Omega Railmaster: A Closer Look

Steel luxury sports watches are popular for good reason – they can take a beating, have reliable mechanics under the hood, and yet look ruggedly handsome. From Omega, the Speedmaster and Seamaster are top of mind.

These two were introduced back in 1957, as part of a trilogy of professional watches. The Speedmaster for racing, the Seamaster for diving, and for those working close to electrical fields – the Railmaster.

The Omega Railmaster, as niche as its audience was, remained in the shadow of its overachieving siblings for decades – but that changed with its latest redesign. With its vintage-inspired looks, sleek build, and cutting-edge caliber, it combines everything good from Omega’s past and present. Here’s why you shouldn’t sleep on the Omega Railmaster.

Omega Railmaster Co-Axial Master 220.10.40.20.01.001

A Brief History

The original Omega Railmaster (ref. CK2914), introduced in 1957, was a timepiece intended for railway workers, scientists, or anyone who worked near electrical fields. This watch made use of a soft iron inner case as a Faraday Cage as well as a thicker dial to protect the mechanism from strong magnetism of 1,000 gauss.

The Railmaster debuted alongside two other ‘‘Master’ models, the iconic Speedmaster and the water-destined Seamaster. While the latter pieces went on to conquer the watch world, the Railmaster was discontinued 6 short years after.

Omega brought out the Railmaster out of retirement in 2003, with modernized designs that still had the anti-magnetic inner shields. It was made available in three different sizes (32mm, 36mm, and 42mm), followed by the XXL model (49mm) in 2008. Unfortunately, due to a lack of public interest, the watch was discontinued for the second time in 2012.

The Comeback

The Railmaster was brought back for a third try in 2017, together with its overachieving siblings. To celebrate their 60th anniversary, all three watches returned as special edition faithful recreations of the 1957 originals, with each having a tropical black dial, brushed and polished steel casing, and a limited run of 3,557 pieces only.

With this, the public’s appetite for all things old became more voracious than ever, and the perpetual understudy began to garner the attention it deserved from the start.

Released alongside the 1957 trilogy is the Omega Railmaster Co-Axial Master Chronometer, which became the regular production model. It combines sleek and modest aesthetics with a Co-Axial Master Chronometer movement, enhancing the Railmaster’s anti-magnetic capabilities yet again.

Omega Railmaster Co-Axial Master 220.10.40.20.01.001

Omega Railmaster Co-Axial Master Chronometer

The Railmaster Co-Axial Master Chronometer features a modern 40mm case size in brushed stainless steel. The sense of proportion, though, is what makes this watch’s dimensions truly work. The bezel is integrated into the case in a basic but effective manner, and the length of the twisted lugs in comparison to the size of the case gives the impression of a compact, no-nonsense timepiece.

Omega Railmaster Co-Axial Master 220.10.40.20.03.001 /
Omega Railmaster Co-Axial Master 220.10.40.20.06.001

The dial has a vertically brushed finish that catches a ton of light. It is surrounded by steel-outlined hands and 12 Super-Luminova triangles, which are nearly identical in color to aged radium. Moreover, it remains faithful to the original Railmaster’s design DNA with its white printed Arabic numerals with matching crosshairs, minute track but in railway style, and a scrolling “Railmaster” letter mark in beige to match the lume.

The modern Railmaster is available in three dial variations – vertically brushed dials in black and light gray, and a “blue jeans” edition that recalls the denim jeans worn on the railroads. It is also paired with leather, metal, or textile straps, each complementing the case and the dial.

Under its hood is the Caliber 8806, a METAS-certified movement that can resist magnetism of 15,000 gauss even without the use of a Faraday cage. With a 55-hour power reserve and a frequency of 25,200 vibrations per hour, this mechanism pre. Truly, the latest Railmaster models recall the superb anti-magnetic qualities of its predecessor in a modern package.

With its unpretentious nature, modern construction, and exceptional functionality, the Railmaster combines the finest of contemporary Omega watchmaking. Explore our selection of Omega Railmaster watches at Buy Best Quality Watches .com.