The Flyback: Omega Gets Lazy, Brew Thins Out, And Venezianco Wows

Ring the bell! The Flyback is back! What a whirlwind couple of weeks it’s been. Just me? Ok! Well, we’re back, and we’ve got five more new releases for you from the last two weeks. This time, we’re talking about an Omega bellyflop, an absolute beaut from Venezianico, a less exciting anniversary piece from Breguet, a subdued hand-wound watch from Brew, and a Benrus that may finally be worthwhile. Check them out below, and be sure to let us know in the comments what other recent releases caught your eye!

Omega Seamaster Railmaster

We might as well get this disappointment out of the way first. Remember way back in 2017, when Omega released the limited 1957 trilogy, with recreations of the first Seamaster, Speedmaster, and Railmaster? That was cool, right? Because it was like having an old watch… but new. Then it released that cool denim Railmaster in 2018. That was cool, too. Well, the actual non-limited Railmaster that was just released feels like a massive letdown. Mostly because it’s just an Aqua Terra with a different dial, specifically, a Seamaster 300 dial. The problem is that the Railmaster was always just a Seamaster without the bezel, but now Omega has the Aqua Terra to fill that role. So, the Railmaster’s introduction seems like a late and lazy cash grab at foolish collectors, or worse, ignorant laypeople. The watch comes with a center or sub-second dial, though the latter has an inexplicable $600 upcharge. Pass. Priced from $5,400 USD to $6,400 USD. More at Omega. 

Benrus #3061 GT

Is this the watch that will finally click for Benrus? I sure hope so. After the low-effort horror that was the Orbit Robot, the brand desperately needed something appealing and attractive, and I think this may be it. Sportier than anything we’ve seen from the brand since its rebirth, with a design that isn’t stuck in the past and doesn’t crap the bed (again, looking at you, Orbit Robot), the 3061 GT has a wearable 39.5mm case that’s under 10mm thick, with a ETA 2892 movement. The original 3061 was worn by the King of Cool, Steve McQueen, in the classic film Bullitt, set in San Francisco. This model further nods to that with a California dial and a patterned green dial that recalls the Ford Mustang GT McQueen drove in the film. I’m a sucker for anything McQueen, and this one’s got my number. Priced at $1,800 USD. More at Benrus.

Breguet Tradition Seconde Rétrograde 7035

The Tradition is Breguet’s best collection. That’s a statement of fact, not an opinion. Just a few weeks ago, we saw Breguet kick off its 250th anniversary (one of the anniversaries a brand can and should celebrate) with a one-handed watch based on one of Abe-Louis’ first pocket watches. This isn’t nearly as elegant, but it’s still beautiful and marks the second anniversary piece (of many, I’m sure). The 7035 is just a (more) dressed-up and pared-down 7097, which features basically the same movement and dial with the exposed mechanics, 12 o’clock dial, and a nifty 10 o’clock retrograde second. The dial features a blue grand feu enamel with guilloché, and the retrograde second no longer features a large intrusive scale like on the 7097. The case is made entirely of a new gold alloy called Breguet gold: 75% gold with silver, platinum, and copper, with the movement and gearing specially plated to match. Limited to 250 pieces and priced at $51,200 USD. More at Breguet. 

Brew Metric Manual Wind

Continuing its Metric hit parade, Brew has just released its first hand-wound watch in the model line. Equipped with a Sellita SW210, the new Metric Manual Wind measures just 8.5mm thick, making it the thinnest Metric yet — and the thinnest in Brew’s current catalog. Offered in the grey colorway seen above and a blue option with red and yellow (a combo that Brew has used multiple times across it’s collections), the watch also offers one of the simplest dials Brew has ever made, punctuated by retro cool polished hour markers and underscored by the clean design the brand is known for. As ever, it comes on the excellent long-link Brew bracelet. One thing that’s not being talked about? Brew seems to have redesigned the crown for this model, likely to provide a better grip for manual winding. Priced at $875 USD. More at Brew. 

Venezianico Redentore Utopia

Let’s fully get that Railmaster off our minds with a banger from Italy. I’ve always been impressed by Venezianico, and now it’s upped the ante quite a bit. Within its elegant Redentore collection, it has just introduced the new Utopia. The watch introduces a new 38mm size for the Redentore, but the stars are the dial and the movement, both of which are made in Italy. The dial features guilloché done by hand on a rose engine, and the dial is produced by OISA using its 29-50 caliber. Customized for Venezianico, the V5000 caliber (as the brand has called it) features custom bridge designs with exclusive radiant striping, with a 60-hour power reserve and accuracy of -/+ 3 seconds per day. I’m thinking of this as a “Look how high we can jump!” rather than a repositioning of the entire brand, but I still love it and what it signals for Venezianco. Limited to 100 pieces and priced at $4,500 USD. More at Venezianco.