Omega Watches
Below is our current in stock inventory of Omega watches. If you have a Omega watch you are interested in selling or trading please contact us.
All Omega Watches
(55851) Omega Dark Side of the Moon Apollo 8 311.92.44.30.01.001, 31192443001001, black ceramic case with a leather strap and ceramic buckle, manual Omega caliber 1869 movement, black dial with super luminescent hands and hour markers, chromium nitride tachymeter scale, sapphire crystal, display back, water resistant to 50 meters, size 44.25mm, thickness 16.3mm. Like New with Omega box and papers dated 2022.
(54629) Omega 311.93.44.51.03.001 Speedmaster Chronograph, 31193445103001, titanium case on a strap with a titanium deployant buckle, automatic Omega caliber 9300 co-axial chronometer movement, 60-hour power reserve, blue dial with super luminescent hands and hour markers, ceramic tachymeter scale, sapphire crystal, display back, water resistant, size 44mm, thickness 13.25mm. Like New with Omega box and papers dated 2016.
(55778) Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Co-Axial Master Chronometer, 210.90.42.20.01.001, 21090422001001, 210 90 42 20 01 001, Grade 2 Titanium case on a titanium bracelet with a titanium deployant buckle, automatic Omega Co-Axial Master Chronometer caliber 8806 movement, 55-hour power reserve, luminescent hands and hour markers, brown tropical aluminum bezel ring and dial, rotating bezel, domed sapphire crystal, water resistant to 300m...
(55779) Omega Speedmaster Professional "Sapphire Sandwich", 311.30.42.30.01.006, 31130423001006, 311 30 42 30 01 006, 'First Watch Worn on the Moon', stainless steel on a stainless steel bracelet, manual wind movement, chronograph, black dial, water resistant to 100ft, sapphire crystals front and back. Diameter: 42mm, Thickness: 14mm. Like New with Omega box and papers dated 2020.
(54641) Omega Globemaster Annual Calendar Co-Axial Master Chronometer 130.33.41.22.06.001, 13033412206001, stainless steel on a blue leather strap with deployant buckle, automatic Omega Caliber 8922 movement with co-axial escapement, 60-hour power reserve, Master Chronometer Certification (more stringent that COSC), annual calendar, date window at 6 o'clock, sweep seconds hand, display back, grey pie pan dial with index numerals, w...
(55249) Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Green Dial 210.30.42.20.10.001, 21030422010001, stainless steel case on a stainless steel bracelet with a folding deployant clasp, automatic Omega Co-Axial Master Chronometer caliber 8800 movement, 55-hour power reserve, green wave dial, luminous silver skeleton hands and hour markers, rotating green ceramic bezel, diameter: 42mm, thickness: 14.6mm, sapphire crystal, water resistant to 300m. Like ...
(55684) Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra 150M Co-Axial Master Chronometer, 220.12.41.21.06.001, 22012412106001, stainless steel on a rubber strap with a stainless steel double deployant clasp, automatic Omega Caliber 8900 with Co-Axial Escapement, resistant to magnetic fields up to 15,000 Gauss, COSC, silver striped dial with applied luminous hour markers and luminous hands, date window at 6 o'clock, centered sweep seconds hand, display ...
(54813) Omega 215.33.40.20.01.001 Seamaster Co-Axial Planet Ocean, 21533402001001, stainless steel on a strap with a stainless steel deployant buckle, automatic in-house Omega Caliber 8800 movement, 60 hour power reserve, Omega Master Chronometer Certificate, date at 3 o'clock, glossy black ceramic dial with applied luminous hour markers, centered sweep seconds hand, luminous hands, sapphire crystal, display back, water resistant t...
(55056) Omega Speedmaster '57 Co-Axial Chronograph 332.10.41.51.11.001, 33210415111001, stainless steel on a stainless steel bracelet, automatic co-axial Caliber 9306 movement, 60-hour power reserve, chronometer, 12-hour chronograph, red dial with black accents, sapphire crystal, display back, tachymeter bezel, size 40.5mm, thickness 12.9mm. Like New with Omega box, and papers dated 2023.
(55533) Omega Seamaster Co-Axial Planet Ocean 600m 215.30.44.21.03.001, 21530442103001, stainless steel on a matching stainless steel bracelet with a folding deployant clasp, automatic Omega Caliber 8900 movement, 60-hour power reserve, chronometer date at 3 o'clock, glossy ceramic blue dial, blue "Liquid Metal" bezel, luminous hands and hour markers, center sweep seconds hand, sapphire crystal, water resistant to 2000 ft. Diameter...
(55347) Omega Seamaster Co-Axial Planet Ocean GMT 232.30.44.22.01.001, 23230442201001, stainless steel case on a stainless steel bracelet with deployant clasp, chronometer, automatic movement with Omega Caliber 8605 movement, 60-hour power reserve, date at 3 o'clock, black dial, black "Liquid Metal" bezel, center sweep seconds hand, GMT hand with orange triangle tip, luminous hands and hour markers, sapphire crystal, water resistan...
(55567) Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra, 220.10.34.20.09.001, 22010342009001, stainless steel on a stainless steel bracelet, Omega caliber 8800 Automatic movement with Co-Axial escapement, COSC, date window at 6 o'clock, "sunbrushed" brass sandstone dial, 55-hour power reserve, luminous hands, sweep seconds hand, display back, water resistant to 150 meters. Diameter: 34mm, Thickness: 11.9mm. Unworn with Omega box, hang-tags, Master Chro...
(55603) Omega Speedmaster '57 Co-Axial Master Chronometer Chronograph 332.10.41.51.01.001, 33210415101001, inspired by the legendary 1957 speedmaster, stainless steel on a stainless steel bracelet, manual-winding co-axial Caliber 9906 movement, 60-hour power reserve, Certified Master Chronometer, 12-hour chronograph, black dial, broad arrow hands with vintage-toned lume, date at 6 o'clock, sapphire crystal, display back, tachymeter...
(55652) Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Co-Axial Master Chronometer 210.22.42.20.03.002, 21022422003002 , stainless steel and rose gold case on a blue rubber strap, automatic Omega Co-Axial Master Chronometer movement caliber 8800, 55 hour power reserve, blue wave dial with date at 6 o'clock, luminescent rose gold hands and indexes, blue ceramic and rose gold rotating sport bezel, diameter: 42mm, thickness: 14mm, sapphire crystal, 48 ho...
(55613) Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch "First Omega in Space" 311.63.40.30.02.001, 31163403002001, 18K Sedna gold case on a leather strap with a matching 18k Sedna gold tang buckle, automatic Omega Co-Axial Caliber 1861, 48-hour power reserve, silver dial with contrasting sub dials, applied rose gold hour markers with luminous dots, luminous hands, sapphire crystal, water resistant to 50 meters. Diameter: 39.7mm, Thickness: 14.9mm. Li...
(55604) Omega Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon 311.92.44.51.01.007 , 31192445101007, black ceramic case with a fabric strap and deployant buckle, automatic co-axial Omega caliber 9300 movement, 60-hour power reserve, black dial with luminous hands and hour markers, chromium nitride tachymeter scale, sapphire crystal, display back, water resistant to 50 meters. Diameter: 44.25mm, Thickness 16.3mm. Like New with Omega box and undate...
(55239) Omega Seamaster 300 Co-Axial 234.30.41.21.01.001, 23430412101001, stainless steel case on a matching stainless steel bracelet with a folding deployant clasp, automatic Omega caliber 8912 movement, 60-hour power reserve, resistant to anti-magnetic fields, 15,000 gauss, black dial with vintage-toned luminous hour markers and matching broad arrow hands, black anodized aluminum bezel, sapphire crystal, display back, water resis...
(55878) Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional Sedna Gold, 310.63.42.50.01.001, 31063425001001, 18K "Sedna" rose gold alloy on a strap with Omega Sedna gold deployant buckle, manual wind Omega caliber 3861 movement, 12-hour chronograph, black dial, black tachymeter scale, display caseback, water resistant to 100ft. Diameter: 42mm, Thickness: 14mm. Like New with Omega box and papers.
(55897) Omega Speedmaster Professional, 310.30.42.50.04.001, 31030425004001, 'First Watch Worn on the Moon', stainless steel on a recently redesigned stainless steel bracelet with a slimmer folding deployant clasp, manual wind Omega co-axial caliber 3861 movement, 12-hour chronograph, 50-hour power reserve, new white lacquered stepped dial with applied hour markers, sapphire display back, water resistant to 50m, diameter: 42mm, thi...
(55934) Omega Speedmaster Professional 310.30.42.50.01.001, 31030425001001, 'First Watch Worn on the Moon', stainless steel on a redesigned stainless steel bracelet with a slimmer folding deployant clasp, manual wind Omega co-axial caliber 3861 movement, 12-hour chronograph, 50-hour power reserve, black dial with luminous hour markers, display caseback, water resistant to 100ft. Diameter: 42mm, Thickness: 14mm. Like New with Omega ...
(55829) Omega Speedmaster Professional 310.30.42.50.01.001, 31030425001001, 'First Watch Worn on the Moon', stainless steel on an updated stainless steel bracelet with a slimmer folding deployant clasp, manual wind Omega co-axial caliber 3861 movement, 12-hour chronograph, 50-hour power reserve, black dial with luminous hour markers, solid caseback, water resistant to 100ft. Diameter: 42mm, Thickness: 14mm. Like New with Omega box ...
(55828) Omega Seamaster Diver 300M, 210.30.42.20.03.001, 21030422003001, stainless steel on a stainless steel bracelet, automatic movement, blue "wave" dial with applied luminous hour indicators, luminous skeleton hands, date aperture at 6 o'clock, center sweep seconds hand, blue ceramic bezel with white Arabic numerals for decompression times, helium escape valve, sapphire crystal, water resistant to 300m/1000ft. Diameter: 42mm, T...
(55886) Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Co-Axial Master Chronometer, 210.32.42.20.01.001, 21032422001001, 210 32 42 20 01 001, stainless steel case on a rubber strap with a stainless steel tang buckle, automatic Omega Co-Axial Master Chronometer caliber 8800 movement, 55-hour power reserve, black wave dial with date at 6 o'clock, luminescent hands and hour markers, black ceramic rotating bezel, sapphire crystal, water resistant to 300m....
(54347) Omega 310.60.42.50.01.001 Speedmaster Moon watch Professional Sedna Gold, 31060425001001, 18K "Sedna" rose gold alloy on a matching rose gold bracelet, manual wind Omega caliber 3861 movement, 12-hour chronograph, black dial, black tachymeter scale, display caseback, water resistant to 100ft, diameter: 42mm, thickness: 14mm. Like New with Original Omega box and papers dated 2023.
(55964) Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Apollo 11 45th Anniversary Limited Edition 311.62.42.30.06.001, 31162423006001, titanium case with an 18k rose gold bezel on a brown NATO strap with a titanium tang buckle, manual wind Omega Co-Axial Caliber 1861 movement, 48-hour power reserve, PVD dial, luminescent hands and hour markers, sapphire crystal, water resistant to 50 meters, diameter: 42mm, thickness 14.5mm. Like New with Omega box a...
(54797) Omega 310.60.42.50.99.001 Speedmaster Apollo 11 50th Anniversary Limited Edition, 31060425099001, limited to 1,014 pieces, 18K yellow gold on a 18K yellow gold bracelet, manual wind Omega caliber 3861 movement, 12-hour chronograph, gold dial, bronze colored tachymeter scale, display caseback, water resistant to 100ft, diameter: 42mm, thickness: 14mm. Like New with original box and papers that are stamped with no date.
(55172) Omega Speedmaster Chronoscope 329.30.43.51.03.001, 32930435103001, stainless steel on new-style stainless steel bracelet, manual wind Omega Caliber 9908 Master Chronometer movement, anti-magnetic to 15000 gauss, 12-hour telemeter chronograph, blue dial with Arabic numbers, silver sub-dials and minute track, pulsations scale, water resistant to 165ft, diameter: 43mm, thickness: 14mm. Like New with Omega box and papers dated ...
(55453) Omega DeVille Hour Vision Annual Calendar Co-Axial Chronometer 433.33.41.22.03.001, 43333412203001, stainless steel on a strap with a steel deployant buckle, blue dial, automatic Omega caliber 8902 movement, chronometer certified, date at 3 o'clock, anti-reflective sapphire crystal, exhibition caseback, exhibition "Hour Vision" window on side of case, 60-hour power reserve, water resistant to 100m. Diameter: 41mm, Thickness...
(55452) Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Co-Axial Master Chronometer 210.22.42.20.01.001, 21022422001001, 210 22 42 20 01 001, stainless steel and yellow gold case on a rubber strap with a stainless steel buckle, automatic Omega Co-Axial Master Chronometer caliber 8800 movement, 55-hour power reserve, black wave dial with date at 6 o'clock, luminescent hands and hour markers, black ceramic rotating bezel, sapphire crystal, water resistan...
(54764) Omega 311.63.44.51.06.001 Dark Side of the Moon Speedmaster, 31163445106001, black ceramic case on a leather strap with matching deployant buckle, automatic Omega Co-Axial calibre 9300 movement, 60-hour power reserve, 60-minute and 12-hour chronograph sub dials, flat grey dial, Sedna gold hour markers, Sedna gold hands, tachymetre insert with a Sedna gold bezel, water resistant to 50m, diameter: 44mm, thickness: 16.2mm. Lik...
(55525) Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Master Co-axial Lady 231.10.34.20.57.002, 23110342057002, stainless steel on a stainless steel bracelet with a folding double deployant clasp, automatic Omega Caliber 8520 movement with Co-Axial escapement, "Master Chronometer" certification, blue mother-of-pearl dial with 12 applied round diamond hour markers, date window at 6 o'clock, 50-hour power reserve, centered sweep seconds hand, display b...
(55570) Omega Seamaster Co-Axial Planet Ocean Ultra Deep 215.92.46.21.01.001, 21592462101001, titanium case with fixed lugs on a NATO strap with a titanium tang buckle, master chronometer automatic Omega caliber 8912, 60-hour power reserve, grey dial, black Zirconium Dioxide bezel, center sweep seconds hand, luminous hands and hour markers, sapphire crystal, water resistant to 6000M, solid caseback. Diameter: 45.5mm, Thickness: 17....
(55781) Omega Seamaster Diver 300M 210.20.42.20.01.001, 210 20 42 20 01 001, 21020422001001, stainless steel and 18k "Sedna Gold" on a stainless steel and gold bracelet, automatic movement, black "wave" dial with applied luminous hour indicators, luminous skeleton hands, date aperture at 6 o'clock, center sweep seconds, black ceramic bezel with gold-toned Arabic numerals for decompression times, helium escape valve, diameter: 42mm,...
(55808) Omega Speedmaster Mark II Chronograph 522.10.43.50.01.001, 52210435001001, limited edition of 2016 pieces for the Rio de Janeiro Olympic games, stainless steel case on a stainless steel bracelet with button release deployant clasp, automatic co-axial caliber 3330 movement, black dial chronograph with white hands and indexes, bronze, silver and gold sub dials with date window at the 6 o'clock position. Diameter: 42mm, Thickn...
(55862) Omega Specialties CK 859 Museum Collection 511.12.39.21.99.002, 51112392199002, numbered edition, stainless steel on a leather strap with a stainless steel tang buckle, Co-Axial Master Chronometer manual wind caliber 8926 movement with 72-hour power reserve, 925 silver sector dial with blue Arabic numerals and chapter rings, blued sword-shaped hands, small seconds at 6 o'clock, sapphire crystal, water resistant to 30M, dia...
(55863) Omega Seamaster 1948 Limited Edition 70th Anniversary Seamaster 511.12.38.20.02.001 , 51112382002001, limited edition of 1948 pieces, stainless steel case on a strap with a stainless steel tang buckle, automatic Omega caliber 8804 movement, 60-hour power reserve, anti-magnetic, vintage inspired silver dial with small seconds at 6 o'clock, diameter: 38mm, sapphire crystal, water resistant to 60m. Like New with the Omega box,...
(55456) Omega 310.60.42.50.99.002 Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional Moonshine Gold, 31060425099002, 18K "Moonshine" yellow gold alloy on a matching yellow gold bracelet, manual wind Omega caliber 3861 movement, 12-hour chronograph, yellow gold dial, black tachymeter scale and subdials, display caseback, water resistant to 100ft. Diameter: 42mm, Thickness: 14mm. Like New with Omega box and papers.
(55566) Omega Speedmaster Day Date 3520.53.00, 35205300, stainless steel case on a stainless steel bracelet, automatic Omega caliber 1151 movement, 44-hour power reserve, day, date and month indicators, day/night indicator, dark grey dial, beautiful patina on both hands, the colors on this watch give it a very "exotic" look, sapphire crystal, tachymetre, sapphire crystal. Diameter: 39mm, Thickness 13.5mm. Excellent Condition.
(52577) Omega 2914 SC Railmaster "Seamaster", 2914-5, 2914-5, this reference is part of the holy trinity of Omega alongside the 2915 and 2913. Stainless steel case on a strap with a stainless steel Omega tang buckle, Omega manual wind caliber 285 movement engraved with "P.A.F." (Pakistani Air Force), replacement "Seamaster" dial (this reference was delivered new with Seamaster dial as opposed to Railmaster per the request of the PA...
(54782) Omega DeVille Prestige 434.10.41.21.03.001, 43410412103001, stainless steel case on a multilink stainless steel bracelet, automatic Master Chronometer Certified Co-Axial movement, sapphire crystal, silver/blue dial with applied Roman numerals and dot indices, date and power reserve at 6 o'clock, small seconds at 9, diameter: 41mm, thickness: 8mm, water resistant. Like New with Omega box and papers dated October 2023.
(55027) Omega 425.25.34.20.55.003 De Ville Ladymatic, 42525342055003, 18k yellow gold and stainless steel on a three link 18k yellow gold and stainless steel bracelet with a double folding deployant clasp, diamond-set bezel, automatic Co-Axial Omega caliber 8521 movement, 50-hour power reserve, mother of pearl dial with 11 applied diamond hour markers, luminous yellow gold dagger-shaped hands, date at 3 o'clock, screw-down crown, ...
(55252) Omega Speedmaster Racing Co-Axial Master Chronometer Chronograph 329.32.44.51.01.001, 32930445104001, stainless steel on a strap with a stainless steel deployant clasp, automatic Omega Co-Axial Caliber 9900 movement, black dial with applied luminous hour markers and racing-style minute/seconds track with orange accents, 12-hour chronograph, date at 6 o'clock, sapphire crystal, display back, water resistant to 50 meters, dia...
(54948) Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch Moonphase 304.33.44.52.03.001, 30433445203001, stainless steel case on an alligator strap with a stainless steel deployant buckle, automatic Omega caliber 9904 movement, 60-hour power reserve, chronograph, date and moonphase display, blue dial with luminous hands and indices, sapphire crystal, display back, water resistant to 100 meters, size: 44.25mm, thickness: 17mm. Like New with ...
(54900) Omega 311.92.44.51.01.005 Dark Side of the Moon, "Black Black", 31192445101005, black ceramic case with a alligator strap and deployant buckle, automatic Omega caliber 9300 co-axial chronometer, 60-hour power reserve, black dial with black luminescent hands and hour markers, tachymeter scale, sapphire crystal, display back, water resistant to 50 meters, size 44.25mm, thickness 16.3mm. Like New.
Omega Dark Side of the Moon Apollo 8 Ceramic / Black Dial
Omega Speedmaster Chronograph Blue Dial Titanium
Omega Seamaster 300M 007 Co-Axial Master Chronometer Titanium 42MM
Omega Speedmaster Professional Manual Wind "Sapphire Sandwich"
Omega Omega Globemaster Annual Calendar Co-Axial Master Chronometer
Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Co-Axial Master Chronometer SS / SS Green Dial / Gr
Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra 150M Master Co-Axial 41MM SS / Rubber
Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Co-Axial Black Dial 39.5MM
Omega Speedmaster 57 Co-Axial SS Red Dial 2023
Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 600m
Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean GMT 600M Co-Axial Black Dial
Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Shades Sandstone Dial SS / SS 34MM UNWORN
Omega Speedmaster 57 Co-Axial Master Chronometer SS
Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Steel and Rose Gold Co-Axial Master Chronometer
Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch "First Omega in Space" Sedna Rose Gold
Omega Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon Ceramic / Black Dial
Omega Omega SeaMaster 300M Black Dial Black Bezel Co-Axial 41MM
Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional Sedna Gold
Omega Speedmaster Professional Sapphire Sandwich White Dial NEW MODEL 2024
Omega Moonwatch Speedmaster Professional Chronograph
Omega Moonwatch Speedmaster Professional Chronograph
Omega Seamaster Diver 300M SS Blue Dial 42MM
Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Co-Axial Master Chronometer 42MM
Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional Sedna Gold
Omega Apollo 11 Speedmaster Moonwatch Titanium / 18K Rose Gold
Omega Apollo XI 50th Anniversary Speedmaster 18K Yellow Gold
Omega Speedmaster Chronoscope Co-Axial Master Chronometer Chronograph
Omega DeVille Hour Vision Annual Calendar Co Axial Chronometer SS / Leather
Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Co-Axial Master Chronometer 42MM
Omega Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon Ceramic/18k Sedna Gold
Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Master Co-axial Blue MOP Diamonds 34mm
Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Ultra Deep 6000M Co-Axial Titanium
Omega Seamaster Diver 300M SS/18k Rose Gold Black Dial
Omega Speedmaster Mark II RIO OLYMPICS LIMITED
Omega Specialties Museum Collection CK 859 SECTOR DIAL
Omega Seamaster 1948 Limited Edition 70th Anniversary
Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional Moonshine Gold
Omega Speedmaster Day Date "Exotic" SS
Omega Vintage 2914 Railmaster PAF Military Provenance Circa 1960
Omega DeVille Prestige Steel / Bracelet
Omega De Ville Ladymatic 18k YG / SS Diamond Bezel
Omega Speedmaster Racing Co-Axial Master Chronometer
Omega Speedmaster Automatic Moon Blue Dial
Omega Dark Side of the Moon Ceramic "Blackout"
Browse Omega Watches By Model
History of Omega Watches
Guide to Omega Watches
Omega produces roughly half a million watches every year. As one of the most popular watch brands in the world, Omega accounts for 8.8% of total annual sales within the overall market.
The co-axial escapement was developed by George Daniels in 1974 in an effort to reduce friction between the pallet fork and the escapement wheel, and to eliminate wasted motion within the escapement assembly. Daniels was able to fix these issues by stacking two balance wheels using a common axis. One of the wheels is used for locking and the other for unlocking. By separating the functions, the co-axial escapement reduces friction and unnecessary motion within the system and as a result, watches equipped with the technology have the ability to function more accurately and also require less frequent servicing. Omega adopted the Co-axial technology in 1999 with the introduction of their caliber 2500.
NASA began the search for a dependable chronograph appropriate for space travel shortly after President Eisenhower launched the Apollo Program. Rolex, Hamilton, Longines-Wittnauer, Bulova, Elgin, Omega, Benrus, Mido, Gruen, and Lucien Picard were among the companies who made prototypes for NASA's watch testing. NASA put these prototypes through a battery of tests, including extreme temperature fluctuations from minus 260 degrees to over 260 degrees Fahrenheit, gravity simulations, humidity tests, and an acceleration test to guarantee shock tolerance. After all of the rigorous testing, the only watch that remained functional was the Omega Speedmaster. NASA certified the Omega Speedmaster for both space flight and extravehicular travel in March 1965 and it remains NASA's official timepiece to this day.
On July 20th, 1969, astronaut Buzz Aldrin stepped out of the Apollo 11 lunar module and touched down on the moon's surface. Strapped to his wrist, was an Omega Speedmaster Professional, reference ST105.021, with a Lemania-based caliber 321 inside. This reference is a more durable version of the Omega prototype that was used in the NASA testing. A blockier 42mm case with crown guards and bigger chronograph pushers was part of the redesign. The bigger pushers give greater grip for the astronaut while outfitted in full equipment, and the blockier housing adds extra shock and acceleration protection. These modest adjustments secured the modern-day Speedmaster's appearance, which we have grown to know and appreciate. Unfortunately, in the 1970s, Buzz Aldrin's Speedy was stolen while in transit from NASA headquarters to the Smithsonian Museum where it was set to be displayed for the world to admire.
In 1983, the Swiss watch group SSIH, which at the time included Omega, Tissot, and Lemania, merged with the watch conglomerate ASUAG, to create what is now known as the SWATCH Group. Over the years, the SWATCH Group has built up a diverse portfolio of 18 watch brands ranging in both quality and price. Omega occupies a unique space in the “upper-mid-tier” of the portfolio’s hierarchy, and sits alongside brands such as Blancpain, Harry Winston, Glashutte Original and Jaquet Droz. Omega is widely regarded as the second most popular watch brand in the World.
History of Omega Watches
The Omega Legend began humbly like so many other pioneering horologic entrepreneurs of the 19th century, but it's founder's legacy would literally go to the moon. A 23-year-old watchmaker named Louis Brandt opened his small pocket watch workshop in La Chaux de Fonds, Switzerland in 1848. He was a comptoir d'etabilissage, a superb technician, and a sub-contracting watch manufacturer. A passionate perfectionist and artist, his watches were beautifully accurate and his reputation in Switzerland as well as all over Europe was notable. He came along at the cusp of the industrial change in watch making, as Switzerland prepared to embrace the idea of mass production and interchangeable components for the pocket watch, essentially an American vision brought to Europe by Civil War veteran Florentine Ariosto Jones of Boston.
Although Brandt died at 54 in 1879, he'd thoroughly prepared his sons César and Louis-Paul Brandt to love his business.
After their father passed away they rented a floor in a building in Bienne and set up a modern watch production manufactory using their father's legacy and the money he left to them. They were educated in history and the classics and their company Louis Brandt & Frere produced watches with Golden Age names like "Celtic", "Gurzelen", "Helvetia", "Jura", and "Patria".
In 1885 they introduced their first series (mass) produced caliber named the "Labrador", a lever movement that had a precision within 30-seconds a day. By 1889 they were enjoying an unprecedented success, becoming the largest watch manufacture in Switzerland, producing over 100,000 examples a year. Their advertising poster showed photographs of all fifteen of the modern high-ceiling, and well-illuminated work rooms of their manufactory, essentially setting a world standard for Switzerland and everywhere else. They were the epitome of the promise of modernization.
In 1892, discretely in partnership with prestigious watchmaker Audemars Piguet, the brothers introduced the First Minute-Repeater timepiece, a miniaturized version of a complicated pocket watch for the wrist that chimed the minutes and hours.
Two years later, in what would be a watershed moment for their company, they brought out a 19-line watch caliber they called "Omega" after the final letter of the Greek alphabet, traditionally as well as symbolically suggesting it was the end-all and be-all, which many thought it was. It became a game-changer throughout Europe; the Omega caliber had easily interchangeable components, was relatively simply constructed, and it enjoyed an overwhelming success, proving that high production and such a diminutive size didn't mean a lessening of precision and accuracy.
In 1900 the first wristwatches with the Omega name were produced and used by British officers in the South African Boer War, gaining a reputation as a rugged military watch.
These watches, powered by the Caliber HN B movement, were later exhibited at the Universal Exposition in Paris, where they won the Grand Prix. The depth of their abilities at scientific achievement were beginning to seem bottomless; however, like true partners, in 1903 both César and Louis-Paul Brandt passed away.
They, like their father, had also instilled in their children a love for the industry, and so they had no problem leaving one of Switzerland's largest watch manufacturers (with 800 employees who created 240,000 watches a year) to their children, Louis' sons Adrien and Paul-Emile, and Cesar's sons Ernest and Gustave. The four inheritors received the company with the Omega caliber at a height of success, and in 1904 that innovative caliber eventually led to their official renaming of the brand to the "Omega Watch Company", which was allegedly suggested by their banker Henri Rieckel.
Already renowned for a scientific degree of accuracy in their timepieces, in 1905 the company became the official timekeeper for Swiss sporting events.
Their Omega brand was synonymous with precision, and in 1909 they made an international sports debut by officially timing the Gordon Bennett Cup – a precision balloon race. By 1909 they had indeed become a global phenomenon as they began selling watches on 6 continents. Their series-produced watch movements were accurate, well made, and easy to maintain and repair with that new 20th century modularity that revolutionized the watch industry.
The first war in which soldiers wore wristwatches gave Omega a new place in history. In 1917 the British Royal Flying Corps made Omega watches their official timekeepers for its combat units during World War I, followed by the American army in 1918.
Following the company's triumphant service in the Great War, Omega's chronometers won the top awards at the prestigious observatory timing competition in Neuchâtel in 1919.
As the multi-faceted Art Deco movement was sweeping post-war Europe in 1925 Omega exhibited their breathtaking Art Deco watches at the Paris Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Moderne, once more winning the Grand Prize and turning European fashion on its ear. This was followed by further first places in 1931 when they set precision records in all six categories at the Geneva Observatory trials. That same year they released a prototype of the first two-weight automatic movement, providing bilateral winding, quickly becoming the industry standard.
In 1932 Omega became the first watchmaker to officially time the entire Olympic games in Los Angeles making them the premier event timekeepers to this day. They were able to time 1/10th seconds for those Olympics, but the company has progressed with the years and in 2021 they now measure to 1/1000th seconds.
That same year of 1932 they introduced the first commercially sold diving watch that was double case sealed in cork, named the "Marine." It was water resistant to an astounding 135 meters, as well as one of the most fashionable dive watches ever made with its Art Deco tonneau design. It was dive-tested by Commander Yves Le Prieur, the French naval officer who invented the aqualung. It was tested to 73 meters in Lake Geneva, but five years later it was found to actually be completely waterproof to 135 meters.
In 1936 Omega introduced a brand-new technology to the Olympic Winter Games in Garmisch-Partenkirchen using two separate chronographs to time the downhill skiing races – one at the start and another at the finish of the competition.
The great American runner and winner of 4 gold medals, Jessie Owens, was timed by an Omega 185 chronograph. They also set the world precision record of 97.8 points at the observatory exhibition at Kew-Teddington in England, and in 1940 they introduced photoelectric cell technology to the Olympics.
When World War II began Omega utilized its history of military watchmaking to once again support the effort, shipping thousands of watches to the Allied forces, and eventually sending 150,000 of their "Dirty Dozen" military wristwatches to Great Britain, which were issued to elite units, artillery, and radio operators in 1945.
The company introduced their iconic Omega Seamaster dive watch after World War II in 1948, designed by Rene Bannwart in honor of Omega's 100th anniversary, on the suggestion of Omega's sales director Adolphe Vallat.
The concept was to produce a watch for the working American male with the durability and precision of their military watches, with virtues such as shock protection and anti-magnetic resistance. At 34mm in diameter, the Seamaster was beautifully made and accurate, with outstanding water resistance.
The designers and engineers at Omega introduced the Constellation line in 1952, the first of their officially certified wrist chronometers as well as their contribution to higher fashion. It was named for the eight stars on its emblem that represented the eight precision records set at the Geneva Observatory and at Kew-Teddington; however, sleek and stylish designs accompanied that supreme accuracy. At the Helsinki Olympic games in 1952 they introduced the first electronic timing technology for which they won the Olympic Cross of Merit for Omega's pioneering contributions to sports.
Up until now Omega had made all of its innovations and advancements with men's styled timepieces.
In 1955 they released their Ladymatic, the first automatic chronometers for women, watches of compact dimension and beautiful styling with rotor-driven automatic movements. In December of 1956 Omega strapped a Seamaster to the fuselage of Canadian Pacific Airways flight 302 for a journey over the Polar route from Canada to Amsterdam for 9-hours of sub-zero punishment: it landed in perfect working order.
In 1957 Omega released the watch that would become a legend like no other. Jacques Reymond, who worked for Omega's subsidiary Lemania, had been working on a new chronograph design since 1942, built around the caliber 27.
Called "321," this new watch was further developed by Albert Piguet, with the now iconic case designed by Claude Baillod, on a team with prototype maker Georges Hartmann and machinist Desire Faivre. This became the Speedmaster in 1957, after fifteen-years of experimentation and research. 1957 was a year of three Omega professional legends, including the pioneering "Speedmaster," (which eventually became the "Moonwatch,") the "Seamaster 300" dive watch, and the "Railmaster," the first wristwatch to resist magnetic fields of more than 1,000 gauss.
In 1961 President elect John F. Kennedy wore an Omega slimline watch to his inauguration on January 20th , and on October 3, 1962, Astronaut Walter Schirra took his Omega Speedmaster Chronograph into space for 9-hours on board the Mercury Sigma 7 rocket. In 1965, NASA, after rigorous testing of all chronometer/chronographs, chose to use the "Speedmaster Professional" chronograph wristwatch as it's official timekeeper.
It was the first watch designated for Extravehicular Activity and it's still the only certified watch with the NASA stamp of approval. In 1967 the one millionth Omega chronometer was certified. That same year saw the introduction of the De Ville line of dress watches with the ultra-slim caliber 620, with Omega De Ville watches winning 6 Golden Rose awards at the Baden-Baden design awards over the next several years. 1967 also saw the Omega introduction of "touchpad" sensors for swimming competitions, utilized in every Olympics since 1968. It was also the first Olympics to use Omega electronic timekeeping for every event.
In 1969, on July 21st, when astronaut Neil Armstrong said, "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind," becoming the first human being to step onto the moon, he wore his Omega Speedmaster Professional Chronograph, taking the brand 238,900 miles farther than any timepiece ever produced.
This was also the year that Omega installed 9 precision timekeeping instruments on the cockpit of the new Concorde SST. Until the plane was retired in 2003, Concorde pilots wore Omega watches, including Captain John Hackett, the first pilot to take the plane across the Atlantic Ocean.
When NASA dodged disaster with the Apollo 13 moon launch in April of 1970, it was because the astronauts had to manually fire an engine in order to re-align the craft for re-entry into the earth's atmosphere, using their Speedmasters to time the critical 14-second fuel burn. This happy ending led NASA to reward Omega with the "Silver Snoopy Award," because like Charlie Brown's dog, the astronauts were able to keep their sense of humor in such a dire experience.
Apollo 17 mission Commander astronaut Gene Cernan wore his Omega Speedmaster for three days on the last moon visit, while module captain Ron Evans used his own Speedmaster to conduct heat and flow convection experiments. Capturing the world's imagination, the two-millionth Omega chronometer was certified in 1972.
Omega's "Megaquartz" marine-chronometer was released in 1974 with a stunning daily timing variation of just two-thousands of a second, in a precision testing trial that lasted 63 days.
Omega received its 100,000th official rating certificate for quartz chronometers on May 18,1983. That same year a museum for the company was opened on the 16th of December. In 1995 Omega released the first wristwatch with a centrally mounted tourbillon.
In 1999 the company took a huge technological leap in introducing their "Coaxial" caliber 2500 movement.
It replaced the traditional Swiss lever escapement with a coaxial wheel, and escape wheel, and a lever with three pallet stones. Developed by British horologist George Daniels, the new escapement and a novel free-sprung balance combined to greatly improve accuracy and expand service intervals to an entire decade. The structure of the movement was revised to reduce the friction prolong the viscosity of the lubricant on the balance.
A freshly renewed interest in the Speedmaster 300 was ignited by the James Bond film franchise as actor Pierce Brosnan wore his Omega for the third time in 2002 in "Die Another Die," followed by a new Bond played by Daniel Craig in "Casino Royale," which also debuted the Seamaster Diver 300M with it's new coaxial escapement.
In 2008 Omega released its new Si14 Silicon balance spring to reduce deviation and instability, and the new Bond film "Quantum of Solace" premiered with Daniel Craig sporting a Seamaster Planet Ocean 600M co-Axial chronometer. Omega once again focused on the ladies by reinvigorating the Ladymatic line in 2010, this time with the new Co-Axial movement.
In 2011 Omega joined Daniel Craig in a partnership to support ORBIS International, an organization treating preventable blindness all over the world, especially for the most vulnerable people on the planet.
Craig accompanied the ORBIS flying hospital to Mongolia to document the incredible effort. Omega introduced a special edition of the De Ville Hour Vision Blue watch to further support ORBIS. That same year The PGA made Omega the official timekeeper for every golf tournament, making the company the technological stable of sporting events.
Omega produced "Planet Ocean" in 2012, an ecological documentary film that was an elegant attempt to raise world consciousness about the plight of our oceans and the endangered marine world. It was premiered at the Rio+20 Earth Summit in Brazil and eventually it was shown at the United Nations.
Omega's additional cinematic triumph came that October with the premiere of the new Bond film in London of "Skyfall," in which Daniel Craig dazzles the world with two Omega Seamasters with caliber 8500 movements, including a 42mm Planet Ocean 600M with a black dial and bezel, and a slightly more stylish blue-dial Aqua Terra. In 2013 Omega presented their contribution to combating magnetic fields of more than 15,000 gauss with their Co-Axial caliber 8508, a movement that resists magnetism using non-ferromagnetic materials instead of the traditional protective soft iron inner case.
Omega, no longer confident that the certifications for watch movements met the standards of their new watches, founded a new watch certification protocol in 2015 that was approved by the Swiss Federal Institute of Metrology (METAS).
This either matched or was more stringent than the Controle Official Suisse des Chronometres (COSC) standards. Also, that year the Bond film "SPECTRE" premiered featuring a Seamaster 300 version of the 1957 watch except with a new caliber 8400 movement.
In 2017 Omega moved out of their original manufactory in Bienne and into a masterpiece designed by Japanese architect Shigeru Ban. It's a true work of art, ecologically planned, bright with natural light, and with the use of natural construction materials. It was created with a modularity that will allow growth from within for new technologies and machinery. In 2019 the new Omega museum opened, a glass, steel, and Swiss timber beam ovoid sculptural building, also designed by Shigeru Ban. Besides all of the vintage Omega watches, the museum offers fascinating displays, interactive experiences, and instructive movies. It includes a huge walk-in Omega Speedmaster with a Co-Axial escapement, an Omega history of women's watchmaking, a lunar landscape, and of course a "James Bond world" exhibition.
The famous Omega caliber 321, the first movement utilized in the Speedmaster that went to the moon, was brought back into production in 2019, carefully engineered by a group of historians, watchmakers, craftsmen, researchers, and developers.
That year was also notable as The Five Deeps Expedition Team with captain Victor Vescovo took their Seamaster Planet Ocean Ultra Deep Professional Chronometer to the bottom of the Mariana Trench in a world record dive of 10,925 meters. In 2019 Omega also released a new sports watch, the Seamaster Aqua Terra "Ultra Light." Produced from an alloy used in the aeronautical industry called Gamma Titanium, it weighs a stunningly light 55 grams.
The models offered by Omega
CONSTELLATION
The stylish Constellation has a legendary styling que that carries the lines of the strap or bracelet throughout the watch. This was a tradition invented by Omega designer Pierre Moinat in 1964 with the Constellation BA.368.0847 model. The Constellation is a grand and broad line with lots of variations; there are currently 268 selections from 25mm to 41mm with mechanical movements, and there are an additional 9 mechanical Co-axial Master Chronometers with Omega calibers 8700/8701. There are also 436 different quartz battery Constellation watches. Omega has integrated precious metals as well as diamonds into many of the Constellation designs.
GLOBEMASTER
Omega calls the Globemaster the "world's first Master Chronometer" as well as their most advanced mechanical movement. A true son of the Constellation models (the dials all have the rhodium-plated Constellation "star"), this Co-Axial Master Chronometer is noted for its fluted bezel, it's "pan" dial (a reference from the first 1952 Constellation), its 39mm diameter, and its caliber powerful Co-Axial 8900/8901 engines. It's water resistant to 100 meters/330 feet and it's available in 11 models in various stainless-steel and precious metals, all thoughtfully anti-magnetic to 15,000 gauss with anti-reflective coated sapphire crystals.
SEAMASTER
As one of the premier marine and dive watches in the world, this collection has grown to be enormous with it's iconic hippocampus seahorse emblem. Ranging in style and size from a petite 30mm to a formidable 43mm, there are 20 base models with a stunning 282 variations of the Seamaster Aqua Terra 150-meter watches. The more advanced Diver 300-meter Co-Axial Master Chronometers include 7 base configurations from 41mm to 44mm with 52 different models, and for the more professional divers Omega offers the 8 Planet Ocean 600 meter (2000 feet) Co-Axial Master Chronometers with 81 variations from 37.5mm to 45.5mm. The Heritage collection is also quite extensive, with 7 types of Co-Axial Master Chronometers including the Seamaster 300 (37 models), 2 Railmasters (with 8 models), the Olympic Official Timekeeper (14 models), the iconic Ploprof 1200-meter (with 5 models for those 4,000 foot dives), the 10 different City Editions, the Bullhead (3 variations), and the Seamaster 1948 (4 models). To commemorate the 25 years of James Bond and Omega, which started with GoldenEye in 1995, the coming 2021 James Bond film "No Time to Die" will be accompanied by their new Seamaster Diver 300m 007 Edition. It's lightweight grade 2 titanium, with a mesh Milanese bracelet, and it's powered by the Omega Co-Axial Chronometer 8806 movement.
SPEEDMASTER
The Speedmaster, in development since 1942 and released officially in 1957, includes 12 models of the MOONWATCH PROFESSIONAL (each 42mm). There are 32 HERITAGE Speedmaster chronometers and chronographs ranging from 39.7mm to 46.2mm. There are 15 variations of the DARK SIDE OF THE MOON (all 44.25mm). The Co-Axial SPEEDMASTER 38MM chronometers come in 20 different models. The new TWO-COUNTER Speedmasters Co-Axial Chronoscope chronometers come in 7 variations (43mm), inspired by Omega chronograph wristwatches from the 1940's, with spiral "snail" dial track patterns, tachymeters, and pulsometers, but with the new Omega 9908 movement. Also notable in this collection are the new SPEEDMASTER RACING (10 models), the SPEEDMASTER MOONPHASE (13 models), and the SPEEDMASTER CHRONOGRAPH (3 variations). The Speedmaster INSTRUMENTS line has two types of radically different and very futuristic watches – The SPEEDMASTER SKYWALKER X-33 (2 quartz-powered models), and the SPEEDMASTER Z-33, a Solar impulse timepiece powered by a quartz chronograph movement.
DE VILLE
There are five De Ville lines, not the least of which are the stylish LADYMATICS with 49 unique models. The HOUR VISION Co-Axial Master Chronometers come in 18 models in stainless-steel and gold (all 41mm in diameter). There are 53 elegant round TRESOR models ranging from 36mm to 40mm, and the De Ville PRESTIGE collection offers 115 models for men, and 84 for women, in an assortment of precious metals, rare dials, and diamonds. There are also 4 new De Ville Prestige models produced in co-operation with ORBIS to raise funds for curable blindness in an ongoing charitable partnership, from 27.4mm to 39.5mm, all with their Teddy Bear logo on the dials/case backs.
As a final thought, the research and laboratory at Omega has always prospered on innovation. Whether it's horologic tech, style, or scientific precision, their quest never ends. Omega has always been of the most progressive pioneers, with that tradition happily supported and advanced by the children and grandchildren of founder Louis Brandt. Omega has always been at the right place at the right time, including on the moon.