A breakthrough in technology and design, the Omega Solar Impulse watch was released to celebrate the partnership between Omega and the originators of project to create a solar-powered plane called the Solar Impulse HB-SIA.
Omega Speedmaster GMT Solar Impulse Watch
The plane is currently undergoing test flights across the Atlantic, and will be able to fly at night as well as during the day, due to its ability to store solar power during the day. It has broken records regularly for the longest flight times for a non-fuelled plane, flying high during the day and low at night to conserve energy.
In order to commemorate the creation of this revolutionary new aircraft, which could be a turning point in the history of aviation, Omega have seen it fit to produce a watch inspired by this aircraft.
The Omega Solar Impulse is a handsome timepiece with a carbon fibre dial, an unusual choice for an Omega model, but it works very well with the futuristic font used on the numerals as well as the ochre colour used on some of the details, such as the dial and tachymeter scale. A variation on the Omega Speedmaster, this model uses titanium instead of the usual steel, as a nod to the lightweight aircraft that inspired this watch. The timepiece has some other interesting features, including water resistance to a depth of 100m, a date on a black date disc, and a striking 24 hour GMT hand tipped with the shape of a plane.
The Solar Impulse HB-SIA is due to fly around the world in different stages by May this year, a goal that will surely be attainable considering the aircraft’s progress, and its popularity may well be mirrored in the Omega Solar Impulse.