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First watch on the Moon. A classic James Bond model. Worn on the wrist of JFK and Mikhail Gorbachev at their respective inaugurations and on the wrist of Mao Zedong for 31 years. Elvis Presley wore one while cruising in his purple Cadillac, and today George Clooney wears one while cruising on a Vespa. A paradigm-shifting mechanical movement designed by the 20th Century’s greatest watchmaker. The only brand to truly compete with and sometimes even dominate Rolex. A Babe Ruth-style run as some of the most accurate watches in the world, and the official timekeeper for the Olympic Games over and over. This is Omega, one of the greatest Swiss watch companies of all time.
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Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional Read More -
Omega Speedmaster '57 Read More
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Omega Speedmaster Chronoscope Read More
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Omega Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon Read More
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Omega Speedmaster Skywalker X‑33 Read More
A Brief History of Omega
Omega has been around under one name or another since 1848, but today’s lineup draws heavily on its classic mid-20th-century designs. Though not quite as slow to evolve as Rolex, the company has incrementally developed its watches to feel simultaneously historical (though not anachronistic) and modern (though not trendy).
Founded by Louis Brandt as La Generale Watch Co. in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, in 1848, the firm quickly made a name for itself as an innovator: It developed and debuted the first minute-repeating wristwatch in 1892, a full generation before wristwatches themselves came into vogue following the First World War. Perhaps most significant with respect to horological history writ large was the debut of the “Omega” caliber in 1894, a 19-ligne, crown-set movement whose interchangeable parts were meant for easy service.
La Generale Watch Co. became Louis Brandt et Frère-Omega Watch & Co. in 1903 and began signing its dials with the Omega name based on the success of its movement. In 1917, during the throes of the First World War, the British Royal Flying Corps would officially adopt Omega timepieces, beginning a long relationship with what would become the RAF that lasted for decades. The U.S. Army similarly adopted Omega timepieces in 1918, while the Olympic Games utilized Omega timing equipment for the first time in 1932. The same year, Omega debuted the Marine, commonly accepted as the first dive watch for civilians.
Omega supplied over 100,000 timepieces to British forces during the Second World War, including the 6B/159 and the beloved “Dirty Dozen” W.W.W. Additionally, watches such as the Omega Suveran were used to bolster local wartime economies — in this case, in Sweden. In 1948, Omega launched the Seamaster, a watch that began life as a water-resistant dress watch and quickly morphed into a broader collection including a fully capable dive watch in the form of the Seamaster 300.
1957 saw the release of the first Speedmaster, a watch commonly associated with the space race but whose design was inspired by automotive racing. Following its appearance on the wrist of Buzz Aldrin during the 1969 moonwalk — and its role in saving the crew of Apollo 13 in 1970 — the Speedmaster became a household name, bringing heretofore unknown fame to the Swiss company.
In 1984, Louis Brandt et Frère-Omega Watch & Co. officially changed its name to Omega SA and is today a part of the Swatch Group (hence why the MoonSwatch exists). It remains the official timekeeper of the Olympic Games and has become a timekeeper of the America’s Cup, the official watch of the James Bond franchise, and one of the most beloved watchmakers in the history of horology.
A Bit About Omega Watch Movements
Omega has used both third-party movements — or, to be more precise, calibers based upon third-party movements, which it often modified or decorated — as well as completely in-house calibers. (Indeed, the most famous Speedmaster calibers were essentially Lemania movements.) Regardless of their origins, Omega calibers are often regarded by watchmakers as well-designed, durable and elegant.
The following are a few of the more notable Omega movements:
Caliber 30T2
Measuring 30mm in diameter, the 30T2 is an evolution of the “30” series that debuted in 1939. This series would see use in the W.W.W. “Dirty Dozen” watches of WWII fame, as well as countless examples of oversized dress watches in the post-war decades. Chronometer-grade versions took home honors in observatory trials in 1946.
Caliber 321
The movement that powered the Moonwatch first appeared in 1946 but is based upon a Lemania caliber, the 2310, which debuted in 1942. A 27mm base caliber, the 2310 is highly regarded even beyond Omega circles, having served as the basis of the Patek Philippe CH27-20, the Vacheron Constantin Calibre 1140, and others. It was replaced in the Speedmaster by the Caliber 861 and later the 1861, only to be upgraded in 2021 to the Speedmaster's current movement, the 3861.
The Co-Axial Movements
George Daniels was an orphan in London who, during the 1960s and 70s, worked to fix a friction problem with the standard “lever escapement,” which had regulated mechanical watches for close to three centuries. He fixed the friction problem, thus offering the first significant horological contribution in hundreds of years, which he named the co-axial escapement.
Omega bought the patent in 1999 and has recently built new, high-tech facilities to nurture it — as well as their Master Chronometer program — into the 21st Century. The co-axial mechanism, Omega argues, reduces service intervals (which lowers the price of ownership) and helps maintain accuracy in a wristwatch. When you buy an Omega with a co-axial movement today, you’re getting an advanced mechanism and an important piece of horological history.
What is a Master Chronometer?
Many Omega models' official names include the full phrase "Co-Axial Master Chronometer," echoed in text on the dials. What does it mean? And is it really important enough that Omega is justified in thusly emphasizing it? You bet.
A chronometer today is a watch (or movement) that's passed specific tests related to its accuracy and other features, the most common and popular being from COSC (the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute). A Master Chronometer, on the other hand, is certified by METAS (the Swiss Federal Institute of Metrology) and ups the ante with significantly more stringent requirements.
Omega watches featuring the Master Chronometer designation are guaranteed to be accurate to within 5 seconds per day, antimagnetic to 15,000 gauss and both the naked as well as fully cased movements have been tested extensively in various positions and temperatures. The benefits of the Co-Axial escapement help Omega to meet METAS standards. Suffice it to say there's a lot of impressive tech in Omega watches, and the Master Chronometer designation indicates significant added value.
Very few watchmakers achieve the METAS certification, of which COSC is merely a prerequisite. Even Tudor, with backing from the almighty Rolex, has struggled to roll out more than a couple models that make the cut so far.
Omega Today
Though the co-axial escapement constitutes a serious innovation, one “trend” Omega has followed, however, is today’s obsessive production of limited editions. While we can’t chase down all the LEs for you here, we encourage you to follow your curiosity about them, should you care to do so.
As for the core Omega lineup, regardless of the collection, you can trust that you're getting some of the most rock-solid, refined and precise mass-produced watches in the world. We have assembled a quick reference guide that’ll help you get familiar with the Omega landscape and point you to specific watches that epitomize the brand’s best offerings. We have elected not to show every single available model in the interest of clarity and brevity, but this guide should serve as a good starting point.
The Speedmasters
Originally designed for motorsports and often cited as the Porsche 911 of watches, the Speedmaster became The Moonwatch when Buzz Aldrin stepped onto the lunar surface in 1969 wearing his trusted reference ST105.012. They've taken many forms over the years, but today’s Speedmasters come in various styles and sizes, from historically accurate recreations to solid gold diamond-encrusted shiners, to ultra-light carbon technical wonders and even complicated Speedmasters that chime the chronograph's elapsed time. Here are the Speedmasters most worth knowing about.
Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional
- Size: 42mm
- Case Material: Stainless steel
- Movement: Omega Caliber 3861 hand-wound
An essential model for not just Omega but the entire watch industry, the Moonwatch is a modern take on the original Speedy that adorned Buzz Aldrin’s wrist more than 50 years ago when he set foot on the moon during the Apollo 11 mission. Featuring a hand-wound Omega caliber, updated and improved in 2021, it doesn’t get much more iconic or handsome than this. Many purists prefer the versions with Hesalite crystal (rather than sapphire) and solid casebacks (rather than a display window), as they're more faithful to the original design.
Omega Speedmaster '57
- Size: 40.5mm
- Case Material: Stainless steel
- Movement: Omega Caliber 9906 hand-wound
The Speedmaster Heritage range is full of modern watches based on the variations the collection has seen over its decades of life, many of which now are often manifested as special/limited/anniversary editions. They're typically packed with history and can take multiple forms, including everything from classic models like the Speedmaster '57 and "The First Omega in Space" to the irresistibly funky Mark II.
Omega Speedmaster Chronoscope
- Size: 43mm
- Case Material: Stainless steel
- Movement: Omega Co-Axial Calibre 9908 automatic
An oversized, 43mm case combines with “snail”-style timing scales to form a Speedy that packs both vintage-inspired, 1940s influence and thoroughly modern technology in the form of the Co-Axial Calibre 9908. Look closely and you’ll realize that the dual-register chronograph includes a running seconds register as well as a combination 60-minute and 12-hour recorder.
Omega Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon
- Size: 44.25mm
- Case Material: Ceramic
- Movement: Omega Co-Axial Calibre 9300 automatic
The modern looks, larger size, ceramic case and high-performance co-axial movement make the Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon collection unabashedly of the moment. Also, see the various iterations of this concept in other striking colors of ceramic and more edgy designs.
Omega Speedmaster Skywalker X-33 Chronograph
- Size: 45mm
- Case Material: Titanium
- Movement: Omega Calibre 5169 quartz
The Speedmaster Instruments range is unlike anything else the brand makes. A modern upgrade of the X-33 released in 1998, the Skywalker X-33 is a perfect example. It was designed with astronauts in mind, and to that end, it features a quartz-powered ana-digi display with multiple time zones, three alarms, a chronograph, countdown functions and more. It may not look like a traditional Speedmaster, but it’s a natural evolution of the Space Age original (and a favorite among modern astronauts).
Note: We’ve chosen to only highlight some of the seemingly limitless number of Speedmasters out there. To see the entire collection, click here.
The Seamasters
This can be a confusing line within the brand because Omega produced what were essentially splash-proof dress watches under this monicker for decades. At the same time, the Seamaster line has included Omega’s most robust, high-tech dive watches. That confusion isn’t entirely gone today from the lineup, but the waterproofness has been upped significantly across the line. Here are today’s essential Seamasters that you’ll want to know about.
Omega Seamaster Diver 300M
- Size: 42mm
- Case Material: Stainless steel
- Movement: Omega Co-Axial Calibre 8800 automatic
Made truly famous when Pierce Brosnan’s costume designer decided James Bond should wear what the British Royal Navy was sporting during the 1990s, we saw 007 drop his Rolex Sub in favor of a quartz Seamaster 300M in Goldeneye, followed by an automatic version in the subsequent four Bond films. The Omega Seamaster 300M has largely maintained its looks and specifications over a slow evolution for a few decades, making it one of Omega’s most consistent models. The threaded helium escape valve at 10 o’clock gives the watch a quirky asymmetry, while the wave dial begs to be viewed under a loupe. There are many variations to choose from, including chronographs, precious metal versions, and more, with the most significant being the standard version and the retro, titanium, mesh-braceleted version worn by Daniel Craig in No Time to Die.
Read our full review of the Seamaster Diver 300m.
Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean
- Size: 43.5mm
- Case Material: Stainless steel
- Movement: Omega Co-Axial Calibre 8900 automatic
Slightly larger than the 300M, twice as water-resistant, and offered in a bevy of variations that include carbon-cased versions, GMT versions, chronographs, and more, the Planet Ocean is Omega’s most serious dive watch collection. Orange has been a popular color, but given the multiplicity of options, there are few looks you can’t find within the Planet Ocean lineup. Oh, James Bond has worn a couple of these too.
Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 6000M Ultra Deep
- Size: 45.5mm
- Case Material: Titanium
- Movement: Omega Co-Axial Calibre 8912 automatic
Though technically in the Planet Ocean collection, the Ultra Deep deserves special mention. Rated (and tested!) to 6,000m (that's six actual kilometers), it's surely the most water-resistant watch on the market. You can get a version in titanium (as shown) based on Omega’s 2019 record-breaking prototype or one with a slightly more traditional look in the brand's own steel alloy called “O-Megasteel,” which is available in several variants.
Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra 150M
- Size: 38mm
- Case Material: Stainless steel
- Movement: Omega Co-Axial Calibre 8800 automatic
The Aqua Terra lineup speaks to that aforementioned confusion between dress watch and sport watch that’s inherent to vintage Seamasters, but this duality is also the strength of the modern version. Sporty and rugged, for sure, but elegant and professional enough to pair well with a business suit on the daily, this could be your only watch. The collection also includes variations such as world timers, as well as many sizes and colors.
Omega Seamaster 300
- Size: 41mm
- Case Material: Stainless steel
- Movement: Omega Co-Axial Calibre 8912 automatic
Just like the Speedmaster, the Seamaster has its Heritage range. Not to be confused with the more modern-feeling Seamaster Diver 300M, the Seamaster 300 harkens back to Omega's earliest professional dive watches. In 2017, Omega, to much acclaim, released the 1957 Trilogy, which included the Seamaster 300, the Railmaster, and an original-looking Speedmaster, all of which had originally debuted in that year. The success of that Trilogy has seen Omega releasing these models individually ever since, and they’re often hard to come by due to their popularity.
Omega Seamaster Ploprof
- Size: 55mm x 45mm
- Case Material: O-Megasteel
- Movement: Omega Co-Axial Calibre 8912 automatic
It never ceases to amaze us watch fans that the Ploprof is still in production. It’s massive at 55mm wide (though only 45mm long), totally cumbersome, and, if nothing else, a stellar example of how much less gadgetry is needed to accomplish super-deep waterproofness today. For some, however, this can-opener-esque behemoth is pure beauty (in a sense). And note that previous (even larger) generation models are still available in titanium, while the newer ones are in the brand's novel O-Megasteel alloy.
Note: We’ve chosen to only highlight some of the Seamaster line. To see the entire collection, click here.
The Constellations
This is where Omega slots in the majority of its dressier watches today, most with a vintage reference to the 1940s and 50s models such as those that include a so-called “pie-pan” dial. You can also find women’s diamond-encrusted models among the Constellations. We’ve selected some essential models below.
Omega Constellation Globemaster
- Size: 39mm
- Case Material: Stainless steel
- Movement: Omega Co-Axial Calibre 8900 automatic
With its classic 1950s styling in a more modern dress watch size, the Globemaster is decidedly not a sport watch; it’s a handsome dress watch that’ll pair perfectly with your hand-stitched brogues. The Globemaster is distinguished by its fluted bezel that's inspired by "C-Case" Connies from the '60s and '70s, while its dial recalls the popular "pie-pan" styles of even earlier vintage models. It comes in steel, precious metals and even a complicated (for Omega) but very cool Annual Calendar version.
Omega Constellation
- Size: 41mm
- Case Material: Stainless steel
- Movement: Omega Co-Axial Calibre 8900 automatic
The Constellation collection watches named simply "Constellation" have a quirky, '80s-inspired style that leaves them mostly overlooked by watch fans and probably appealing more to general consumers who want a "fancy" watch. They sport a decidedly swanky vibe that originated with the brand's popular "Constellation Manhattan" which first debuted in 1982 and come in myriad variations in different sizes, with steel and precious metals, quartz and automatic on offer.
Note: To see the entire Constellation collection, click here.
The De Villes
The name De Ville adorned the dials of many vintage Omegas through the 50s and 60s (including some Seamasters), suggesting a decidedly American spirit. Today’s De Villes are the fanciest and most complicated Omegas available, with many models going beyond the dress watch category into haute horlogerie proper. If you’re into vintage dress style and don’t mind high prices, this selection should whet your appetite. You can even get an Omega tourbillon, if you want!
Omega De Ville Hour Vision
- Size: 41mm
- Case Material: Stainless steel
- Movement: Omega Co-Axial Calibre 8900 automatic
The Hour Vision line has an Art-Deco flair, and some models (such as this one) have a sapphire caseback that affords a rare view of the co-axial movement. Simple and well-balanced, its mesmerizing blue dial makes for an excellent everyday accessory or a special accent for more formal occasions. What’s more, it’s also available in an annual calendar version.
Omega De Ville Trésor
- Size: 40mm
- Case Material: Yellow gold
- Movement: Omega Co-Axial Calibre 8929 automatic
The Trésor sub-line offers sleeker cases, precious metals, and diamonds and generally consists of watches best matched to black ties and evening gowns. They’re worth considering if you’re searching for something to wear while tossing back Dom Perignon and caviar on New Year’s.
Note: We’ve chosen to only highlight some of the De Ville line. To see the entire collection, click here.
