Omega Spirate™: The Future of Watchmaking

Omega has always been at the forefront of new technologies. Not only is it the first top-level complex Speedmaster with minute repeaters in history, but it is also the Speedmaster Super Racing equipped with the Spirate™ system that marks the era of movement precision.

Today we are going to deeply analyze what kind of black technology is used to achieve 0.1 second precision calibration and a high-precision error standard of 0/+2 seconds per day?

The answer is this small Spirate™ device on the balance arm of the movement. First of all, from the name, Spirate is a combination of Spiral and Rate, and its essence is obvious.

As we all know, the design without card is usually more accurate and durable than the card with card. The speed adjustment is achieved by changing the inertia. The screw on the inside of the balance wheel is adjusted. Often it can only be done in units of 1 second.

The logic of Omega's revolutionary fine-adjustment system is to first use the screws on the inside of the balance wheel to adjust the error, and then use the Spirit™ device to fine-tune the movement in 0.1 second steps. ending. Theoretically, the accuracy can be infinitely close to 0 seconds.

Use Omega's special hexagonal adjustment tool to twist this Spirate™ fine-tuning system to quickly and accurately adjust it. The calibration range is approximately within a 10-second interval, that is, between +5 seconds and -5 seconds, and the interval of each grid is 0.1 seconds.

In essence, this Spirate™ system is actually a hinge push system that can change the stiffness of the hairspring through the screw torsional eccentric adjustment on the balance bridge.

Next, let’s talk about the first element to realize this device: the shape of the hairspring! On the left is the old silicon hairspring, and on the right is the silicon hairspring used in the new Spirate™ system. The hairspring has an extra blade-shaped geometric outer ring, and the secret lies in this elastic blade.

When the Spirate™ device is twisted, the system pushes or contracts, thereby changing the stiffness of the hairspring's elastic blade for ultra-fine adjustments.

The higher the stiffness, the more force it takes to bend it when it vibrates, which makes it faster, and vice versa. This is the fundamental principle of the Spirate™ system.

Because of the characteristics of silicon hairsprings, it is quite difficult to create special structures and shapes. Almost all currently known silicon hairsprings with special shapes require the use of other materials to connect them. The silicon hairspring with a special elastic blade outer ring developed by Omega this time shows that Omega's silicon technology is superb. Omega even made a Mark of Omega Logo on the elastic blade. This Easter egg shows that Omega is a leader in technology.

The addition of the Spirate system this time can be said to make the 9920 movement fully equipped and extremely accurate.

Generally speaking, if you want to test the durability of a new mechanism, you will often choose a simpler movement, such as a three-hand movement. This time, Omega directly launched the Spirit™ system on a more complex automatic chronograph movement, which shows that Omega has been well prepared.

Omega is expected to popularize the Spirate™ system on a large scale in the future, raising the accuracy standard of more Omega watches to 0 to +2 seconds. This will be an epic innovation in the accuracy of timekeeping in the watchmaking industry.

This time, Omega debuted the Spirate™ system on the Speedmaster series Super Racing watch. The actual accuracy standard is 1 second, and the appearance of the watch perfectly echoes the sense of speed. With the Spirate™ system, every second counts for precision.

Omega has been far ahead in anti-magnetic technology in recent years. The design of the Speedmaster Super Racing also pays tribute to the "Wasp Speed Design" of the first-generation Omega 15000 Gauss Seamaster that started the anti-magnetic legend in 2013.

It also indicates that this Speedmaster will be like its predecessor 10 years ago, opening an era in which Omega is far ahead in accuracy.

This time the Speedmaster uses a black ceramic bezel with yellow scales filled in through Grand Feu enamel. The honeycomb structure on the dial is derived from the Omega Museum’s 160,000 Gauss super anti-magnetic Concept watch.

The Wasp racing-style hands on the 60-minute cumulative subdial also pay tribute to the Haima from ten years ago.

There are tributes everywhere and creations everywhere. This is inheritance.