Omega is without a doubt one of the top five Swiss watchmakers. The Biel-based company produces high-quality watches, many of which enjoy legendary reputations. They're characterized by the typical Omega attributes of reliability and functionality.
Highlights
- Speedmaster Professional: the famous Moonwatch
- Seamaster diving watch: waterproof to 1,200 m (3,940 ft, 120 bar)
- Elegant, classic models: De Ville and Constellation
- Co-axial escapement: frictionless and unaffected by jolts
- Seamaster Aqua Terra >15,000 Gauss: impervious to magnetic fields
Tradition and Innovation
Omega has been an established watch manufacturer since the mid-19th century. The company produces some of the most famous watches in the world: Their Speedmaster Professional, for example, accompanied the first astronauts to the Moon in the summer of 1969, and professional and recreational divers alike have been relying on the Seamaster for around 60 years. The watch has also gained fame thanks to its appearance as James Bond's watch in various films.
Aside from their technically-oriented watches, Omega features classic, elegant timepieces such as the De Ville, Constellation, and Globemaster. Materials like rose and yellow gold emphasize the luxurious quality of these watches.
Omega has excelled in new watchmaking technology over the years. They created the co-axial escapement as well as an especially effective form of protection against magnetic fields. Together with the Swiss Federal Office of Metrology (METAS), they even developed a new certificate for watches that can withstand magnetic fields up to 15,000 gauss.
Buying Tips
If you're looking to buy a luxury Swiss watch, then Omega should be on your list of candidates. They have enjoyed an excellent reputation for many decades.
Lovers of high-tech, complicated timepieces with a history get their money's worth from an Omega watch. Different Speedmaster versions range from racing chronographs from the 1950s to today's modern pilot's and space watches. The highlight is without question the famous Moonwatch, which accompanied NASA astronauts to the Moon. A new Speedmaster Professional with reference number 311.30.42.30.01.005 is the closest version to the original and is available for 3,000 to 4,000 euros. It is not unusual for collector's watches from the 1960s to cost over 20,000 euros.
The original model contained Plexiglass, which Omega called Hesalite, as sapphire glass was not available at the time. However, Plexiglass does have its advantages: It doesn't splinter when damaged, minor scratches can easily be polished away, and it is inexpensive to replace. If you want your watch to be as close to the original as possible, then the Hesalite version is the best choice. One advantage to sapphire glass, on the other hand, is its scratch resistance.
The Moonwatch has already proven its lasting worth: A 1967 model was worth 900 euros in 1999. Now, the price for a well-maintained 1967 model ranges from 6,000 to 7,000 euros.
The Seamaster is also in a higher price range. New platinum Seamaster 300 models can cost over 40,000 euros due to the high-quality materials used. Omega has a rather wide price range for their diving watches; for only 500 or 600 euros, you can purchase a well-maintained, manual Seamaster from the 1960s. If you prefer a Seamaster that can be taken to even greater depths, then you should consider the Planet Ocean or the Ploprof. It's important for collectors to note that the Seamaster has a large selection, while the Speedmaster Professional is more sought after.
Gold and diamonds increase the value of watches in the Constellation collection. These luxurious watches cost around 20,000 to 30,000 euros. However, other models of the Constellation are not as expensive. Vintage steel models are 500 to 600 euros. The De Ville starts in this price range, but can cost much more. For example, a De Ville with a platinum case and a tourbillon will cost six figures.
Buying Tips
- Prices range from three to six figures (euros)
- Wide selection of vintage watches and Seamaster models
- Retains value thanks to precious materials such as platinum, gold, and diamonds
- Speedmaster calibers 321 and 861
- Limited special editions: Speedmaster Professional Snoopy or Spectre
The First Watch on the Moon
The
Speedmaster model is a shining example among many exceptional Omega watches. It is not a coincidence that NASA
astronauts wore this watch when they landed on the Moon for the first time on July 21, 1969. Mechanical watches from various manufacturers were put to the test, and the Speedmaster Professional came out on top. It handled the heat, cold, jolts, acceleration, high pressure, vibration, and other challenging conditions faced by astronauts the best. NASA had already chosen the Speedmaster during the Project Gemini program, which preceded the moon landing. During the failed
Apollo 13 mission in 1970, the crew had to burn their rockets for exactly 14 seconds in order to set a safe course back to Earth. Their lives depended on it, and they used the Omega Speedmaster to accurately time their maneuver and safely return to Earth. In the world of watches, this is truly what myths are made of.
The Seamaster Dives 1,200 Meters Deep
Underwater, the Seamaster reigns supreme. Together, the
Blancpain Fifty Fathoms, the
Rolex Submariner, and the Omega Seamaster make up a trifecta of the most renowned
Swiss diving watches. Omega originally introduced the series in 1947 as a men's wristwatch with improved water resistance. It has been reworked and improved numerous times since then. The Seamaster is offered in several variations including mechanical or quartz versions. The particularly complex versions fulfill watch requirements set by professional divers and have a unique
pressure-equalizing helium valve. The Ploprof 1200 M model is designed to handle pressure up to 120 bar (1200 m).
Omega Constellation: Men's Watches with Classic Elegance
Omega takes a less technical approach to their Constellation series when compared to the Speedmaster and Seamaster series. The Constellation has undergone a number of changes since it was first introduced in 1952. Early models were simple and elegant wristwatches with three hands. Since the 1980s, many models have featured a fixed bezel with Roman numerals. Some Constellation watches have so-called claws, slightly raised parts of the bezel at the three o'clock and nine o'clock positions. As the designs were modernized, high-quality quartz movements were introduced to improve accuracy. In fact, the marine chronometer was developed from the Constellation series. Aside from radio clocks, these are some of the most precise watches in the world. Since 1967, Omega has also offered a Constellation series for women. Certain pieces in this collection are distinguished by gold and decorative diamonds.
The
De Ville series is a touch more classic than the Constellation. This series, introduced in the 1960s, appeals to an audience similar to that of
Blancpain or
Breguet. It features classic, clean designs with Roman numerals; movements with
tourbillons; and cases made of
white, rose, and yellow gold. Many of the women's models also feature diamond-set bezels or diamond hour markers.
Omega Times the Olympics
The history of Omega goes back to the 19th century. In 1848, Louis Brandt began manufacturing pocket watches in the city of
La Chaux-de-Fonds, in the Swiss canton of Neuchâtel. He made arrangements with local suppliers, which allowed him to sell his products to a wider market, including Italy, England, and Scandinavia. Later, Brandt's sons moved the company to its current location in Biel. Although the name Omega had been in use since 1894, it was first officially registered in 1903, when the third generation took over. In 1930, Omega and their competitor
Tissot made a joint decision to serve separate markets. Omega was to focus on the luxury watch sector, and Tissot, on the middle class. When the quartz crisis put the Swiss watch industry in a difficult position, the two brands came together in 1983 under the newly formed
Swatch Group. Omega remains part of the group to this day.
Omega has garnered attention over the decades for their technical innovations. In 1892, the manufacturer introduced the first wristwatch featuring a minute repeater, a particularly intricate complication that chimes the time. Omega was responsible for timing all of the events at the 1932 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles, and they introduced automatic timers for the first time at the 1952 Summer Games in Helsinki.
The manufacturer reached a new level of precision with their quartz chronometers introduced in the 1970s. A high point was the caliber 1525, which was used to power the marine chronometers used by the French navy. It was specially made and delivered in a box made of precious wood with a brass coating. Over the course of a year, these chronometers deviate from the exact time by less than five seconds.
Special Omega Characteristics
- Seal of approval ("Officially Certified") in cooperation with the Swiss Federal Office of Metrology (METAS) since 2015
- Silicon protects against magnetic fields
- Mechanical calibers as well as high-tech quartz watches like the Spacemaster Z-33
Famous Omega Wearers: Spies, Kings, and Communists
For years, the company has been relying on the Swiss movement manufacturer ETA to produce their calibers, which Omega then perfects under their own name. In 1999, a special concept called the co-axial escapement was introduced. Not only does it operate with little friction and no lubrication, but it is also very shock resistant. The reliable ETA 2892-A2 caliber powered the first co-axial escapement watch, which appeared as part of the De Ville series. Englishman George Daniels invented the co-axial escapement in the 1970s, and today it is featured exclusively in numerous Omega models. These models are identified by the dial inscription reading "Master Co-Axial Chronometer."
One of the Swiss manufacturer's newer achievements is the development of watches that are highly resistant to magnetic fields. In October 2013, the Seamaster Aqua Terra marked the beginning of a new generation of watches. These timepieces make use of anti-magnetic silicon, which allows calibers to remain unaffected by up to 15,000 gauss of magnetism. The watches with these features bear an official Omega quality mark developed in 2015.
Many prominent figures, both in real life and in fiction, have been drawn to the allure of Omega watches. The most famous wearer may very well be secret agent James Bond, who wore a Seamaster in the 1995 film GoldenEye. The French oceanographer Jacques Cousteau also relied on the Seamaster during many of his dives. Elvis Presley, the King of Rock and Roll, wore a Seamaster Calendar in 1960 when he was promoted to sergeant while stationed in West Germany. However, it isn't only kings who recognize the value of the brand. The former US President John F. Kennedy, the former Chinese Chairman Mao Zedong, and the former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev all wore Omegas; Gorbachev selected a golden watch from the Constellation series. Likewise, actor Tom Hanks wears an Omega Speedmaster Professional as a reminder of his role in the film Apollo 13.
