With significant notable feats such as six famous lunar landings, the first ever diver’s watch, the world’s only certified marine chronometer wristwatch, record timekeeping in the world of sports and many more, quality watch manufacturer OMEGA is one of the biggest names in the world of watchmaking today.
The world of OMEGA amply surpasses mere time instruments. It is a world that encompasses classic watchmaking heritage, high pioneering spirit supported by a perfect combination of innovation and mastery in the craft, sporting spirit in keeping with the complicated mechanisms and split second accuracy of OMEGA’s timepieces.
Further stressing the brand’s significant present in the industry is its own contribution to the art of watchmaking. Since its foundation in 1848, OMEGA have made lots of revolutionary contributions including the very first watch to bond ceramics and Liquidmetal, a zirconium-based alloy, Co-Axial escapement which significantly reduces the friction in the escapement, and silicon-based balance springs to name a few.
The story of OMEGA, however, began when a passionate 23 years old young man named Louis Brandt set up an assembly workshop in La-Chaux-de-Fonds in 1848, using the few winter daylight hours to assemble precision pocket watches from components delivered by local craftsmen. The business thrived and when Brandt’s sons Louis-Paul and Cesar took over the business, they switched the assembly workshop into a manufacturer, thus gained control of the entire production process in 1879.
In 1885, the family-run watch movement manufacturer business created “Labrador”, their first mass-produced caliber with a routine variation of less than 30 seconds per day. This historical achievement was followed by a series of other remarkable feats including the production of their first ever minute-repeater watch capable of sounding the hours, quarter hours and minutes at the touch of a button in 1892. There was also the creation of the 19-line caliber “OMEGA” that was manufactured using groundbreaking industrial methods resulting from the automated, separated construction structure, founded on the exchange of customary parts in 1894.
Several giant leaps
Fast forward several decades ahead, OMEGA became the official timekeeper during the 1932 Los Angeles Olympic Games. OMEGA was given the entire responsibility for chronometry, supplying and controlling 30 chronographs designated for time measurement in all the sporting events. By 1934, the world over had recognized the accuracy and reliability of OMEGA timepieces. This is backed by the fact that American aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart insisted on having OMEGA chronographs onboard when she attempted the first equatorial flight in history in the year 1934. The brand’s contribution helped her to successfully complete the journey and became the first female pilot to cross the Atlantic.
The Speedmaster time instrument from OMEGA worn by Apollo 11 crews is the first and only watch to land on the moon, yet another historical achievement and probably the most impossible to rival. Following the event, NASA continually trusted OMEGA as the timekeeper for their space missions such as Apollo 13 in 1970 and Apollo Soyuz in 1975.
With over 160 of history of conquering the limits of space and the depths of oceans, OMEGA watches possess a unique and impressive portfolio as a high-profile watch manufacturer with undying pioneering spirit with unquestionable quality and precision.
A lunar celebration
Celebrating their rich history of successful endeavors and fruitful partnerships with professionals of nearly all walks of life, OMEGA introduces two additions to their longstanding Speedmaster collection: the OMEGA Speedmaster Moonwatch “Apollo 15” 40th Anniversary Limited Edition and the Speedmaster OMEGA Co-Axial Chronograph.
Commemorating the successful Apollo 15 lunar mission, OMEGA has created the Speedmaster Moonwatch “Apollo 15” 40th Anniversary Limited Edition, a classic Moonwatch with polished and brushed stainless steel case and bracelet, a black aluminum ring with a tachymeter scale on the bezel and a domed shatterproof crystal with the widely recognized Ω symbol etched inside.
Several distinctive features which distinguishes the Apollo 15 40th Anniversary model from the classic Speedmaster Professional includes a minute track in blue, white and red – representing the three colors of the Apollo 15 patch – found in the newer Apollo 15 40th Anniversary model. There is a blue ring around the small seconds sub-dial and another white and red ring around the 12-hour and 30-minute counters respectively.
The screw-in case-back is embossed with an image of the Lunar Rover and the words “APOLLO 15” and “40th ANNIVERSARY”. The outer circle of the case-back is black chrome engraved with “THE FIRST WATCH WORN ON THE MOON”, “JULY 30, 1971” and the limited edition number.
Powering the Speedmaster Moonwatch “Apollo 15” 40th Anniversary Limited Edition wristwatch is the classic OMEGA caliber 1861, the same manual-winding chronograph that equips the legendary Speedmaster Professional. The OMEGA Speedmaster Moonwatch “Apollo 15” 40th Anniversary is a limited edition of 1,971 pieces.
New technology, greater values
Ruggedness, reliability and timeless design are the main distinguishing features of OMEGA’s Speedmaster collection. Recently, an innovative new member of the family is being introduced, equiped with the OMEGA Co-Axial caliber 9300: the Speedmaster OMEGA Co-Axial Chronograph.
The dial has two sub-dials instead of the three normally associated with Speedmaster. This is made possible by the innovative placement of the 12-hour and 60-minute counters in the same sub-dial at 3 o’clock allowing a comfortable and intuitive chronograph reading.
The Speedmaster OMEGA Co-Axial Chronograph’s elegant, slim body is the result of a unique design concept: it has a box-form scratch-resistant sapphire crystal not only on the front of the watch but also on the polished screw-in case-back. The latter, with anti-reflective treatment, reveals perfectly the beauty of the movement.
The OMEGA Co-Axial caliber 9300 is the dramatic next step in the revolution in mechanical watchmaking that started in 1999 with OMEGA’s launch of the Co-Axial escapement. Not only does the new movement deliver superb timekeeping performance, it is the first of OMEGA’s exclusive in-house Co-Axial calibers to incorporate a chronograph function.
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