Omega History

The History of Omega

Index

The History of Omega

Omega is the last letter of the Greek alphabet and it represents perfection and success in the attainment of a task. The Omega story began in 1848 at La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, when its founder Louis Brandt at the age of 23 opened a comptoir d'établissage, a sub-contracting sales office for watch manufacture.. In 1880, due to the greater supply of manpower, communications and energy, Louis-Paul and Cesar Brandt moved into a small factory in the city of Bienne /Biel. With the introduction of their first series-produced calibers, Labrador and Gurzelen, in 1895 the watches achieved a precision of within 30 seconds a day.

Four years later, Louis Brandt & Fils became the largest producers of watches in Switzerland, with a production rate of 240,000 watches produced annually and employing 800 people. But this fact did not stop the exclusivity of the watches they produced: a clear example is the minute-repeating wristwatch, developed in 1892 in partnership with Audemars Piguet, and probably the first wristwatch of its kind. The famous Omega caliber became a brilliant market performer when it went into production in 1894. Its major points for salability were in its easily interchangeable parts, and its simplicity of construction. The company's banker, Henri Rieckel, suggested the name "Omega" for the new watch. The overwhelming success of the "Omega" name led to it being adopted as the sole name for all the watches of the company from 1903.
Both Brandt brothers died in 1903, placing the fate of the company in the control of four people, the oldest of which, Paul-Emile Brandt, was only 23 years of age.
Omega made its debut in sports during the international ballooning for the Gordon Bennet cup contest timing several events. The British Royal Flying Corps decided to choose Omega watches in 1917 as their official timekeepers for its combat units, as did the American army in 1918. Omega was the first company to be entrusted with the official timekeeping of all disciplines at the Los Angeles Games in 1932. From sports to scientific scuba-diving, the Omega Seamaster line was created.
One of Omega's most noteworthy achievement was the world record of accuracy granted by the English observatory of Kew-Teddington in 1936.
In 1952, Omega was also awarded the Olympic Cross of Merit for "exceptional services to the world of sport".

The Omega Speedmaster was created in 1957. After rigorous evaluation and testing, NASA decided to use the "Omega Speedmaster Professional Chronograph wristwatch in 1965 as its official timekeeper. In 1967, the one millionth chronometer was certified.

On 21st July 1969, astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first man to step on the moon. As he made the famous steps quoting "one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind", he was wearing his Omega Speedmaster Professional chronograph. With this unique accomplishment came a unique nickname: the Moon Watch.
In April 1970 the Omega Speedmaster rescued the Apollo XIII mission from a potential disaster, earning Omega the "Snoopy Award", the highest distinction granted by NASA.
The Russian Space Agency also chose the Omega Speedmaster chronographs to accompany their astronauts.
In 1974 Omega produces Marine Chronometer 2400 which is the most accurate and the most technologically advanced wristwatch in the world. This legendary "Omega Megaquartz" marine-chronometer had a daily timing variation of just two thousands of a second, in a trial lasting for 63 days.
In its search of elegance, Omega has relied on the most prestigious jeweler designers and created real masterpieces of the highest refinement. As a result, in 1985, Omega received the Triomphe de l'excellence européenne prize for the quality and originality of its models.

On the 18th of May 1983, Omega received its 100,000th official rating certificate for quartz chronometers. A museum for the company was opened on 16th December 1983. In 1995, presentations were made of the first automatic wristwatch with a centrally mounted tourbillion. In 1999 Omega made history by introducing the first mass-produced watch incorporating the revolutionary "co-axial escapement"- invented by English watchmaker George Daniels. Considered by many to be one of the most significant horological advancements since the invention of the lever escapement, the co-axial escapement functions with virtually no lubrication thereby eliminating one of the shortcomings of the traditional lever escapement. This improvement has extended service intervals to around 10 years.

Omega Models

OMEGA CONSTELLATION Universal symbol of success among the stars Omega Constellation has a very unique design, elegant and sporty at the same time. A case with curved claws, a bezel engraved with Roman numerals, a golden star applied on the dial, and the Constellation Observatory logo on the case back can be mentioned among the most distinctive characteristics of this lineage. Omega Constellation is chronometer certified which means that it is a high-precision watch. It was tested and certified by the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC). Due to its excellency and precision, Omega Constellation has earned the admiration of well known personalities such as Cindy Crawford, Pierce Brosnan and Martina Hingis. Additionally, the characteristic round shapes of its case make Omega Constellation an extremely comfortable watch to wear in everyday life. Constellation Ladies Automatic Constellation Ladies Double Eagle Chronometer Constellation Ladies Double Eagle Quartz Constellation Ladies Iris '95 Automatic Constellation Ladies Iris '95 Quartz Mini Constellation Ladies Iris '95 Quartz Small Constellation Ladies Iris My Choice Automatic Constellation Ladies Iris My Choice Quartz Mini Constellation Ladies Iris My Choice Quartz Small Constellation Ladies My Choice Automatic Constellation Ladies My Choice Quartz Mini Constellation Ladies My Choice Quartz Small Constellation Ladies Quadra Quartz Chronograph Constellation Ladies Quadrella Quartz Constellation Ladies Quadrella Quartz Mini Constellation Ladies Quartz Mini Constellation Ladies Quartz Small Constellation Mens Chronometer Constellation Mens Double Eagle Chrono Constellation Mens Double Eagle Chronometer Constellation Mens Double Eagle Perpetual Calendar Constellation Mens Perpetual Calendar Constellation Mens Quartz
OMEGA SEAMASTER For adventure lovers, on land and in sea The legendary Omega Seamaster watch has been created to challenge the toughest conditions and to seize the moment of the most exciting experiences of men. Its precision, strength and resistance make it a favorite choice for many sportsmen; among them, Alexander Popov, who is one of the world's best swimmers of the 1990s. The fictional character James Bond, agent of the international arm of the British Secret Service, owns his life to a Seamaster. Omega Seamaster has numerous angles and curves which vary the way light is reflected from its case and yet, there are no sharp corners which make it completely comfortable. Omega Seamaster is one of the most legible watches in the dark due to its luminescent coating on the hands and markers which makes it absolutely perfect for deep dives. All Omega Seamaster have a Sea Monster logo on the case back. 1932: Omega introduces the first water resistant watch (some claim the first in the world), Omega Marine. It was water resistant to 13.5 atmospheres that equals to 135 meters and was the first in the Seamaster lineage. Omega Marine made history in the ocean conquest and received enthusiastic testimonies from submarine explorers. 1948: the first Omega Seamaster watch is produced. It is inspired by the Omega Marine's waterproof qualities, as well as by the famous The 30 mm model, which was widely sold to the British army during the II World War and proved to be the most precise wristwatch caliber ever tested at Geneva. 1962: a north American pilot and submariner declares that several days after his hydroplane sank he was diving at a 45 meter depth looking for some stuff that could be recovered, and the only things he found were his underwater camera and his Omega Seamaster watch which started to run as if nothing had happened. But the most amazing fact is that his Omega Seamaster was guaranteed waterproof only to 30 meters! 1981: a French Jacques Mayol breaks a world's record in scuba diving without any breathing equipment near the Elba island, he submerges 101 meters deep and wears Omega Seamaster watch. 1995: Team New Zealand wins the America's Cup, the most famous and most prestigious regatta and Match Race in the sport of sailing from 1851. Sir Peter Blake and each crew member have an Omega Seamaster on their wrists. Omega is the official timekeeper for the America's Cup 2000 and for its champions, the Team New Zealand. 2000: breaking news: for the second consecutive time Sir Peter Blake and his crew Team New Zealand win the America's Cup which is time kept by Omega. Seamaster Ladies 300 M Quartz Seamaster Ladies Aqua Terra Automatic Seamaster Ladies Aqua Terra Quartz Seamaster Mens 300 M Chrono Diver Seamaster Mens 300 M Diver Chronometer Seamaster Mens 300 M GMT Seamaster Mens 300 M Mid Size Chronometer Seamaster Mens 300 M Mid Size Quartz Seamaster Mens 300 M Quartz Seamaster Mens 300 M Racing Chronometer Seamaster Mens Apnea Seamaster Mens Aqua Terra Big Size Chronograph Seamaster Mens Aqua Terra Big Size Chronometer Seamaster Mens Aqua Terra Chronometer Seamaster Mens Aqua Terra Mid Size Chronometer Seamaster Mens Aqua Terra Mid Size Quartz Seamaster Mens Aqua Terra Quartz Seamaster Mens Aqua Terra Railmaster Chronometer Seamaster Mens Aqua Terra XXL Chronometer Seamaster Mens NZL-32 Chrono Seamaster Mens Planet Ocean Seamaster Mens Planet Ocean Big Size Seamaster Mens Planet Ocean Chrono
OMEGA SPEEDMASTER First watch on the Moon and Mars only the sky is the limit. Exactly at 2:56 GMT on July 21, 1969, the landing of the first humans on the Moon is seen as Neil Armstrong said That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind. After satisfactorily passing exhaustive tests designated by NASA, Omega Speedmaster was chosen as the first watch taken to the space. It was worn for intra and extra vehicular activities, including the moonwalks, on all the missions. During extra vehicular activities the astronauts wore the watch on the outside of their pressure suits. After that it became Omega Speedmaster Professional Chronograph, the first Moon Watch. It is still present on Shuttle missions nowadays. In 1970, the chronograph feature of the Omega Speedmaster Professional was fundamental for giving guidelines to the crew that used the Lunar Module as a lifeboat in space and successfully returned to Earth. Today, on its way to the planet Mars, Omega's Speedmaster X-33 is the pioneer of the space exploration. After 5 years of development and tests, Omega presented a new Omega Speedmaster X-33 watch in 1998, which is now flight-qualified by both NASA and the Russian space agency MIR astronauts and cosmonauts. It is also included as an item of standard equipment and is worn for extra-vehicular activity. The Omega Speedmaster has become the most tested watch in the world. Together with the beginning of the new century, the space conquerors and the high technology enthusiasts, for instance Michael Schumacher, keep on trusting Omega Speedmaster Professional. Speedmaster Ladies Automatic Speedmaster Ladies Reduced Speedmaster Mens 50th Anniversary Limited Series Speedmaster Mens Broad Arroz Speedmaster Mens Broad Arrow GMT Speedmaster Mens Broad Arrow Rattrapante Speedmaster Mens Date Speedmaster Mens Day-Date Speedmaster Mens Legend Speedmaster Mens Professional Speedmaster Mens Reduced
OMEGA DE VILLE The prestige of De Ville Not only Omega watches are known for their extraordinary precision, accurate chronographs and reliability, but also for their absolute beauty, which is realized by the most acknowledged artists of the world. Designed in sake of attracting those who prefer the best classic tradition, with a little touch of the contemporary spirit, the Omega De Ville watches are provided with the best movements that perfectly fit this elegant lineage. In 1999, a unique and completely new Omega De Ville watch was born. No other mass-produced watch in history had the heart like this one, except for some watches which price was about $150.000 USD. The elegant and exceptional Omega De Ville Co-Axial watch, supplied with a co-axial escapement and free sprung balance, has one of the most advantageous movements and was invented by the well-known English watchmaker Dr. George Daniels. It has a greater exactitude, shock-resistance and requires less service than many other watches. A symbol of refinement and a very reliable watch, Omega De Ville is especially esteemed for its peculiar elegancy and exceptional case finish. Its forms and proportions, made in a classic style, perfectly outlined spheres and edges and precious metals used for its manufacture guarantee the abiding beauty of Omega De Ville's design that challenge the momentary trends. Omega De Ville, well-known for its refined case design and adherence to the classic watchmaking standards, has won many important awards for being the personification of classic elegancy and the most advanced wristwatch movement building technology. Ernie Els, one of the top professional golf players in the world and Omega golf ambassadors, states that Omega embodies a subtle combination of precision and power. All these features make Omega De Ville perfect for casual watch wearers or collectors. De Ville Ladies Co-Axial Automatic De Ville Ladies Co-Axial Chronograph De Ville Ladies Co-Axial Chronoscope De Ville Ladies Prestige Quartz Small De Ville Mens Co-Axial Chronograph De Ville Mens Co-Axial Chronograph Mid-Size De Ville Mens Co-Axial Chronometer De Ville Mens Co-Axial Chronometer Mid Size De Ville Mens Co-Axial Chronoscope De Ville Mens Co-Axial GMT De Ville Mens Co-Axial GMT Mid-Size De Ville Mens Co-Axial Power Reserve De Ville Mens Co-axial Power Reserve Mid-Size De Ville Mens Co-Axial Rattrapante De Ville Mens Hour Vision De Ville Mens Prestige Automatic De Ville Mens Prestige Quartz De Ville Mens Prestige Small Seconds De Ville Mens X2 Big Date De Ville Mens X2 Small Seconds
SPECIALTIES Omega has developed a series of watches that are considered special among the others. Every watch of this line has a particularity that makes it collectable. Either for mens or ladies in different materials or conceived for different themes Omega is proud to offer his Specialties for his fans. Specialities Ladies Aquarella Specialities Ladies Jewelery Specialities Ladies Olympic Collection Tímeles Specialities Ladies Omegamania Specialities Mens Jewelery Specialities Mens Olympic Collection Beijing 2008 Specialities Mens Olympic Collection Timeles Specialities Mens Tourbillion