OMEGA Speedmaster Mark II “Rio 2016”

This weekend is soccer weekend for me and many millions around the globe. Today, Brazil will fight the Dutch for the third place and tomorrow, Germany will clash with Argentina over the world champion title.

For OMEGA, it is already time to prepare for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, where they will be official timekeepers and they just announced a new Speedmaster Mark II, the “Rio 2016”, inspired by the 1969 Speedy Mark II.

Omega Speedmaster Mark II “Rio 2016”, stainless steel case and matt black dial.

The “Rio 2016” has a brushed and polished, barrel-shaped, stainless steel case, with a matt black dial, featuring a 30-minute recorder at 3 o’clock, a 12-hour recorder at 6 o’clock and a small seconds sub-dial at 9 o’clock. The sub-dials are decorated with a bronze ring, 18K yellow gold ring and 925 silver ring respectively – a design that recalls the medals awarded to Olympic champions.

The transparent tachymeter scale on the sapphire crystal is illuminated from beneath by an aluminium ring filled with Super-LumiNova. The varnished white and black hour and minute hands, chronograph seconds hand and hour markers are also coated with Super-LumiNova, making it possible to read the time in a variety of lighting conditions. The Speedmaster Mark II is the first watch in OMEGA’s collection that makes it possible for the wearer to see the tachymeter scale in the dark.

The back of the Speedmaster “Rio 2016” features the logo of the Rio Games, as well as “Si14”, “Column Wheel” and the limited edition number of the watch.

The screw-in caseback is stamped with the logo of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and is engraved with “Si14”, “Column Wheel” and the limited edition number of the wristwatch – only 2,016 pieces of this model will be produced.

The polished and brushed stainless steel bracelet is complete with OMEGA’s patented screw-and-pin design and a foldover rack-and-pusher clasp. The length of the bracelet can be adjusted by releasing the outer clasp and sliding the inner clasp.

The Speedmaster Mark II “Rio 2016” is powered by the OMEGA calibre 3330 equipped with an Si14 silicon balance spring and a Co-Axial escapement with three levels.

The “Rio 2016” is water resistant to 10 bar (100 metres / 330 feet) and is offered in a special presentation box with a certificate of authenticity. It comes with four-year warranty.

The watch will not be available in Canada till late next year and it is expected to retail for $6,500 CAD.