Omega enthusiasts probably thought that Baselworld would hold relatively few surprises for them, as the iconic Swiss manufacturer had already revealed a substantial assemblage of watches even before Baselworld 2014 began in earnest. However, such an opinion ultimately proved to be entirely wrong, as the pre-featured Omega watches for Baselworld proved to be just the tip of the iceberg.

Two of Omega’s most significant developments were actually kept secret until Baselworld itself, and as such they were largely unexpected by those awaiting the watches that had already been unveiled. The first of these releases was a new Speedmaster watch that has been especially tied in with the 45th anniversary of the Apollo 11 landings; the first time that man set foot on the moon. In keeping with this ‘vintage’ theme, Omega has used the same kind of manually wound chronograph movement that was housed with the Speedmaster that travelled to the moon’s surface, and just under 2,000 of these special watches are being manufactured.

The second issue is the creation of a brand new Co-Axial movement; named the ‘Master Co-Axial’ calibre. Set to be used within both masculine and feminine watches, and already housed within the new Aqua Terra and Seamaster 300 timepieces, the major advantage that these escapements have over their predecessors is in their resistance to magnetism. Up to 15,000 gauss can be withstood by these upgraded Co-Axial movements, and many of the components have been replaced with equivalents that are formed from totally anti-magnetic materials. The Omega President eventually plans for these movements to be used within many prestigious Omega timepieces, so the coming years could well see instrumental developments in watchmaking as a whole.

All of Omega’s mechanical movements, whether they are traditional in nature or the very latest technology, are intrinsically fine constructions that are inherently reliable. Co-Axial movements in particular come with a 4 year guarantee, but even these revolutionary movements still need periodic servicing to ensure their longevity. When such complex mechanisms are being dealt with, the level of professionalism needed for maintenance and repairs is at a premium, and here at Martins of Glasgow we are proud to have a wealth of experience in this area. Our service for Omega watch repairs is suitable for even the most delicate of operations, so contact us now to find out more.