Go Try It On And I Bet You’ll Like It — The Omega Globemaster Annual Calendar
The Globemaster Annual Calendar debuted in 2016, and not too long ago, it received a few dial updates. One of them is the green-dialed model that I have here, reference 130.33.41.22.10.001. To tell the truth, when the 41mm Globemaster Annual Calendar came out in 2016, I wasn’t immediately a fan. I love the 39mm Globemaster, but the annual-calendar version that came one year later had a few things about it that I didn’t appreciate. The 12 months written on the dial was the most notable one, as I found that the text was too in-your-face. At least that’s how it looked in the press images.
But as soon as I put the watch on my wrist, I found that it wasn’t disturbing at all. There are some watches that you really need to experience in the metal. Based on close-ups and press images alone, sometimes the looks of a watch can be deceiving. But especially in this day and age when buying luxury watches online is becoming more common, make sure you don’t miss out on watches that look much better in the person than they do in pictures. The Globemaster Annual Calendar is one of them, in my opinion.
The Omega Globemaster Annual Calendar
I once wrote that the Omega Globemaster is one of the best-kept secrets, and I still stand by that statement. I’ve been the proud owner of the 39mm Omega Globemaster since 2017, and it’s a watch that I truly enjoy wearing.
The first Master Chronometer watch
The Globemaster is a watch that combines aesthetics from the pie-pan Constellation with modern watchmaking technology. It was actually the first watch to receive the Master Chronometer certification from METAS. At the end of 2014, Omega introduced the new standards together with METAS, and in 2015, the first Globemaster Master Chronometer came off the assembly line in Biel, Switzerland.
My personal 39mm Globemaster
The Globemaster is a special watch to me
The most interesting thing to me, however, is how it makes me feel. The Globemaster was the first watch with which I felt a personal connection. Putting on the Sedna Gold Omega Globemaster gave me a sensation I had never experienced before when wearing a watch. It reminded me of my grandfather wearing his gold Omega Constellation, and how he must have felt when he put on his gold watch for the first time. That personal connection with a watch is an emotion that is not easy to describe, but I tried to do so in this article I wrote a while back.
From 39mm to 41mm
Anyway, to cut a long story short, I requested the new Omega Globemaster Annual Calendar in stainless steel with this green dial for a hands-on review. What I noticed is that the 41mm case doesn’t wear significantly bigger than the 39mm version from my personal collection. It is larger of course, but the size is definitely good, and the 41mm case will fit most wrists. If it is too large for you, you can try the 39mm version, but that one comes without the annual calendar complication, of course.
Omega’s fluted bezel
People often compare the Globemaster to the Rolex Datejust or Day-Date because of the fluted bezel. In reality, the motif of the bezel is quite different, and the case shape is completely different as well. One who makes this comparison has not seen the Globemaster in the flesh but judges it based on images that don’t show the case profile or shape.
Linked with the Constellation pie-pan
Omega’s Globemaster is part of the Constellation collection. The Constellation debuted in 1952, and Omega considered it the flagship model for many years. The Constellation strived for the highest precision with its beautiful copper-colored bumper automatic movements. However, in the US market, the Constellation name resulted in some problems with another trademark. That’s why Omega used the Globemaster name instead of Constellation in the United States for a brief period.
Caliber 8922 Master Chronometer
Omega’s caliber 8922 powers this Globemaster Annual Calendar. It features the excellent level of finishing we’ve come to expect from Omega, with beautiful Geneva waves in arabesque and a rhodium-plated rotor and bridges. But this movement, part of the caliber 89xx family, also offers a special annual calendar function. It is programmed to know the difference between 30- and 31-day months, requiring a manual date change just once a year on March 1st. If you want a calendar watch that doesn’t need any manual intervention at all, you would need to get a (more expensive) perpetual calendar complication.
It goes without saying that this movement has also been certified by METAS as a Master Chronometer. As such, it provides an average accuracy of +0-5 seconds per day and a power reserve of 55 hours thanks to two sequentially mounted barrels. The user can easily set the date and month with the crown. By pulling the crown into the second position, you can advance the date by turning it clockwise and advance the month by turning it counter-clockwise.
Don’t let the size fool you
The Omega Globemaster Annual Calendar is not really the typical dress watch. The 41mm case diameter and its impressive height of 14.71mm make it too bulky to compare to the ultra-thin dress watches out there. But the thickness doesn’t bother me at all, probably due to the case shape and how it sits on the wrist. Don’t put too much faith in black-and-white specs; just give it a try at your local dealer or boutique. To me, the Globemaster Annual Calendar and the regular 39mm Globemaster are better everyday watches than they are dress pieces. Perhaps the Globemaster is one of these watches that would make a perfect “one-watch collection” for the people who just want one nice watch to wear. With a water resistance of 100 meters, it ticks many boxes.
The green dial
On the Globemaster Annual Calendar ref 130.33.41.22.10.001, you’ll find a green dial and a dark green leather alligator strap with a folding clasp (just don’t swim with it; put it on a NATO if you want to do that). On the sunburst green dial, you will find the Constellation star in 18K white gold, and of course, the hands, applied indexes, and Omega logo are in white gold as well. The fourth hand (or needle) to indicate the month is something I had to get used to for a brief moment. That hand doesn’t move, of course, so for an entire month, it’s fixed in one position. But after more than a week of wearing this watch on my wrist, I can say that it isn’t disturbing at all. It shows that there’s something more going on than just indicating the time and date.
Tungsten carbide
Unlike my own Globemaster, which has an 18K Sedna Gold bezel, the bezel on this Annual Calendar version is tungsten carbide. Because gold is soft, it’s also more prone to tiny scratches and dings. I noticed that over time, the gold bezel on mine has collected some very small hairline scratches. That’s very unlikely to happen, however, with this steel version and its tungsten carbide bezel.
Some thoughts on the Globemaster Annual Calendar
When I handed this Globemaster to my colleague Lex to have a closer look, he raised an eyebrow when he heard the price of €8,900 (including VAT). In a positive way, as for an Omega watch with this kind of movement featuring an annual calendar complication, the price sounds very fair. And I agree. Now, don’t get me wrong, it is a lot of money. But this is also a lot of watch. One of the things I think should have been done a little differently is the strap. Only in bright sunlight does it match the green of the dial. Otherwise, it just looks a little bit too dark. On the other hand, only a few of you out there will like a bright green strap, right?
My absolute favorite model from the Globemaster Annual Calendar collection is the reference 130.53.41.22.99.002. That’s the version in Sedna Gold with a solid Sedna Gold dial, featuring black onyx markers and Sedna Gold hands that are also set with black onyx. With a retail price of €32,800, that’s not going to happen anytime soon, but this green-dialed steel Globemaster Annual Calendar makes a perfect next-best choice.
Omega offers a five-year warranty on all of its watches purchased after July 2018. For more information about the Globemaster and to see the full lineup, head on over to Omega’s website.
