € 81,000, the Omega Speedmaster 321 Canopus Gold is, therefore, a close call to any CK 2915 owner or a potential one. If you’re craving a CK 2915, would you, now, try and get the old one or the contemporary, more luxurious (and new) counterpart? From this standpoint and the brand’s perspective, it seems the new one squares the circle at more than 20% less than ordinary.
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