5 Things You Didn’t Know About Omega
Omega isn’t the oldest Luxury watch brand that survives today, but with the first Omega watches appearing in 1894, from a workshop that had been making watches since 1948, Omega’s history has a lead on Rolex of at least 50 years — and a storied history it is! Filled with honours that other watch brands cannot rival, and an innovative product offering that regularly gives its greatest fans a big surprise.
In 2022, Omega are still one of the most dominant brands in the luxury timepiece industry. They have the largest production of luxury watches in Switzerland, creating over 240,000 luxury watches every year.
That leaves us with the questions: what is it that makes Omega special? Here are five things you may not have previously known about Omega.
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The British Royal Flying Corps
In 1917, in the midst of the First World War, Omega had established themselves as an innovator in timekeeping. This reputation was solidified when they were recognised by the British Royal Flying Corps (predecessor to the RAF), who chose to wear Omega watches as their official timekeepers in 1917. The excellent attention to detail and high levels of accuracy of Omega watches meant that they met the high-standards required of a pilot.
The American Army then followed the actions of the Brits a year later in 1918, after the British Flying Corps raved about them so much. This was the start of a theme that continued for many decades: when high precision in timekeeping was needed, Omega was the manufacturer to turn to.
Olympic Game Timekeeping
The accuracy of an Omega watch is at such a high level, they were even used for the Olympic Games. The Los Angeles Olympic Games in 1932 chose Omega to officially be the first company to record timekeeping.
Omega was also chosen to serve as Official Timekeeper at 29 Olympic Games over the course of the 20th and 21st century. The Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics were the latest occasion that Omega were the official Olympic timekeeper.
The original partnership occurred 90 years’ ago — it is amazing to think that it has latest so long. And it continues to this day: the partnership is currently due to last until at least 2032.
Watches In Space
When we say that Omega watches are out of this world, you can take that literally. These luxury watches were worn by American astronaut Walter Schirra on his orbit into space in 1962.
The Omega Speedmaster watch was declared by NASA as the ‘only watch suitable for space’. This was thanks to its robust movement. The watch has since been firmly strapped to every astronaut’s wrist when they blast off into space, and they haven’t left astronauts stranded from time whilst in orbit!
Read more about astronaut’s use of Omega chronographs on the NASA website.
James Bond
Along with astronauts and the Olympic Games, James Bond was one of Omega’s biggest fans. The fact that Bond himself was spotted wearing the Omega watches throughout multiple films comes as no surprise, considering he is the epitome of class and luxury.
Bond wasn’t always a Omega-man: before 1995, he wore, prehaps more predictably, a Rolex. So when Omega was the timepiece of choice for the suave spy in Goldeneye, it was something of a coup for Omega. The change has stuck: Daniel Craig’s watch of choice in the 2021 movie No Time To Die was the Omega Seamaster Professional 300M.
When the 50th anniversary of James Bond was celebrated in 2012, Omega showed their support by releasing a James Bond collector’s timepiece.
500 Hours to Produce
The true value of an Omega watch can be demonstrated by the amount of time it takes to create a single timepiece. The Tourbillon luxury watch is a work of art and takes 500 hours to create a single one. The watch is so highly regarded by everyone that the watchmaker who manufactured the watch engraves their initial into it.
An Omega Tourbillon, the world’s first central Tourbillon
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