With a 175-year legacy in creating luxury timepieces, OMEGA is unquestionably one of the best watchmakers in the world. OMEGA watches adorn the wrists of many celebrities around the globe from actors to sportspeople, each of whom appreciates the unparalleled blend of style and function that the brand is known for. OMEGA even became the watch of choice for James Bond when Pierce Brosnan was styled with the Seamaster for the 1995 film GoldenEye.
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However, while everyone celebrates the unsurpassed quality of the watches, not many are aware of the brand’s unique and astonishing heritage that makes these models even more exceptional. OMEGA watches have landed on the moon and crossed the Antarctic desert, while their precision technology has seen them serve as the Official Timekeeper of the Olympic Games and venture down to the very depths of the ocean.
This drive for adventure will be instantly recognisable to any true traveller, and the current collection of OMEGA watches is designed with adventurers in mind. Discover the extraordinary expeditions of OMEGA watches and why these incredible accessories can be viewed as the ultimate travel companion.
The OMEGA Speedmaster Professional
Watch on the Moon
Over 65 years after the OMEGA Speedmaster Professional was launched, it remains one of the brand’s most recognisable and popular timepieces. Almost from the moment, it was introduced in 1957, this watch was listed as a must-have accessory for all NASA astronauts going into space. Its fail-safe reliability made it an essential piece of equipment for all manned space missions, including the several attempts made to reach the moon throughout the 1960s.
Nicknamed the Moonwatch after Apollo 11’s successful arrival on the moon on 21st July 1969, the OMEGA Speedmaster Professional came to signify the importance of paying attention to detail and the rewards of perseverance. The latest edition of the OMEGA Speedmaster Professional is also called the Moonwatch because it is an updated version of the watch worn by the Apollo 11 astronauts.
Those who revere the moon will love the Apollo 8 edition which has a skeleton dial over a detailed ash-coloured watch face that symbolises the shadows on the dark side of the moon.
OMEGA watches: Performance under pressure
Just two decades after the moon landing, the OMEGA Speedmaster proved that it could perform in high-pressure situations closer to home as well when mountaineer and explorer Reinhold Messner chose this watch as an essential piece of kit for his Antarctic crossing.
This 1,700-mile trek involved dealing with temperatures well below -30°C as well as high winds of 90 miles per hour. For three months, the OMEGA stayed on Messner’s wrist, proving perfect timekeeping and navigation assistance. Messner arrived at the south pole on 30th December 1989, just in time to welcome in a brand-new decade.
The OMEGA Speedmaster is available in many different styles, so fellow explorers can find the best model for their own expeditions. The collection ranges from modern designs with chunky metal bracelets to the sleek Chronoscope Bronze Gold Co-Axial Master Chronometer, a refined timepiece complimented by a traditional brown leather strap.
The OMEGA Seamaster Collection
Pioneering dive watch technology
During World War II, OMEGA was inspired to investigate how timepieces could be adapted to perform underwater. Following years of research, in 1948 the OMEGA Seamaster was launched as one of the first commercial dive watches on the market. Its revolutionary strong case and substantial water resistance made OMEGA pioneers in dive watch technology.
The OMEGA Seamaster was put through its paces in 1981 when free diver Jacques Mayol took it 101 metres below the surface of the ocean.
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Freediving is an extreme sport which involves an individual doing underwater diving while holding their breath rather than using scuba equipment to breathe underwater. There are many fantastic sites for free diving around the world for intrepid travellers trained in this pursuit.
During this particular dive, Mayol broke all previously held records. The reliable water resistance of the OMEGA Seamaster made it the perfect accessory for Mayol’s historic underwater adventure.
Modern-day divers – and anyone who enjoys an array of water sports – will find their underwater experience enhanced by the OMEGA Seamaster. All timepieces in this collection are water resistant up to 150 metres, with the Ultra Deep range offering resistance up to an amazing 6,000 metres. Other features that make the OMEGA Seamaster a great diving companion is the luminescent watch face for improved visibility at dark depths and the helium valve which safeguards the crystal case against shattering due to pressure under the water.
