text: joakim rönnqvist
photo: gustaf peterson
Omega, the Swiss watch brand dating back to 1848, has cemented its place in watch history through a combination of design, innovation and well-known models.
Besides the obvious connection to NASA, the Apollo mission and Agent 007, Omega has a much richer history than that. Among other things, Omega has surpassed Rolex by reaching the deepest point in diving.
In 2012, James Cameron achieved a diving record with a purpose-built Rolex Deep Sea. The record was 10,908 metres and took place in the Mariana Trench at the Challenger Deep.
However, Omega has dived even deeper - as much as 20 metres. The watch used for the record was a watch named: “Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Ultra Deep Professional”. The new record was 10,928 metres, where the watch that was designed for mass production can handle 6,000 metres.
Another fact is that Omega was the first to market watches for divers. In 1932, Omega completed a test in which the watch was submerged to 73 metres in Lake Geneva. It passed the test successfully and thus became the first waterproof watch in the world intended for diving.
If Poseidon or Aquaman were to buy a watch, we probably know which one they would choose.
Omega Speedmaster Professional:
One of the most famous and respected watches in the world, the Speedmaster Professional, perhaps best known as the "Moon Watch" due to its association with the Apollo 11 mission. With its distinctive appearance and high precision, it has been a firm favourite among astronauts and watch enthusiasts for over half a century.
Omega Seamaster:
Introduced in 1948, the same year Omega turned 100, the Seamaster was originally designed as a rugged and waterproof watch for military divers in tough conditions. Over time, it has evolved into an elegant and versatile watch that has been worn by many celebrities and movie stars. In addition, it has been the official watch of James Bond since 1995.
Omega Constellation:
Today it is a rather forgotten and underrated model, but the fact is that in the 50s, many wanted the Constellation model. With the characteristic "claws" on the case, many older Constellation watches have a unique and recognizable aesthetic, which in my opinion is among the best in class for older vintage watches from the 1950s-1960s.
The Constellation got its name from the emblem on the case back, which shows an observatory with eight stars above it. The eight stars symbolise two chronometer records and six first prizes that Omega obtained between 1933 and 1952.
Answers to the most frequently asked questions can be found here.
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