There is no question that OMEGA is one of the best luxury watch brands in the world.
Expert Swiss craftmanship, peerless design, and an incredible 175-year history make OMEGA watches some of the most covetable timepieces on the market, with models to suit all styles and occasions.
What really sets the brand apart, however, is the extraordinary heritage of OMEGA watches. These timepieces have crossed the Antarctic, been sent into space by NASA, and plunged deep beneath the ocean surface – and survived.
Discover the sensational stories behind the latest collection of OMEGA watches and learn more about the exceptional capabilities of the different models. To own an OMEGA is to be a part of some of the most iconic achievements of the last century: where will your own adventures take you?
The history of OMEGA
OMEGA in space
One of the earliest examples of OMEGA going beyond the norm was their partnership with NASA in the 1960s.
The OMEGA Speedmaster Professional was certified for space travel by NASA in 1965 and became a must-have for all astronauts participating in manned space missions. It is still an essential piece of kit for NASA astronauts to this day.
When Neil Armstrong and his companions successfully landed on the moon in Apollo 11 on 21st July 1969, the OMEGA Speedmaster Professional earned itself the lifelong nickname ‘the Moonwatch’.
OMEGA in the Antarctic
If survival in space was not impressive enough, OMEGA also challenged themselves to create a watch that could endure sub-zero temperatures without missing a beat.
In autumn 1989, Italian explorer Reinhold Messner attempted to cross the Antarctic. Accompanied by his trusty OMEGA Speedmaster, Messner and the watch suffered -40°C temperatures and high winds for the three months it took to complete this 1,700-mile trek.
The OMEGA watch was essential in helping Messner navigate to the south pole. He arrived there on 30th December, just in time to welcome in the next decade.
OMEGA at the Olympics
Throughout the 70s and 80s, OMEGA provided ground-breaking timekeeping technology for the Olympic Games.
Most notably, this included pressure-sensitive false start detectors that were introduced in 1984 for the athletics and swimming races. OMEGA was also the Official Timekeeper for the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul which was the first fully computerised Olympic Games competition.
OMEGA underwater
OMEGA was trusted by others seeking to break records, evidenced by the escapades of famous free-diver Jacques Mayol.
In 1981, Mayol and his OMEGA Seamaster reached a depth of 101 metres on a single breath of air, a feat that had never before been achieved. The OMEGA Seamaster has a luminescent watch face for visibility in the dark and can function perfectly at a depth of 500m.
The OMEGA Seamaster range now includes ‘Ultra Deep’ watches that can withstand enormous pressure, ideal for intrepid divers seeking to explore further than ever before.