New 2026 Pie-Pan Constellation Observatory Model Out Now (Pics / Video)

gatorcpa · Thurs. 1:28pm

pdxleaf
How can Omega survive if many people think like this?

That, to me, is the real question.

Let me put this in some perspective. Back in 2015, I was trying to decide between two cars that were pretty much similar in size, MSRP price, and options. One was a BMW and the other was an Audi. When I spoke to the finance people about leasing, with all other factors being equal, the Audi leased for about $200/month more. I asked the salesman why was the Audi more expensive to lease than the BMW, and they said "Because it's an Audi". This told me that Audi's US marketing team was delusional at that time. Three years later, when I went back for the next lease, Audi had gotten the message and their leases were $200/month less than the BMW for essentially the same vehicles.

I'm looking at this watch and comparing it to a similarly spec'ed Rolex and when the Omega is 40% more expensive than the Rolex, it tells me that the Omega marketing people have overestimated what value their product has in the marketplace. My prediction is that this product is going to be a huge flop, not due to looks and features, but it is simply overpriced for what it is.

I hope Omega can survive this too.
gatorcpa

cristos71 · Thurs. 1:31pm

gatorcpa
That, to me, is the real question.

Let me put this in some perspective. Back in 2015, I was trying to decide between two cars that were pretty much similar in size, MSRP price, and options. One was a BMW and the other was an Audi. When I spoke to the finance people about leasing, with all other factors being equal, the Audi leased for about $200/month more. I asked the salesman why was the Audi more expensive to lease than the BMW, and they said "Because it's an Audi". This told me that Audi's US marketing team was delusional at that time. Three years later, when I went back for the next lease, Audi had gotten the message and their leases were $200/month less than the BMW for essentially the same vehicles.

I'm looking at this watch and comparing it to a similarly spec'ed Rolex and when the Omega is 40% more expensive than the Rolex, it tells me that the Omega marketing people have overestimated what value their product has in the marketplace. My prediction is that this product is going to be a huge flop, not due to looks and features, but it is simply overpriced for what it is.

I hope Omega can survive this too.
gatorcpa

Well said, you verbalised my thoughts perfectly regarding product, self image, marketing and cold reality.

reggie_v · Thurs. 1:52pm

Caliber561
I think the upscale is somewhat acceptable considering modern tastes. Also, 35/36 would almost certainly have required the 8800 movement instead, which does not have the double-barrel architecture or the generally better timekeeping of the main 8900 series. The smaller movements are classed under a looser timekeeping standard.

USD 11k steel without a bracelet??
And the full gold for USD 60k…
For reference, as of writing, a Day-Date 36 is USD 43k….

I think everyone here wants the line, and Omega as a whole, to succeed… But by offering something compelling and competitive. This doesn’t appear to do either.

Agreed on it not succeeding on either front. However I think the issue really is the movement(s). Omegas current lineup of calibres are too large.

I’d have expected this release - especially given it’s a constellation - to honour its history and come with a brand new, majorly refined and slimmed down movement.

jlew715 · Thurs. 2:13pm

reggie_v
Agreed on it not succeeding on either front. However I think the issue really is the movement(s). Omegas current lineup of calibres are too large.

I’d have expected this release - especially given it’s a constellation - to honour its history and come with a brand new, majorly refined and slimmed down movement.

Seems to me - for the reasons of both heritage (in general) and slimness - that this would be a perfect watch for a manual wind calibre. Additionally, I am willing to bet that many folks who buy the "less mainstream" Omega models have a watch collection of some sort that they rotate through, making automatic winding less of a necessity.

Caliber561 · Thurs. 2:25pm

jlew715
Are they? I was under the impression that "Master Chronometer" meant, well, Master Chronometer regardless if the watch had an 89xx or 88x movement.

While the 0/+5 average rate is the same, the allowable delta between smaller ligne movements is greater. Will edit this if I can find the exact post I remember reading it from.

jlew715
Seems to me - for the reasons of both heritage (in general) and slimness - that this would be a perfect watch for a manual wind calibre. Additionally, I am willing to bet that many folks who buy the "less mainstream" Omega models have a watch collection of some sort that they rotate through, making automatic winding less of a necessity.

There’s never been a flagship constellation without an automatic movement to my knowledge (excl. quartz). It would be like releasing an oyster perpetual with a manual movement.

jlew715 · Thurs. 2:33pm

Caliber561
There’s never been a flagship constellation without an automatic movement to my knowledge (excl. quartz). It would be like releasing an oyster perpetual with a manual movement.

There were the Caliber 700 "ultra-thin" Constellations in the ~70s which were manual wind, plus I think some manual "lady" Constellations over the years. The standard Connie has always been auto, though - point taken.

hen · Thurs. 2:37pm

Well, its a nice enough watch, but its not for me. It lacks most of the things I need in a watch, like WR, lume, date and general sturdiness. Its of course way more expensive than I would consider spending on a watch. And if I want to be a bit fancy, I just strap on my good ol Geneve.

If I really wanted a pie pan there is lots of more beautiful originals to be had for way less money. Maybe one day if I win the lottery, a used white dial Globemaster. To bad the Globie has been discontinued.

watcholone · Thurs. 3:05pm

so, if you are in the market for a dressy watch with a black dial you have these three options in the current catalog (leaving out the Aqua Terra, SMP and Speedmaster).
The price difference between these three watches is stunning. And it pretty much shows the mess in the current offering from Omega.

I like the new Observatory pretty much - but it's hard to explain the price difference.

rebar · Thurs. 3:09pm

I’m dumb. I thought the new movement was more new than it actually was. Dang you Fratello and your flowery language.

I’m sad to see the Globemaster go. I really liked it, just not the size. I would have gotten one instead of my Datejust if it was just smaller.

theluckyluke · Thurs. 3:11pm

Omega took a lot of “the best” from the vintage world… dog leg case … stepped dial… piepan… arrowhead… faceted hands… the italic writing from the constellation line

… yet it feels strangely put together on this one.

I personally don’t feel the same harmony that I feel on vintage pieces.

What’s missing at Omega (and everywhere else I think) is a Gerald Genta… clearly!

gbesq · Thurs. 3:13pm

watcholone
so, if you are in the market for a dressy watch with a black dial you have these three options in the current catalog (leaving out the Aqua Terra, SMP and Speedmaster).
The price difference between these three watches is stunning. And it pretty much shows the mess in the current offering from Omega.

I like the new Observatory pretty much - but it's hard to explain the price difference.

I agree for these three, but there’s nothing wrong with the black AT. Quite attractive and a very good caliber.

Davidt · Thurs. 3:21pm

There’s another thread speculating on why there’s been negativity in various places, including YouTube/social media latterly around Omega. This is why.

Diameter: 1-2mm to large.
Thickness: same as above.
Case: not good enough. I understand the desire for an update rather than a straight reissue but this case is a mess and looks like a child designed it.
Dial: same. It looks like a poor redial to me.
No seconds hand: ridiculous.
Price: absurd.

Even getting 3 or 4 out of the 6 points above would have been something, but to swing and miss at all six is inexcusable and makes you wonder who is making not just marketing designs but setting the tone for design as well. To be aware of the desire for a model such as this and to get it so wrong is really poor.

Meme-Dweller · Thurs. 3:28pm

Finally, the first use of O-MEGASTEEL outside of the PO Ultra Deep!

watcholone · Thurs. 3:32pm

gbesq
I agree for these three, but there’s nothing wrong with the black AT. Quite attractive and a very good caliber.

oh... absolutely nothing wrong with the AT - it's just a bit sportier.
I wanted to focus on the huge price gap between these three models.
Hard to explain to someone that's not that deep into the details

Servius · Thurs. 3:44pm

Can’t imagine how they could go more wrong than that…

In terms of probabilities, even if for each decision they had flipped a coin to decide, the final result would have been better. This watch is a probabilistic miracle !

And missing second hand? Could it be a way to avoid finicky customer to check if the watch is indeed within those specs ?

SWV · Thurs. 4:00pm

The problem with modern watches is always the same: they’re designed and imagined by people who don’t really love watches, who have very limited historical knowledge of their brands and of watchmaking in general, and who focus far more on marketing talk than on pragmatism.

Back then, watches weren’t a choice—they were a necessity. They were therefore designed to be practical, wearable, and to fulfill a clear function. Today, it’s the exact opposite. This leads to things like a chronometer-certified watch with no seconds hand, or a dress watch with oversized thickness and diameter.

In short, modern watches often lack coherence, giving the impression of a patchwork of disparate elements—each chosen independently for marketing considerations rather than for pragmatic or aesthetic reasons.

At least, that’s how I see it.

gatorcpa · Thurs. 4:05pm

Meme-Dweller
Finally, the first use of O-MEGASTEEL outside of the PO Ultra Deep!

What is "O-MEGASTEEL"? is that like "Mercedes leather"?

If you don't know what I'm talking about, go watch "Lost in America" with Albert Brooks.
gatorcpa

dsio · Thurs. 4:09pm

Just looking at these, aside from a few issues I have with the design, the price in steel is ~3 times the price of a nice vintage Deluxe piepan in 18K gold and about the same money as a grand luxe on bracelet tends to sell for at auction.

Different size and era, but if you compare it to the Ed White 321, where the price for the new one isn't far from the price of the vintage version in nice shape, it stands out.

It reminds me of the new Polerouters where they went from a "poor man's Patek" to a "poor choice for Patek money"

theluckyluke · Thurs. 4:14pm

dsio
Just looking at these, aside from a few issues I have with the design, the price in steel is ~3 times the price of a nice vintage Deluxe piepan in 18K gold and about the same money as a grand luxe on bracelet tends to sell for at auction.

Exactly, if anything this new watch makes me badly want a vintage deluxe with step dial!

Evitzee · Thurs. 4:52pm

Amusing how people get all excited about no seconds hand on a precision watch. Over 50 years ago people said the same thing when the Royal Oak was introduced, 'what, a luxury steel sports watch with no seconds hand, ridiculous. And $3,000, too!' PP went on to make the Nautilus with the same movement sans second hand. Vacheron Constantin the same with the 222. It is what it is, if you have to have a seconds hand on a watch then this watch isn't for you. Personally, these aren't bad, the problem is the people nay-saying it on the forums are NOT the target audience for this watch, the target is a guy wanting a nice looking watch that might look a little old-timey, but thoroughly modern in size and functionality. Agree the price seems a tad high for a stainless strap watch, but look at the price of everything now, it all seems out of whack, especially in the luxury segment.

New 2026 Pie-Pan Constellation Observatory Model Out Now (Pics / Video)

gatorcpa

cristos71

reggie_v

jlew715

Caliber561

jlew715

hen

watcholone

rebar

theluckyluke

gbesq

Davidt

Meme-Dweller

watcholone

Servius

SWV

gatorcpa

dsio

theluckyluke

Evitzee

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