Mario C 
There are three inevitabilities in life: death, taxes, and Omega talking about the Moon landing or the Olympics. This time around, however, I don’t mind – as long as they keep releasing stunning watches like this one!
Omega and the Olympic Games are like peanut butter and jelly. They’re both great on their own, but together they’ve proven to be downright unstoppable. Ever since penning the first contract in 1932, Omega has been the official timekeeper for one of the most-watched sporting events in history. Throughout their nearly century-long tenure, they have provided precise time readings for both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games, as well as their associated Paralympic counterparts. While the Paris Games are getting further behind us, the road ahead leads to the Winter Olympic Games of 2026.
So why not commemorate the occasion? For Paris 2024, Omega pulled out all the stops, releasing a slew of masterfully crafted timepieces in anticipation for the grand stage. This year, it seems they’ve decided to start early, as this newest timepiece gives us a taste of what’s to come. Not only does the new Seamaster 37mm Milano Cortina 2026 pay tribute to first-time Olympic hosts, Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, but it also takes inspiration from the history of Omega themselves.
Contrary to its current position as a beefy, tool-oriented diver, the Omega Seamaster collection started as a modest 37mm dress-adjacent timepiece in 1948. Despite this, it was renowned for its stunning level of water resistance for the time, and proved its capabilities right here in Australia: Gordon McLean would end up setting the 1955 diving record while wearing an Omega Seamaster on his wrist, reaching a depth of 62.5m/205ft. Regardless of how tough it came to be, the Seamaster 37mm design has remained unchanged for decades, further solidifying its position for a comeback.
In 2025, that’s exactly what Omega has done. In preparation for next year’s Winter Olympics, the Seamaster 37mm makes its glorious return! The dimensions, of course, generally remain the same across the board – exact same case diameter, with a 45mm lug-to-lug and a comfortable 11.4mm thickness – but now encased in Omega’s proprietary Moonshine™ gold.
Unlike 18k yellow gold, the Moonshine™ gold alloy has a greater silver content than copper, giving it a paler appearance in comparison. The small addition of palladium in Moonshine™ gold also helps to protect it from tarnishes, and overall makes the alloy significantly more durable than classic 18k yellow. Because of the density of gold, this also makes the Seamaster 37mm Milano Cortina 2026 much heavier than a normal 37mm watch, allowing for a more significant wrist presence on a smaller frame.
The dial of the watch remains fairly minimalistic, making it both easy to read and true to the original iterations from so long ago. Grand Feu enamel, requiring carefully repeated enamel firings, gives the dial its stark white appearance and is accompanied by beautifully shaped indexes in 18k Moonshine™ gold. The Dauphine-style hands are also done in 18k Moonshine™ gold but are diamond-polished, and a simple printed minute track is executed in grey Petit Feu enamel.
Finally, turning the watch around reveals a closed case back, but with a celebratory medallion in recognition of the upcoming Winter Olympics. This belies the unsurprisingly incredible workmanship within, as the Seamaster 37mm Milano Cortina 2026 is powered by the automatic Omega Cal. 8807 – a deadly accurate, METAS Master Chronometer Certified movement. Additionally, thanks to the work of the late George Daniels, Omega’s movements all contain his signature Co-Axial Escapement, massively reducing overall wear and tear. Consequently, this means that you’ll have to bring the watch in for repairs a lot less than usual, meaning that if you buy an Omega, you’ll usually have it for life.
My Thoughts
I was never the biggest watcher of the Summer or the Winter Olympics growing up, but being a watch fan means that Omega has successfully managed to shovel Olympic knowledge down my throat. Usually, I’d much rather wash my hands with lava than listen to yet another marketing spiel, but in Omega’s case, I don’t really mind. Being associated with an event as significant as the Olympics is far beyond just hyping up the watch for the sake of it, as it signals that the Swatch Group brand can back up the hype with some serious horological significance.
Something I didn’t really touch on above is Omega’s commitment to keeping with the Seamaster’s original proportions. Said Raynald Aeschlimann, President and CEO of Omega:
“This timepiece represents our Olympic excellence since Los Angeles. While the Seamaster 37mm design has remained remarkably consistent since the Melbourne 1956 Games, our timekeeping technology has continuously evolved.“
There have been far too many brands out there who claim that they pride themselves on bringing vintage watches back, but scant few ever actually do. At least, none of them are as true to life as Omega has. The Seamaster 37mm Milano Cortina 2026 is an ode not just to the two Italian host cities, but to the elegance of classic proportions and heritage designs. The last couple of years have signalled to the entire industry that the era of wearing watches the size of dinner plates has come to an end, and this newest addition from Omega is bound to fit right in. Now, please excuse me while I patiently wait for a more affordable steel model…
Reference: 522.53.37.20.04.001
Specifications:
- Dimensions: 37mm case diameter x 45mm lug-to-lug x 11.4mm thick
- Case Material: Moonshine™ gold
- Dial: White Grand Feu enamel with sculptured 18K Moonshine™ Gold hour markers & diamond-polished and facetted 18K gold dauphine hands
- Movement: Automatic Omega 8807 with Co-Axial Escapement & METAS Master Chronometer Certification
- Power Reserve: 55h
- Water Resistance: 100m (10bar)
- Strap: Brown alligator leather with Moonshine™ gold buckle
