Omega watches are one of the very few timepieces that have been worn in space. In order to pass the tests required by NASA, each watch had to be carefully inspected and put through numerous tests to certify that the watches would maintain their accuracy in orbit.

This accuracy was crucial to astronauts in early space travel because much of the calculations were figured by humans and not by their instruments (unfortunately, there were no iPhone apps for astronauts), so every second counted in the calculations.

This was particularly crucial in missions in space, such as the Apollo 13 mission where the crew had to rapidly recalculate and improvise on their protocols to land before running out oxygen.  Lucky for them, Omega watches were there to keep their calculations on track.

Omega watches, of course, were up to par and from March 1965 onward, the Omegas were officially out of this world and in NASA’s missions.  Wally Schirra was the first to test Omega’s qualities in space in 1962 on the Mercury Atlas 8 mission, but even Buzz Aldrin wore an Omega during his historic walk on the moon.

The commemorative Speedmaster today takes all the worthy qualities of the original.  With a manual-winding caliber 1861, chronometric and tachymetric functions, and a 48 hour power reserve, the watch is incredibly accurate.  Water resistant to 50 meters/167 feet and accurate hundreds of miles above the sea level, the Speedmaster is incredibly durable.  With a polished black bezel and dial, complemented by a soft brown leather band, the watch isn’t hard on the eyes, either.

A few details that the new release includes that you won’t find on the originals include detail work on the back of the watch case with Omega’s original Seahorse and “The First Omega in Space, October 3, 1962) etched into the stainless steel.  October 3 refers to the Mercury Atlas 8 mission—the very first day an Omega left the earth.

The Omega Speedmaster “FIRST OMEGA IN SPACE” Chronograph Watch is more than just a timepiece, but also a part of the mosaic of American and world history. Omega’s dedication and talent provided many astronauts the backup they required during their dangerous, yet wondrous missions.  Today, it remains just as accurate, and just as integral to man’s dream of landing among the stars.

The Omega Ceragold is a technology first that has allowed the bonding of 18-carat gold into zirconium-based ceramic. The result is an amazingly smooth finished ceramic bezel with a Ceragold diving scale.

The Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Ceragold Chronograph has used the Ceragold to showcase a beautifully designed bezel ring with a polished black zirconium-based ceramic. The contrast between the black and the Ceragold is stunning. Of course, the Seamaster Planet Ocean Ceragold watch comes with all the lovely dive features inherent in the Planet Ocean Collection:

• Unidirectional rotating bezel
• Helium escape valve
• White Super-LumiNova coated indexes that emit a blue light
• Minute hand and diving bezel that emit a green light

These features are truly unique and a definite benefit to all divers. The watches are also water resistant to 2,000 feet.

The Seamaster Planet Ocean Ceragold Chronograph is a gorgeous watch with an Omega Co-Axial caliber 9301 for a heart. This proprietary co-axial movement allows the adjustment of the hour hand without upsetting the operation of the minute or seconds hand. This is a gift to those owners who tend to change time zones. The dial of the chronograph is a smooth black with two sub-dials, one at three o’clock for the 60-minute and 12-hour counters and one at the nine o’clock for seconds. A black leather strap with an 18-carat gold foldover clasp finishes this chronograph.

The second amazing new watch in the Planet Ocean Collection is the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Ceragold White Planet St. Moritz. While the chronograph was all about the color black, the St. Moritz is all about white. Fitting that it is therefore named after the town of St. Moritz in the Swiss mountains where Omega is involved with timing world-renowned bobsleigh races.

The heart of the St. Moritz is an Omega Co-Axial caliber 8501. It is equipped with an 18-carat red gold rotor and balance bridge. This beautiful timepiece comes with a matte white dial with Ceragold bezel and numeral highlights. Engraved on the caseback are: Si14, Ceragold, White Planet and St. Moritz. The Si14 is a reference to the St. Moritz silicon balance spring. The white leather strap with an 18-carat gold foldover clasp completes the timepiece.

Omega has dazzled us again with their Ceragold Planet Ocean additions. The fusion of materials is simply a masterpiece. The Seamaster Planet Ocean Ceragold Chronograph and White Planet St. Moritz are two timepieces that guarantee satisfaction and a feeling of luxurious fashion.

The Swatch Group, home to such esteemed brands as Breguet, Blancpain, Tissot, Omega and Tourbillon, had a record year in 2011, posting a sales increase of 21.7 percent and an operating profit of 12.4 percent over the pervious year. Even while European economic turmoil and exchange rates had negative effects on the ultimate bottom line, the watches and jewelry sector still showed a gain of approximately $1.5 billion. According to the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry, “The group’s leading brands recorded very impressive rates of growth not only in the enlarged China, but also in all other regions and in all price segments. Despite the unfavourable economic situation, the Swatch Group maintained its consistent policy of renouncing short-term price increases, preferring to focus on gains in market share.” Stepping up marketing efforts within the watches and jewelry sector, instead of raising prices, the Swatch Group saw its operating profit grow by 8.4 percent.

LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA reported sales growth of 16 percent last year, with an operating profit increase of 22 percent and a net profit of $4.12 billion. The watches and jewelry group within LVMH recorded astounding increases of 98 percent in sales and 107 percent in operating profits. (Equating to +23 percent and 41 percent based on comparable structures.) Dedicated consumers in the Western Hemisphere responded well to marketing and innovative additions, while growth in Asian markets added to the LVMH global marketplace. Tag Heuer successfully launched the Mikrograph and Mikrotimer; Hublot introduced a popular new Masterpieces collection; Zenith and Bulgari brought back some well-loved classics.

Tag Heuer Mikrograoh (right) and Mikrotimer (left)

Hublot Masterpiece #1 (on left) and #2 (on right)

Richemont, the Swiss luxury holding company that boasts subsidiaries such as Baume et Mercier, Cartier, Piaget and Montblanc, increased its sales by 33 percent and gross profit by 38 percent – a gain of approximately $1.6 billion. Operating profit grew by nearly double that amount – 63 percent. The highest sales growth occurred in the Asia-Pacific region, at 48 percent (or, by $3.67 billion) and sales in Japan were up by 18 percent. “We will continue to invest in their organic growth through higher levels of capital spending in manufacturing capacity and in the further development of the group’s own retail network,” said Richemont CEO, Johann Rupert. “Particularly in growth markets.” To that end, the company grew its freestanding boutique stores to a total of 876 last year – primarily in growing Asian markets.

While the Asian continent currently represents the largest growth market for the industry, Australia, South America and Africa have also been the focus of luxury brand marketing efforts. Tag Heuer, an LVMH brand that began opening North American retail boutiques only last year, has established stores in Australia, South Africa as well as across the Middle East and India. They have a retail location in Argentina and a customer service location in Chile also, catering to a small but dedicated (and growing) clientele in those regions.

Map of Tag Heuer Brand Boutiques Worldwide

It would certainly seem that a truly global reach is the safest buffer against increasingly unpredictable western markets. But it probably doesn’t hurt to be well known and widely respected for beautiful and high quality products either.

A few beautiful Omega watches

So what type of Omega watch is for you? Omega has a Ladies Collection and a Gents Collection. Each gender has quite a few different “Collections” within it and several different watch types within each “Collection.” The watch selections host a full array of designs. Just a few include the:

• Brushed Quartz
• Polished Quartz
• Chronometer
• Luxury Edition
• Moon Watch
• Olympic Edition
• De Ville

This list barely touches the surface! Oh, and don’t forget whether you want a leather strap, brushed metal strap, or jeweled wrist bracelet. You must visit the Omega Watches website to view all the beautiful selections! Omega also carries a fine jewelry collection. It includes an amazing selection of rings, several pendants, and numerous cufflinks. Leather products, such as wallets and purses, are also a part of their product line.

But don’t forget about the quality of Omega! Omega watches are known for their precision. They have been used in many, many timed events around the globe. And the introduction of their exclusive Co-Axial calibres in 2007 has delivered better chronometric performance than any other series-produced watch movement in the world.

So, do you think you might find an Omega watch that not only works well but looks great too? The answer should be a definite “yes.” First, you need to figure out what type of look you like – plain, sharp, dressy, diamonds, business-class, or fun? Omega’s technology and design has manufactured a look for every occasion. The Omega brand is so famous their “ambassadors” have included well-known stars such as:

• Nicole Kidman
• Cindy Crawford
• Greg Norman
• Michael Phelps
• Michelle Wei
• Daniel Craig

Omega’s reputation is so respected that they have been responsible for the timekeeping in 24 Olympic Games!

As you may have noticed, there are many reasons to own an Omega watch, but let’s narrow it down some. Here are the top 5 reasons to own an Omega:

1. Quality
2. Precision
3. Design
4. Beauty
5. Variety

So, if you are looking for a watch that will stand the test of time, look no further. These top 5 reasons will only get you started down the right path to owning an Omega. You will find that not only will an Omega watch enhance your reputation, you will have a long-lasting, accurate timepiece that will keep on ticking for many, many years to come.

Rafael Cabrera-Bello Receiving Omega Dubai Desert Classic Award

Omega once again assumed its distinguished role as an Official Timekeeper at its sponsored golf tournament, the Omega Dubai Desert Classic 2012 which was held at the Emirates Golf Course February 12.

While spectators may have held their breath for golfers Lee Westwood, Stephen Gallacher (Scotland) and Rafello Cabrera–Bello (Spain) due to the tension by the 16th hole, it would be the 17th hole in which both spectators and Cabrera-Bello breathed an astounding sigh of relief.

Cabrera-Bello had been a stroke behind Westwood, Westwood who was ahead by the third round and only needed a birdie, chipped way past the hole and had to settle for par, as did Gallacher who manage to miss a mid-range birdie putt; which allowed 27-year old Cabrera-Bello to come back the victor when he sunk a birdie in the 17th hole for the win.

Cabrera–Bello received the Omega Dubai Desert Classic trophy presented by His Highness Shaikh Mansour bin Mohamed bin Rashid Al Maktoum also present during the presentation were Mohamed Juma Buamaim vice chairman and CEO of golf in Dubai, Raynald Aeschlimann, Omega’s VP and International Sales Director and title sponsor of the 2.5 million European Tour.

Cabrera-Bello was also presented with an 18 Ct red gold Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Annual Calendar with brown leather strap timepiece by Aeschlimann. The prestigious timepiece date need only be adjusted once a year – March 1. It has a four-year warranty and  is water resistant. It is quite an impressive timepiece.

Cabrera-Bello made history for Spain as he became the third Spainard in succession to win at Dubai (Miguel Angel Jiménez-2010 and Alvaro Quiros-2011).

“I am really happy and proud that my name is going to be written down in the same trophy as Ballesteros and Olazábal and Jiménez and my great friend, Alvaro. It’s a really, really amazing feeling for me to be a little bit a part of the same history they are,” Cabrera-Bello said.

Omega is a proud sponsor and advocate of global sports with regards to golf. In its portfolio of golfing sponsorships is the Omega European Masters, The PGA America, it will officiate as timekeeper for The PGA Championship, and the Ryder Cup upon being contested in the United States. It boasts being leading timekeeper of world sports, was recently the Official Timekeeper for the First Winter Youth Olympic Games held in Innsbruck, and will again for the 25th time be the Official Timekeeper for the Olympic Games.

Omega continues to maintain its historical tradition as an Official Timekeeper within the sports arena.

The Fiftieth Anniversary piece has a couple of notable differences from the Omegas that avid fans have become accustomed to seeing on Brosnan and Daniel Craig; the face is a monogrammed black instead of blue and it bears some interesting details commemorating the milestone event.
While the watch – a redesign of the Seamaster Diver 300M – doesn’t shoot lasers, double as a communication device or contain any secret compartments, (I know, I’m disappointed too.) it does boast some pretty cool features. Water resistant up to more than 650 feet, it contains a helium escape valve that allows gas to escape during decompression and a self-winding movement with “revolutionary,” certified escapement providing exceptional durability and performance for those action-packed, high-speed-chase kind of days.

Inside an Omega Seamaster

This limited edition watch comes in two sizes: 11,007 pieces of the men’s 41 mm size and 3,007 of the smaller women’s 36.25mm size will be made available. Both watches have stainless steel cases and diving-time scales in chromium nitride – with the ‘50’ highlighted in red. The black dials are lacquered and monogrammed with the familiar 007 logo, and a special coating on the hour markers and minute hand make it easy to read in most conditions. As a nice touch, the smaller watch even has a diamond marking the 7 o’clock position.

Diamonds are Forever

The back of the watch is pretty cool too. The swirly gun barrel effect seen at the beginning of Bond films surrounds a visible rotor that looks like the back end of a bullet and is inscribed with the words “James Bond” and “50 Years.”

The watch is expected to go on sale at an Omega boutique store in Dubai next month, although a firm date has not been set. Even priced at $5,308 for the smaller watch and $5,041 for the men’s, there may not be many left by the time the next Bond movie premieres this coming fall.
“Skyfall,” starring Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Ralph Fiennes and Judy Dench comes out on November 9 and, according to IMDb, Bond’s loyalty to M (Dench) will be tested when her past comes back to haunt her. One wonders if he’ll be wearing this watch in the movie (isn’t that kind of like wearing the band’s shirt to the show?) but, whichever Omega is on 007’s arm, we know he’ll look good.

Holmbrook Limited, a company based in Dublin, has found itself in legal battles brought by the brands Longines Watch Co., Rado Uhren and now Tissot AG for hijacking Russian (.ru) domain names that the watchmakers believe are rightfully theirs.

In earlier proceedings, the Moscow Commerical Court sided with Longines and Rado, prohibiting Holmrook from using the domain names and awarding the claimants modest monetary damages, but Tissot has not been as successful. On December 6, 2011, the court ruled against the company, stating that Holmrook was neither the owner of the tissot.ru domain name, nor its administrator. Apparently, Holmrook had given the name and well as administration rights to an individual named Nikolai Mikhailyukov free of charge. Mikhailyukov has been using the site to post information about the French painter, James Jacques Joseph Tissot.

Tissot AG claims that the site was not dedicated to the painter until after charges had already been filed.

Why Holmrook is targeting Swiss watchmakers is unclear; what the company even does is hard to pin down with a simple Google search. Holmrook Limited has no website, no Wikipedia page and no presence within social media. In fact, the bulk of its public activity seems to be defending itself in court against angry Swiss watchmakers.

Steve Levy, a writer for The Fair Winds Blog: DomainStrategy.com, has a theory. “It would seem Holmrook’s main function is investing in domain names (some may call it cybersquatting instead of investing), and I view the use of content relating to the artist James Tissot to be a clever ruse which was specifically intended to avoid enforcement. It would be like someone registering apple.ru and posting pictures of fruit but with the real intention of waiting for the famous computer/mobile device company to seek out the owner and offer them a huge sum to buy the domain.”

On his website, Levy makes the comment that these problems tend to abound in Russian web spaces, due to “lax copyright enforcement and a rampant counterfeiting industry.” His suggestion to businesses is to register any important trademarks in the .ru domain quickly, before cybersquatters do.

An appeal by Tissot was scheduled for Feb. 8, 2012 before the Russian Ninth Commercial Court of Appeals. And it’s a good bet that Omega, Union Glashütte, Breguet, Tourbillon, Calvin Klein and other Swatch Group companies are registering .ru domain names as quickly as possible.

Daniel Craig as James Bond with an Omega watch

The James Bond film series will celebrate its 50th anniversary this year. To honor the British spy and his escapades, Swiss luxury watch brand Omega is releasing a special edition of its prized Seamaster Diver 300m, a timepiece Agent 007 has worn in the films since GoldenEye.

The newest addition to the Seamaster series will be available in two sizes, 41 mm for men and 36.25 mm for women. There will be a repetitive 007 monogram on the lacquered black dial, and the ceramic outer bezel rings feature the number 50 filled in with red. The rest of the grey outer ring displays the minutes in a 10-minute interval pattern with white enamel. White dots on the inner ring point out hours, and the geometric hands flit across hours and minutes. By contrast, the red seconds arm is thin and quite the opposite of all the shapes on the dial.

Each version of the watch screw-and-pin bracelets and their cases are made of stainless steel, and both watches are also certified chronometers. While the 41 mm watch has 11 applied indexes, the 36.25 mm women’s watch has 10 with a diamond marker at the 7 o’clock position. This special marking signifies the creation of the watch honor Agent 007, and also adds a touch of femininity.

Stamped with a gun-barrel design, the back of the watch continues to reflect the aesthetics of James Bond. The winding rotor is in the shape of a bullet and can be viewed through a sapphire crystal. The watch is water resistant up to 300 meters and showcases Omega’s revolutionary caliber 2507 self-winding, co-axial movement. Released in 1999, this component of Omega’s watches has since driven a revolution in mechanical watchmaking. A particularly advanced feature of the watch, the helium escape valve, should appeal to professional divers, as this is necessary for divers working with diving bells.

Although James Bond is a fictional character, he still represents quite the ambassador to the Omega brand. The James Bond 007 50th Anniversary Collector’s Piece, created in his honor, duly parallels the spy’s timeless sophistication. Take note that only 11,007 of the 41 mm version and 3,007 of the 36.25 mm version will be produced, as these watches are truly a limited edition. Look out for these classic timepieces as well as 23rd film in the James Bond franchise, Skyfall, coming out later this year.

The back of the new Seamaster with special inscriptions

The event was a celebration not only of the launch of the largest boutique in Europe, but also of East London, the Olympic Games and British talent from the world of music, television, fashion, sport and film.

Olympian Jessica Ennis, the current world indoor pentathlon and hopeful gold-medalist for this summer’s London 2012 Olympic Games, hosted the event with Omega President Stephen Urquhart.

Olympic Ambassador Jessica Ennis and Omega President Stephen Urquhart hosted the event.

Last year, Jessica Ennis joined the roster of Omega brand ambassadors.

“I am very proud to be joining the Omega family, and am honoured to have the chance to work closely with them as we all continue our journey towards London 2012,” said Ennis. “Timekeeping is everything in sport. A 1/100th of a second can be the difference between a gold and silver medal, so Omega really is at the service of athletes all over the world.”

The Swiss watchmaker chooses its ambassadors from the worlds of fashion, entertainment, sport and adventure. The list includes stars like actor George Clooney, actress Nicole Kidman, secret agent James Bond, American model Cindy Crawford and Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps.

“We are delighted that Jessica has joined our family of brand ambassadors,” said Stephen Urquhart, Omega President. “Her accomplishments as a multi-event athlete are so remarkable that it’s hard to believe that she is only 25 years old.”

A slew of other prominent names made their way to the event, including English actress Tamzin Merchant, actor Freddie Fox, burlesque performer Immodesty Blaize, party promoter and fashion journalist Henry Conway, Olympic swimmer Mark Foster, former British sprinter Linford Christie, popular television presenter George Lamb and rugby union players Rob Webber and Ollie Phillips.

Professor Green and DJ IQ provided the event with music and entertainment.

The Omega Westfield Stratford Boutique – located at the gateway to the Olympic Park – is the largest yet in Europe. With a wide, open interior, Omega is able to showcase some of the world’s most prominent range of Swiss luxury watches, from classical and limited edition models to jewel-encrusted collections.

Omega will serve as the Official Timekeeper for the upcoming 2012 London Olympic Games, assuming its role for the 25th time. The Swiss luxury watch brand first served as Official Timekeeper at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympic Games. This year’s event will mark the 80th anniversary of the watchmaker’s first Olympic Games.

Omega at the Olympic Games.

For 25 Olympic Games, the OMEGA watch company has been chosen as the official timekeeper of sporting events. This summer, at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, OMEGA will uphold that tradition.

The official timekeeper is among the most intricate roles in the Olympic Games. OMEGA’s consistent appointment to this position is a laudable testament to the brand’s timekeeping precision. The Chair of LOCOG, the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, Sebastian Coe, said that OMEGA “will write history again in 2012.”

In preparation to do so, LOCOG has already begun laying the groundwork for the Games. OMEGA has recruited “a considerable number of data processing professionals,” and plans to use the most advanced innovations in precision timekeeping according to its official website.

Additionally, the company has released a specialty London 2012 Olympics Collection.

These sleek Speedmaster 5-counter Chronograph watches come with a bevy of unique features, including chronometers and screw-in crowns. The Olympic Collection is comprised of ten different watches with sub dials in the form of the Olympics insignia on all of their watch faces.

The watch cases are made of 18 carat white gold; while the basis of the Olympic rings are diamonds, rubies, emeralds and sapphires.

This year, OMEGA has extended its partnership – a partnership that has existed for nearly a century –  with the Olympic Games through the year 2020. An exciting contract for the company, and a further testament to its superior watches.

The Olympic Collection features watches for both men and women. Among the highlights of this collection is the men’s red gold on leather strap watch. It’s truly an eye-catcher.

It is a numbered edition watch with a black dial and scratch-resistant sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment on both sides. It has a built in tachymeter and chronograph.

Red gold Olympic Collection chronograph watch.

In terms of aesthetics, it’s a must-have. The dazzling red gold case is complemented by the dark brown leather strap in a perfectly harmonious color scheme.

Another highlight, the steel on rubber strap watch, is a retro sleek look. Its comfortable rubber strap is complemented by its steel case and domed scratch-resistant sapphire crystal.

All of the watches are appealing in their own right. And they’re setting the stage for summer 2012 in London.