I desperately want the new Omega Speedmaster Pilot, even though it’s not made for me

Let’s be clear: I’m not a pilot. The closest I’ve come to a cockpit is the window seat of a budget airline. But when Omega unveiled the Speedmaster Pilot yesterday, I felt a magnetic pull.

This new Speedmaster model is steeped in history and dripping with aeronautical cool. Excuse me while I book a session at my local flying school…

The Speedmaster Pilot takes its DNA from the 1957 Speedmaster, the original “pilot’s choice” for U.S. Air Force aviators. This modern version, with its 40.85 mm stainless steel case and matte finish, is a love letter to mid-century aviation while remaining unapologetically modern.

The aluminium bezel retains the Speedmaster’s heritage “Dot Over Ninety” mark, a nod to its storied past, while the robust design promises durability.

What truly sets this watch apart is its cockpit-inspired dial. The matte-black surface pops with bold Super-LumiNova markers, ensuring perfect legibility in low-light conditions. Twin subdials – an opaline beauty at 3 o’clock that mimics a “burn rate” indicator and another at 9 o’clock, styled like a cockpit target – are functional art pieces. Their orange and yellow details evoke the controls of a vintage fighter jet, and even though I’ll never need to track a fuel burn mid-flight, I can’t help but imagine.

Powering this masterpiece is Omega’s Co-Axial Master Chronometer Calibre 9900 with METAS certification, boasting resistance to magnetic fields and unparalleled accuracy.

For those lucky enough to strap it on, comfort is assured. The stainless steel bracelet includes Omega’s patented comfort release system, while an additional NATO strap, reinforced with KEVLAR threads, offers versatility for the Top Gun pilot in all of us.

The water resistance of 100 m (330 ft) might not be necessary for aviators, but it’s comforting for daydreamers prone to splashing in puddles.

This watch isn’t designed for work-from-home-bound enthusiasts like me, and it probably never will be. But that doesn’t stop me from wanting it – desperately. So, while I may never get behind the controls of a fighter jet, I’ll continue to dream of doing it with an Omega Speedmaster Pilot on my wrist.

The Omega Speedmaster Pilot is available now priced at $9500 / £8900 on Omega’s website.

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