Horage Omnium K2 Watch Review

It might come as a surprise to learn that Horage is now 15 years old. Sure, that’s not the greatest length of time, but given how many watch labels have come and gone in that time, it almost makes them part of the old guard. And yet, despite a decade-and-a-half of horological disruption under their belt, there’s still something of the plucky underdog about them, as shown by launches like the Horage Omnium K2.

Granted, part of that is due to a relaunch in 2015, but it’s more thanks to their approach to watchmaking. I mean, did you see their Revolution 3 MicroReg? The thing’s nuts. Throw in tourbillons priced to not just move but put most watchmakers to shame and you have the kind of cool, disruptive brand Moser & Cie still wish they were.

If that all makes you think that their latest would continue the cutting-edge trend though, think again. The new Omnium isn’t some ludicrous chronometric experiment or accessible flex. It’s just a really, really nice watch. Because sometimes – most of the time in fact – that’s just what you need.

The Omnium as a model has some history to Horage. It was their debut timepiece back in 2009 and it was their re- launch model in 2015. It’s a larger part of their DNA than  affordable tourbillons, which is saying something, and is by far their most wearable watch – especially in this new, downsized version.

Previous Omnia were sized to 40mm, which was pretty svelte even for a dress watch back in 2009. But in keeping with the times, the 2024 edition has shrunk to 37mm. I am more than happy with the change. This is essentially Horage’s take on a classic dress watch, so smaller is better, but I’m glad they avoided that 36mm zone that would lump it in with the raft of Rolex Oyster Perpetual contenders. That 1mm extra does a lot of heavy lifting on the wrist and, with the incredibly slim bezel opening up the dial, it still has plenty of wrist presence.

The colourway here is called Frost Fire, which is one of those typically Swiss names that sounds like a 10-year- old’s made-up superhero. I can see where they’re coming from, with the combination of sleek silver dial and red solid lume numerals, but those sporty Arabic numerals aren’t too bright and the silver is a little too straightforward to be considered frosty.

Naming conventions aside, it’s a good look. I love pops of colour and those monobloc numerals against the layered dial add just enough personality to find that balance between fun and wearability. The handset is also fantastic, diamond cut, faceted and skeletonised. Adding to that adage of devil in the details, the sapphire crystal is also faceted, which is much, much harder to do than it sounds, turning a practical necessity into a design feature.

Horage make visually killer movements and the latest K2 microrotor in the new Omnium is no exception. Blacked out plates with both cotes de Geneve and the brand’s signature grid embellishment, contrasting with gold lettering and microrotor and brass wheels… in my sometimes humble opinion is one of the best-looking movements around. Sure, there are plenty of insanely high-end calibres out there traditionally finished across every screw, but the K2 microrotor is just cool. It also has the specs to match, with COSC certification, a long weekend-proof 72-hour power reserve, and the silicon hairspring that you’d usually only find among the big watchmaking groups with the infrastructure to make them. All in all, a lot to love.

If the Frost Fire doesn’t do it for you, there are other options on the new Omnium. The other dial colours are dubbed Midnight Bleu and Pink Perfection, dark blue with white numerals and a pink-on-pink number that’s perhaps not the easiest to read. More importantly however – given that the silver and red is the obviously tasteful choice – is the case options.

Rather than just having a curated range of different dial and metal combinations, Horage lets you choose the case material you want. That means you can pick any dial and decide if you want steel, yellow gold or platinum (except for Pink Perfection in yellow gold, which is saving you from yourself if that’s what you were after). And it’s the same price across the board, meaning if you want any of them in steel, it’s CHF 4,590, CHF 11,990 for platinum, and CHF 14,990 for yellow gold. There is a slight discount for the precious metals, but only for the first five days and they’re not exactly impulse buys.

Inside, all the new Omnium models are the same and they all come on the same strap, so it’s up to you how much you want to pay for precious metal. You can even pay a smidge more to upgrade the plated gold buckle to solid yellow gold if that kind of thing really matters to you. I would just get the steel, but then I’m pretty basic. Give me a cool movement and a splash of colour and I’m happy.

At that base price of CHF 4,590, or just under the £4,500 mark, this is a seriously competitive watch. It needs to be, given the competition from big boys like Rolex and Omega at that level. But specs-wise and style-wise, the new Omnium is a solid contender. Not bad for 15 years’ work.

More details at Horage.

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