Round-UpTen Watches That Represent Omega’s Watchmaking Superiority
A foremost name in luxury watches, Omega have an illustrious past with a strong focus on the future of mechanical watchmaking. With several accomplishments in timekeeping under their belt, Omega have also created some of the most renowned and loved watch designs known to the world. Have a look at some of the most significant offerings from the brand
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Undoubtedly one of the most popular names in watchmaking—globally and in outer space as well, one could argue—Omega are a standard that many others aspire towards. The watches from this 170-year-old manufacturer have had some of the most fascinating journeys one could imagine. They have been the official watch of the world’s most famous spy, James Bond. They have been the official timekeeper for one of the biggest sporting events in the world—the Olympic Games. And of course, they created the first and the only watches that have been worn on the moon. While some of this has been a product of being in the right place at the right time, luck alone can’t be the only cause for the achievement of such greatness.
The Omega Name
Omega were established in 1848, as La Generale Watch Co, by founder Louis Brandt, in a thriving centre for watchmaking in Switzerland—La Chaux-de-Fonds. It started for Brandt as a unit for manufacturing key-wound pocket watches out of locally-sourced components, but it eventually led to the development of a production system that enabled the interchanging of components. Brandt’s sons Louis-Paul and César were instrumental in creating this system, which was quite revolutionary at the time. In 1894, a part of this development in their watchmaking was the creation of the calibre 19, called Omega. The Omega became a milestone in terms of the company’s watchmaking capabilities, and hence became the inspiration for the new name, adopted in 1903, when the company were officially christened the Omega Watch Co. To this date, the brand are proud of where the name comes from. ‘We took our name from the radical 1894 Omega movement. Our founders chose “Omega”, a word that expressed the ultimate accomplishment,’ they say.
A Key Player Of The Swatch Group
Over the next couple of decades, under the leadership of Paul-Emile Brandt, Omega got through the difficulties of World War I and eventually formed a union with Tissot, in 1925, which led to the formation of the group Société Suisse pour l’Industrie Horlogère (SSIH), Geneva. This company acquired and formed new subsidiaries and fast became the largest producer of finished watches in Switzerland. Going ahead of Rolex in sales of luxury watches, the rivalry between Rolex and Omega was established. However, this was followed by bad times. The ‘quartz crisis’ faced by the Swiss mechanical watch industry and the economic recession of the ’70s left SSIH seeking help from banks, while the Japanese quartz leader, Seiko, even expressed interest in acquiring Omega. Though this never happened, SSIH did join hands with ASUAG—the largest suppliers of Swiss movements, and parent company of several brands including Longines and Rado. Eventually, this merged entity was taken over by investors led by one Nicolas Hayek, and it was renamed Société de Microélectronique et d’Horlogerie (SMH). Hayek’s initiatives to tackle competition from quartz watch producers—including the birth of the brand of low-end, quartz-run Swatch timepieces—helped make SMH one of the largest producers of watches. And in 1998, SMH was renamed again to Swatch Group. The above initiatives played a key role in helping Omega retain their integrity as a luxury brand, with a focus on high-quality and high-precision mechanical movements. To date, Omega continue to be the biggest brand in the Swatch Group portfolio, even ahead of prestige watchmakers such as Breguet, Blancpain and Jaquet Droz.
A Leader In Precision Timekeeping
Through the tumultuous decades and changes in ownership, Omega consistently upped their game on the technical side of things. In 1999, they launched their ‘co-axial’ mechanism. It refers to the co-axial escapement, which helps transfer energy to the oscillator whose frequency determines timekeeping. This escapement is far more advanced and efficient than regular Swiss lever escapements, making a mechanical watch a more durable performer and in need of servicing far less frequently than others. Today the expression ‘co-axial’ has almost become synonymous with the Omega name, as the watches that incorporate this escapement are proudly branded as Co-Axial. In addition to having made several movements with chronometer levels of accuracy and certified by the COSC (the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute), Omega have also earned certifications by METAS (the Swiss Federal Institute of Metrology), which is achieved after a watch housing a COSC-certified chronometer movement is put through rigorous real-life scenarios to test its performance and precision. This assures accuracy under various extreme circumstances and has a high resistance against magnetic fields, up to 15,000 gauss. Only after the watch has passed these tests can it be called a ‘Master Chronometer’.
Let’s take a look at a few contemporary watches from Omega’s signature collections that exemplify their mastery in watchmaking through timekeeping accuracy, functionality and cutting-edge design.
Omega Speedmaster 38 Co-Axial Chronometer Chronograph 38 MM
In 1957, Omega unveiled the first Speedmaster under its professional series—a timepiece for motoring and racing enthusiasts. The chronographs from the collection were an instant success. Years later, when NASA was seeking durable chronographs, a few Speedmasters were sent to them by an Omega employee. NASA conducted severe tests on the watches they received, and it was a Speedmaster that endured the toughest tests from among all the timepieces—even those from other manufacturers. It was officially certified by NASA for all piloted space missions and made its debut in outer space in 1965. Since then, Speedmasters have been worn on all six lunar landings. Carrying forward this long and distinguished lineage is the Omega Speedmaster 38 Co-Axial Chronometer Chronograph 38 MM. The timepiece features a black dial with a sunburst finish that includes three sub-dials, a date window, and rhodium-plated indexes and hands. The 38mm stainless steel case houses Omega’s Co-Axial Calibre 3330, which has a power reserve of 54 hours. Accompanied by a stainless steel bracelet, the timepiece also sports a deeply stamped Seahorse medallion on its caseback and is water-resistant to 100m.
Omega Speedmaster Dark Side Of The Moon Apollo 8 Edition
After the launch of the first ‘Dark Side Of The Moon’ edition of the Speedmaster Professional ‘Moonwatch’ in 2013, such was the fanfare for the timepiece that it quickly became a legitimate franchise of its own. Since then, Omega have been updating this watch with a number of unique designs and forward-looking technology. Among its several iterations, here is the Omega Speedmaster Dark Side Of The Moon Apollo 8 edition, which pays tribute to the historic 1968 lunar mission—it was the launch of the first manned spaceflight to leave Earth’s orbit, reach and orbit the Moon, and return safely to Earth—that marked its 50th anniversary in 2018. The 44mm masterpiece flaunts an all-black ceramic case, along with a polished ceramic tachymeter bezel that has white numerals and indices printed on it. Featuring yellow accents, three sub-dials, a central chronograph hand, and a two-hand timekeeping system, the dial of the watch boasts a beautifully open-worked movement, in addition to the blackened mainplate and bridges with realistic 3D depictions of the moon’s surface. The timepiece utilises Omega’s manual-winding calibre 1869, which has a decent power reserve of 48 hours. The movement is also visible through the transparent caseback, which features the words, ‘We’ll see you on the other side,’ a reference to astronaut, Jim Lovell’s final words spoken to ground control during the Apollo 8 mission.
Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 600M Co‑Axial Master Chronometer GMT 45.5 MM
A signature line of watches for Omega since 1948, diver’s watches typically form the essence of the Seamaster collection. The Planet Ocean range is characterised by a particularly high resistance to water pressure—600m—also a feature of this one in blue ceramic. Its gorgeous blue-and-orange look makes it a funky piece, but not without the nuances that still give it a sense of refinement. The Omega automatic movement beating within the 45.5mm case offers a 60-hour power reserve, and a GMT feature as well that is read via the orange GMT hand at the centre.
Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Co‑Axial Master Chronometer 42 MM
In 2018, Omega celebrated the silver jubilee of the Seamaster Diver 300 watch. The Seamaster Diver 300 has made a huge impact in the last 25 years, and especially since it was first seen as the official 007 watch on the wrist of James Bond in the Pierce Brosnan starrer, GoldenEye (1995). This piece is among the latest editions within the Seamaster family developed to commemorate the Diver 300’s silver jubilee. Quite the archetype of an Omega Seamaster, this watch presents an update of a design that has become a roaring favourite of many an Omega fan. The date window in this 2018 edition is at six, while other subtle updates include the conical design of the helium escapement valve at 10 o’clock on the 42mm steel case, water resistant to 300m. The icing on the cake is that this diver’s watch is a certified Master Chronometer, having passed the rigorous METAS testing it endured after it was fitted with a COSC-certified chronometer movement.
Omega Seamaster 300M 007 Edition
For more than 20 years now, Omega have been the first choice of the world’s most famous spy—James Bond. The secret agent has been seen wearing the brand’s watch in every movie since the release of Goldeneye in 1995. To commemorate the 25th Bond film—No Time To Die—Omega released the Seamaster Diver 300M 007 Edition in 2019. Taking its design cues from the classic Seamaster Diver 300M, the timepiece comes with a 42mm case, a mesh bracelet, and an all-time classic 60-minute bezel. As the case is made of grade-2 titanium, the watch is lighter, more robust, less prone to scratches, and looks more purposeful. The Seamaster Diver 300M 007 Edition flaunts an aluminium dial with an aged-brown hue, red text for ‘Seamaster’, and a broad arrow insignia—a reference to Bond’s career in the British military forces. Powered by the self-winding calibre 8806, the timepiece has a power reserve of 55 hours. What’s more, unlike the previous Bond watches, this one isn’t a limited edition, giving watch collectors another reason to celebrate.
Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra 150M
Ever since its introduction in 2003, the Aqua Terra collection of Omega’s Seamaster line has been offering sporty, purpose-built, and perfect ‘all-rounder’ timepieces with aquatic capabilities. The overall design of the watches is inspired by the dressier vintage Seamaster models of the early 1950s and 1960s. This the Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra 150M which perfectly represents the brand’s rich maritime heritage. The handsome, resilient, everyday timepiece comes with a white striped dial, which is reminiscent of a teak boat deck. Despite a date window placed at three o’clock, centre three-hand timekeeping system, the brand logo at 12, and engraved words ‘Co-Axial Chronometer’ at six, the dial doesn’t look cluttered at all. Housed in a 38.5mm stainless steel case, the timepiece is ideal for those with petite wrists. Instead of treating the case with just one finish, Omega have used alternating polished and brushed finishes, which help distinguish the different levels and architecture of the case. The timepiece utilises Omega’s in-house self-winding calibre 8500, which has a power reserve of 60 hours. Additionally, it is water-resistant to 150m.
Omega Seamaster Railmaster Co‑Axial Master Chronometer 40 MM
Probably, the most underrated Omega watch, the Seamaster Railmaster is a nod to the brand’s illustrious history and ingenious modern-day engineering. First launched in 1957, the Railmaster was designed for scientists who encounter high-range magnetic fields in their laboratory. What Omega did was use the Faraday Cage—a soft iron inner case—and a thicker dial to protect the movement from the outside magnetic field. However, the timepiece wasn’t able to draw much attention and went out of production in 1963. Nearly after 40 years, Omega revived the model, but the return was only short-lived and the production was again stopped in 2012, only to be restarted five years later. This time, the brand placed the Railmaster under the Seamaster collection. The timepiece is presented in a 40mm stainless steel case without any brightly polished surface. No matter from which angle you view the watch, all you can see is a softly brushed finish with some grains here and there. Coming to the captivating grey-coloured dial, we have a visually dramatic vertically brushed surface which is a feast for your eyes. The yellow triangle-shaped hour markers, the centrally located crosshair, and finely printed Arabic numerals exemplify Omega’s obsession with paying attention to each and every detail. Equipped with the Omega calibre 8806, the timepiece has a power reserve of 55 hours and can handle 15,000 gauss of magnetism. Notably, instead of a transparent caseback, the brand have opted for a closed steel back with their logo and ‘Railmaster’ printed on it.
Omega De Ville Trésor Co-Axial Master Chronometer 40 MM
If you are looking for a no-nonsense, purpose-built, and three-hand-date timepiece, then Omega De Ville Trésor is a perfect choice for you. Originally launched in 1949, Trésor—the French word for treasure—was equipped with Omega’s legendary calibre 30 and presented in a 37.5mm pink gold case. In 2014, the brand decided to revamp the timepiece and added new iterations to the collection. One of them was Omega De Ville Trésor Co-Axial Master Chronometer 40 MM. Available in an 18-karat yellow gold case with a slightly domed silver dial that features the clous de Paris motif, the timepiece looks fashionable and visually arresting. The dial also sports a date window at six, a central three-hand timekeeping system, and elongated applied indices—all finished in gold. Drawing its power from the brand’s calibre 8511, the timepiece has a power reserve of 60 hours. Certified by COSC and METAS, the manual-winding movement boasts top-notch precision, chronometric performance and magnetic resistance. It is presented on a brown leather strap that makes it an ideal dress watch.
Omega Constellation Globemaster Co‑Axial Master Chronometer 39 MM
The original Constellation collection of watches was unveiled in 1952—a successor of a limited series of watches that commemorated the brand’s centenary in 1948. The 1952 Constellation featured a constellation of eight stars on its dial to represent the eight chronometer achievements by Omega over the previous two decades. Gaining immense popularity, the Constellation name, unfortunately, faced certain copyright issues in the United States, where it was then sold under the Globemaster name. Today, the Globemaster is a series among the brand’s global offerings. Characterised by the convex dial design and a fluted bezel, Globemaster watches are powered by some of the most advanced movements from Omega, as in the case of this Master Chronometer. Set in a 39mm steel case, this piece is powered by a co-axial automatic movement offering a 60-hour power reserve. Water resistant to 100m, this elegant blue number has plenty of design nuances to make it quite the stunner. Brand ambassador and actor Eddie Redmayne is seen wearing this watch far above on this page.
Omega Constellation Co-Axial Master Chronometer 41 MM
The Omega Constellation collection has gone through countless transformations over the years, but the one which has most influenced the contemporary Constellation took place in 1982. That year, the brand launched the timepiece with an all-new profile, and the most distinctive feature of it was the four screwed griffes or claws extending from the case over the dial. Placed at three and nine o’clock, the claws not only looked aesthetically pleasing but also helped in holding the sapphire crystal firmly against the case to ensure water-resistance. Last year, Omega revamped the Constellation and added several iterations to the collection. Here is the Omega Constellation Co-Axial Master Chronometer 41mm, which isn’t drastically different from its predecessors. With a strong presence on the wrist, the 41mm timepiece is super-comfortable to wear, thanks to its unique barrel-shaped case without any lugs. Along with it, there’s a polished blue ceramic bezel with Roman numerals and the four signature claws at three and nine o’clock. Meanwhile, complementing the bezel colour is a blue dial, which features the brand logo with the printed words ‘Co-Axial Master Chronometer’, the star symbol, and a date window at six. Overall, the dial is clean, well-balanced, subtle, and boasts flawless finishing. The timepiece draws its energy from the in-house automatic movement 8900, which has a power reserve of 60 hours and is equipped with the latest technology—a co-axial escapement, silicon parts and an impressive resistance to magnetic fields.
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Omega Seamaster
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Omega Speedmaster
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Omega Speedmaster
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Omega Seamaster
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Omega Seamaster
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Omega Seamaster
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Omega Seamaster
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Omega De Ville
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Omega Constellation
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Omega Constellation
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