Omega heralds the return of the Calibre 321, painstakingly recreated to mirror the original

The revival of the Omega Calibre 321 is one that is immensely exciting, particularly so for the watch geek. A brand digging into its past for inspiration is not exactly novel in the watch industry but usually brands tend to reissue a certain historical piece but give it a makeover for the modern consumer (usually a larger case diameter and a modern movement). But what Omega has just announced is an identical reconstruction of a movement made in the 1940s.

This was the movement that was used when the Speedmaster was born in 1957, and this was the movement that sat inside the first Speedmaster that was tested and certified by NASA for use in space and also the movement that was on the wrists of Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong as they took their first steps on the moon.

It took Omega over two years, with a dedicated team of experts working in total secrecy to bring this movement back to life. They pieced together information from historical research and original plans, and they even used “tomography” technology (digital scanning method) to look inside the Speedmaster ST 105.003 timepiece that astronaut Eugene “Gene” Cernan wore on the moon during the Apollo 17 mission in 1972.

As of now nothing else has been announced but imagine seeing a reissue of the moon watch or the first Speedmaster, complete with a period-accurate movement! To put this into context, imagine being able to buy a first generation Porsche 911 today and have it be built with exactly the same air-cooled engine of the past, all completely brand new. The ultimate combination of reliability and historical value. I for one am excited to see what comes next.