10%

The birthday watch

A bit of the 60’s to commemorate my (mid) 30’s.

By Life & Muse

June 1^st, 2019

A milestone year

Every milestone needs a watch. Every watch needs a milestone. While I’m not sure which of these statements I believe in more (I certainly know which I’m more lenient on), there’s no question that 2019 has truly been a milestone year for me.

So far, this year has meant breaking through a new age bracket, convincing another human to marry me, and leaping into homeownership for the very first time. All this and it only just turned June.

To commemorate these milestones, on the day before my birthday, I finally decided to pick up a watch that continues to leave me equally in awe: the limited edition “Rio 2016” Omega Speedmaster Mark II. Happy birthday, indeed.

The original Mark II debuted in 1969, after the gravity-defying popularity of the Speedmaster Professional. Re-released in 2014 with its iconic barrel-shaped (and super retro) case design, the new Mark II brought a bit of the past into the modern world. In 2016, a limited edition Speedmaster Mark II was release in commemoration of the 2016 Rio Olympics, featuring bronze, silver, and gold sub-dials, no less. Only 2016 units were made, and I’m proud to have one of them in my collection (#251 specifically).

The chunky 42.4mm dial can wear a bit heavy, but the stunning details make you forget about that instantly. Every now and again I even catch myself staring at it blankly (and unapologetically), ironically unaware of how much time has passed. The fact that it inherits Omega’s rich history while also being just different enough to turn a few extra heads is also something that really suits my aesthetic.

I’ve always said that if I could live in another decade it’d be the 60’s, so it’s sort of nice to have a bit of that on my wrist now. I guess sharing the heritage with the watch that went to the moon ain’t so bad either.