Omega Watches
As the last letter of the Greek alphabet, Omega is a symbol of perfection, and accomplishment, so it is not surprising that the timepieces the Omega brand produces carry each of these qualities. The brand was founded in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland in 1848 by Louis Brandt. Through the 150 year history, the innovation and excellence in every timepiece have earned the brand a number of prestigious awards. One of the highest honors bestowed upon the brand was being the official timekeeper at 21 Olympic Games and helping propel a number of innovations for the Olympic sports through the years.
The brands Speedmaster timepiece was chosen by NASA to be the official chronometer in 1965 because of the reliability and precision provided by the watch. That same timepiece was worn on the moon on July 21, 1969 by Neil Armstrong when he took that giant leap for mankind. What an honor for the brand and a definite mark on history. That reputation built on excellence for precision and continued innovation continued through the years and allowed them to present the world’s first self-winding watch with a central tourbillon. That same timepiece also presented the revolutinary coaxial escapement developed with the famous English watchmaker George Daniels and created as a limited edition series in 1999. The quality of the movements in these watches are what contribute to the exquisite nature this brand has always presented. A collectors dream, the brand never disappoints, and with every design brings such captivating timepieces to the forefront for horological brilliance.
After Brandt founded the company his sons joined him in 1877 and the company name became Louis Brandt & Fils. In 1894 the success of the company went global because of a new movement that was launched, not only one that was the highest degree of accuracy, but also the ease of repair. That movement was the Omega caliber and in 1903 because of the global success, the brand changed their name to the Omega Watch Company and the brand we know today was born. Being one of the top luxury timepiece brands around the world, they are well known for the elegant and creative watches, the Speedmaster, the Seamaster, and the Constellation to name a few. Being on the wrist of some of the most famous people on the planet certainly helped the brand to be noticed, and being on the moon and being on 007’s wrist also propelled the brand timepieces to new heights.
Omega set world records for precision and used these words, “Omega – Exact time for life” in many advertising slogans. It was not just words, it was fact and proven many times over by people who set record treks to the North Pole, others who crossed the Antarctica on foot, and had the Speedmaster to guide them. The 100th anniversary of the brand enjoyed the launch of the Seamaster line and makes it the oldest in the current collections. The design was based on watches the brand crafted for the British military at the end of WWII. There was a Professional range of these watches launched in 1957 for Jacques Cousteau’s team and used to prove that divers could be submerged for extended periods without adverse effects. There were a number of folks who adopted this timepiece for diving.
Omega has marked so many territories with their timepieces and been featured in so many movies that fame is just part of the brand history. Famous people wear the brand with pride, and collectors value each piece they add to their private collections, and the rest of us understand luxury value with each brand timepiece we have the joy of owning.
