OMEGA Watches

Swiss luxury watch manufacturer Omega ranks as one of the most historically significant brands on the market. For the avid watch buyer, Omega also presents one of the most straightforward catalogues of any brand. The secret lies in its four pillar collections, derived from Omega’s greatest success stories: Seamaster, Constellation, Speedmaster and De Ville.

The Seamaster was launched as a dress watch for activewear in 1948 (Omega’s centennial year). But it was the 1957 release of the Seamaster 300 (Ref. CK2913) that transformed it into a serious diver’s watch. The model was also officially issued to the British Royal Navy, whose feedback helped influence the civilian version. Omega subsequently released the 200, 120, 600 and 1000, with the latter two designated as “PloProfs”, designed for commercial diving. In the 1990s, a Seamaster renaissance occurred helped by the wrist of the world’s favourite spy, Mr James Bond himself.

The Constellation first came into being in 1952 as a successor to the limited-edition Centenary (which was released four years prior, for the company’s centennial.) Enthusiasm for the special edition dress watch encouraged Omega to develop a production model. Due to its high-quality construction and unfaltering precision, it became known as the “Swiss watch”. In the United States, the collection was originally marketed under the name Globemaster, with a logo of eight stars over the Geneva Observatory cupola paying homage to Omega’s many precision records. The Constellation collection serves as Omega’s offering in ultimate luxury, housing the brand’s most advanced mechanical movements.

The Speedmaster is arguably the world’s best-known Omega, being the first wristwatch worn on the moon. It’s also considered the father of the modern chronograph, being the first to employ the now standard three-counter layout with the timing scale on the bezel. The first Speedmaster (Ref. CK2915, dubbed “Broad Arrow”) debuted in 1957, while the second Speedmaster (Ref. CK2998) accidentally became the first Omega in space in 1962. In 1965, the Speedmaster made its space travel-worthiness official – being the only wristwatch to pass all 11 of NASA’s tests.

Like the Speedmaster, the De Ville started out as a member of the Seamaster collection, debuting in 1960. It broke away to form its own collection in 1967, for the purpose of housing Omega’s elegant dress watches. During the 1970s, the De Ville won numerous design awards, including the coveted Grand Prix Triomphe de L’Excellence Européenne and six Baden-Baden Golden Roses.