The New Omega Constellation Observatory Collection Debuts A Game-Changing Acoustic Testing Method

I am here in Biel, Switzerland, to witness the unveiling of a brand new Constellation line from Omega – only this fact has proven to be just half the story. While there are nine new references in this new line of watches, Omega has also taken the next step since it launched its neutral accuracy testing program, the Laboratoire de Précision (LDP). While I continue slowly burying the lede here, let’s at least introduce the audience to the new Omega Constellation Observatory, a 39.4mm fresh approach to a classic design format that sees overt nods to the “pie-pan” dial layout as well as a mid-century construction of the case and lugs.

The TLDR of this release is as follows: 9 new watches (4 in gold, 4 in steel, and one in platinum gold), two new movements (two done in precious metal, and one rhodium plated), and a new breakthrough in chronometric excellence which allows for both Chronometer and Master Chronometer certification to be done acoustically obviating the need for a seconds hand in the certification process. But don’t worry, we will break down everything about this new collection and new technological feat in the (many) words below.

These watches offer a decidedly dressy take on the Constellation format in that they are two-hand watches, meaning there is no visible running seconds hand to be seen anywhere on the dial. This visual marker (or rather, lack thereof) is the key to bridging the external design with the internal significance and connection to the LDP.

The first Omega Constellation (1952)

Before we dig into this release in full force, let’s briefly gain some context to understand just what makes this release so significant, at least in terms of Constellations past. For starters, the Constellation line is one inextricably tied to the sheer notion of chronometry – it’s the backbone upon which the collection was built. 

This is why the Constellation has always had the observatory emblem on its caseback with eight stars signifying eight distinct chronometric records the brand has achieved between 1933 and the debut of the Constellation in 1952. That emblem is a nod to the Kew Observatory.

Every mechanical Constellation has been a chronometer since its inception, which is a really interesting calling card for a watch when you think of the lineage of – say – a Seamaster, or even the Speedmaster, which only achieved METAS certification in 2021.

The line became known in the early days for its convex dial shape, and even for its faceted hands. The dial became known as the aforementioned “pie-pan” due to the fact that it looks like an upside-down – um – pie pan.

Over the years, the Constellation has taken many forms including models like the Grand Luxe with its distinctive all gold brick bracelet appearance (a watch many believe to be the one Michael Corleone wears in the Godfather Pt. II), the Beta 21, various quartz iterations, an integrated design, all the way up to its modern incarnation which includes the popular Globemaster which utilizes a subtle pie-pan effect along with a fluted bezel.

In recent years, mostly around Olympic special editions, we have seen Omega toy around with classic case designs in near 1:1 recreations of older Seamaster models, for example. Today’s release marks a new day for the Constellation by way of marrying the old and the new and creating a regular production model that is properly advanced, mechanically speaking, and maintains a throughline to past designs of the model range. Its announcement comes in tandem with new ways of measuring accuracy, and is fittingly called The Omega Constellation Observatory.

The new Observatory collection comes in at the previously stated 39.4mm sizing, which is right in the zone in terms of the ideal case size for most. The shape of the dog-leg lugs is crafted in a very classic form with a distinct angularity at the lug tips, and a distinct separation between lug and case at 10, two, eight, and four o’clock.

The dials contain multitudes. Sure, the pie-pan is back in full force, but you could also look at this as something of a step dial similar to that of a Speemaster. There are distinct lines running around the dial surface on the exterior portion tracing the pie-pan shape. This guilloche pattern first appeared in Constellation history back in 1953. Its effect makes it such that the dial is truly pie-pan-on-pie-pan-on-pie-pan, well, you get the idea.

Another clear callback to the old with this design is the Constellation star emblem at six o’clock. But there are more elements at play here within the dial alone and how it’s made. You’ll notice that the black dial version (which comes in a steel case) does not feature the guilloche pattern, and that’s because it's a fully ceramic pie-pan dial, with a sleek, smooth look from across its surface. This took considerable effort to effectuate and represents an achievement in industrial dial making.

The rest of the steel variations feature that groove dodecagonal pattern, which is machine-stamped on the dial. This is not the case with the precious metal variations of the watch, which exhibit hand-guilloché work.

In all, there are nine watches: Four in steel (black ceramic dial, green, silver, and blue stamped dials, four in precious metals of gold (Moonshine, Sedna, and Canopus with Sedna), and one in Platinum-Gold with a striking strap to boot. The Moonshine Gold edition comes both on a strap and with a full gold Brick bracelet, which is a callback to one of the most iconic mid-century Constellations of yesteryear.

Two movements are found across the nine references in the new Omega Constellation Observatory Collection. Those are the Caliber 8914, which sits inside the steel models, and the Caliber 8915, which sits inside the precious models. 

The Caliber 8915 is broken into two sub-categories: The Luxe and the Grand Luxe (another callback to the past). The caliber 8915 Luxe movements are designed for the 18K gold collection and feature the first use of an 18K Moonshine Gold rotor and balance bridge, in addition to 18K Sedna Gold, which you would typically find. The rotor features Geneva waves in arabesque with horizontal brushing. The observatory medallion is done in a laser-ablated 18K gold with brush and polished finishes.

The Grand Luxe movement featured in the 950 Platinum-Gold edition features a rotor in 18K Sedna Gold with a fine spiral finish. The observatory medallion here is done in laser-ablated 18K white gold featuring a blue sky enamelled with aventurine glass, accentuated by the eight stars, and the Observatory dome is filled with translucent white opal enamel. The 8914 is effectively the same as the Calibre 8915 Luxe but with a rhodium-plated finish.

While these movements are fantastic in their own right and continue the lineage of Master Chronometer certification that Omega has been consistently pioneering, it’s the how that really makes the event of this new launch special.

Typically, for a watch to be sent for Chronometer or Master Chronometer certification, it must have a running seconds hand in order for the traditional photographic testing methods to be used. Those methods involved taking images of the second hand in two positions per day. With the new advancements out of the LDP, that process could theoretically be considered obsolete in both cases. This testing can now be done acoustically, which is quite a breakthrough. 

Here's how it works. According to Omega,  LDP developed a wireless, self-contained testing unit that consolidates all Chronometer and Master Chronometer certification processes into a single device. Powered by Dual Metric Technology, the unit continuously captures the sound of each tick while recording other environmental parameters such as temperature, position, and atmospheric pressure throughout the full 25 days of testing.

The Dual Metric Technology generates continuous data from the very first second of testing. This means that the acoustic signifiers can isolate frequency irregularities, temperature and pressure sensitivities, positional variation, and amplitude fluctuations, and this process can be done with near absolute precision. In effect, the watchmakers can not only understand that a variance has occurred, but with near total certainty, they can understand when it occurred. 

Previous methods of photographic capture made it such that an understanding of variance could be deduced, but a complete picture of when it occurred could not be made. Furthermore, continuous testing in one unit could not be done. This is a breakthrough in the measurement of chronometric excellence, and that of technology in watchmaking, full stop.

It stands to reason that Omega would want to debut this in a watch whose history is tied to the notion of chronometry, a watch with the observatory emblem attached to its legacy, and it stands to reason further why Omega saw fit to name it the Constellation Observatory.

Across the Constellation observatory collection, each piece maintains the case dimensions as follows, regardless of which metal they're in: 39.4mm diameter; 12.23mm case profile; 47.2mm lug-to-lug; and 19mm lug width. The steel models are powered by the Omega 8914 automatic caliber, while the precious metals utilize the more premium Omega 8915, but in either case, both movements are Master Chronometer and METAS certified, use the Co-Axial escapement technology, and have 60-hour power reserves. All models are available now, and there is a wide breadth of prices given the steel vs premium metal options. For steel, pricing starts at $10,900. Pricing ranges from $37,900 to $59,100 for the precious metal variations. You can learn more information at omegawatches.com.