Introducing: A Vintage-Inspired Omega Makes Its Olympic Return In Bronze Gold
What We Know
The Omega CK859 from a couple of years ago is one of my favorite modern Omega releases. Heritage-inspired but undeniably modern, it hit all the right notes, but its production run was short (too short!). For the Paris Olympics set to begin this week, Omega has introduced its latest take on the 859, the Paris 2024 Bronze Gold Edition, in celebration of the Paris Olympics.
Like the CK859, the Bronze Gold Edition has a case measuring 39 x 11.7mm (46.2mm lug-to-lug) made of Omega’s bronze gold alloy that’s made of 50 percent copper, 37.5 percent gold, allowing it to be hallmarked as 9-karat gold. The “BG859” – BG refers to the bronze gold case, and 859 refers to the historical reference upon which the watch is based – also features a silver dial with a Clous de Paris pattern in the center and brushed outer tracks. A dark grey, vintage-inspired Omega dial sits at 12 o’clock with sub-seconds at 6 o’clock. The hands are also gold, with a PVD bronze gold coating.
The BG859 is powered by the manual Co-Axial caliber 8926, which is also a Master Chronometer. It’s underneath a closed caseback with a stamped “Paris 2024” emblem. The BG 859 Bronze Gold Edition is delivered on a brown calfskin leather strap with a bronze gold buckle and will retail for $12,000.
What We Think
What a gorgeous dress watch! I’ve got a few potential qualms, but these are the heritage-inspired releases from Omega that I love. It’s inspired by Omega watches dating to the 1930s that used its famous 30T manual-winding caliber. It has all kinds of thoughtful and traditional touches, but the package is fully modern. The brushed lugs and mid-case contrast with the polished bezel, and the case proportion wears nicely.
The bronze gold case combined with the silver dial is meant to pay tribute to the three medals of the Olympics, and the caseback pays additional homage to the Paris Olympics. I probably could’ve done without the caseback engraving – to me, this is a watch that should be more timeless than just the 2024 Olympics, and the engraving should reflect that. That said, I appreciate the more subtle Olympic tie-ins (gold, silver, bronze!) and the Clous de Paris dial. Finally, the “Ag925” stamp above the handstick was a bit of a bugaboo on the CK859 and remained on this one. But by now, we’re certainly picking nits – the BG859 is a beautifully executed release from Omega.
The stainless steel CK859 from James’ hands-on in 2022.
The Basics
Brand: Omega
Model: Paris 2024 Bronze Gold Edition
Reference Number: 522.92.39.21.99.001
Diameter: 39mm (46.2mm lug-to-lug)
Thickness: 11.7mm
Case Material: Bronze Gold
Dial Color: Silver
Lume: None
Water Resistance: 30 meters
Strap/Bracelet: Brown non-grained calf leather with bronze gold pin buckle
The Movement
Caliber: Co-axial caliber 8926
Diameter: 29mm
Power Reserve: 72 hours
Winding: Manual
Frequency: 25,200 beats per hour
Jewels: 30
Chronometer Certified: Master Chronometer
Additional Details: Closed caseback with “Paris 2024” stamped emblem
Pricing & Availability
Price: $12,000
Availability: Immediate via Omega retailers and boutiques
Limited Edition: No
For more, check out the Bronze Gold Edition on Omega’s site here.
Hodinkee
