Small watch fans, rejoice

For much of wristwatch history, case diameters remained relatively small by today’s standards—well under 40 mm. The oversize dive and pilot’s watches of the 1990s and early 2000s were an anomaly, and recent years have seen a return to more sensible proportions. Omega, however, was ahead of the curve. In 2017, it introduced the Speedmaster 38, a scaled-down reworking of its famous 42 mm chronograph. Featuring a stainless-steel or two-tone steel and Sedna Gold case, the Co-Axial Calibre 3330, a date window at six o’clock, a distinctive dual-colour tachymeter bezel, and horizontal oval subdials, it broadened the Speedmaster’s appeal with a more nuanced take on the Moonwatch formula.

It was the launch of the Milano Cortina editions in late 2025, however, that truly caught collectors’ attention. Equipped with traditional round subdials, a Moonwatch-style tachymeter bezel, and a cleaner dial with less text, they looked even more like diminutive iterations of Omega’s celebrated space-going chronograph. These were followed by black- and silver-dial models retaining the dual-color bezel. The black version came tantalizingly close to a true “mini Moonwatch,” suggesting Omega was inching toward the idea without fully embracing it.

Until now, that is. The new Speedmaster 38 collection comprises seven references that underscore the continued appetite for smaller watches—and for a smaller Speedmaster in particular. “This is the most versatile size that we have in terms of clientele, in terms, really, of casual and formalwear,” says Omega C.E.O. Raynald Aeschlimann. “We see people coming into our boutiques specifically looking for a Speedmaster in those proportions.”

While earlier Speedmaster 38 models—with diamond bezels, precious metals, and colorful dials—pushed the collection into dressier territory, Omega clearly believes there is room at this size for something more explicitly rooted in the line’s tradition. Alongside new stainless-steel, two-tone, and diamond-set executions is one reference that stands apart: It pairs a stainless-steel lyre-lug case with a five-link bracelet, a black “dot-over-90” tachymeter bezel, and a black dial featuring recessed round subdials and no date window. It even has an exclusive movement, the Co-Axial Calibre 3332, making it the closest thing collectors have ever seen to a small-size Moonwatch.

By streamlining the collection across different metals and configurations while introducing a model that embraces that much sought-after aesthetic, Omega has broadened this important design’s appeal without compromising its identity. After all, it’s not just for horology nerds and space enthusiasts anymore. “I think it’s for the more fashion-oriented guys or ladies,” Aeschlimann says. Size matters, but so do “all the details of the watch, the proportion, and they wear it with pride.”

This story was first published on Robb Report USA. Featured photo by Omega