Every watch designer has something that makes them stand out. Rolex has its deal with the Olympics. Tag Heuer is the first step to luxury watch collecting. Cartier brings simple elegance into a man’s world, allowing more women to develop an interest in watch collections. No matter what company you look at, they have something that made them great. Are Omega watches the same?
What makes an Omega watch stand out?
The Omega Speedmaster
This is the NASA watch. Nasa recommends the Omega Speedmaster as the only watch suitable for space. Astronauts have been using the Speedmaster since the first moon landing in 1969.
The Co-Axial Movement
The Co-Axial mechanical watch movement is the brainchild of Omega watches. It guarantees a watch will not need servicing for at least four years. It is a groundbreaking, precise piece of Swiss technology that keeps the watch consistently accurate.
The Quartz Watch
Quartz watches are reportedly more accurate than mechanical watches. However, very few companies make quartz watches anymore.
A quartz watch is different from a mechanical watch because it relies on solar power or battery cell power to keep it accurate. The watch’s timekeeping has the quartz crystal to regulate it, and the crystal vibrates at a specific frequency.
So why are many watch companies, like Rolex, no longer making quartz watches?
The simplest answer is supply and demand. There wasn’t enough demand in the luxury watch market for multiple companies. Quartz is more accurate than a mechanical, but it will need a new battery and a new charge when it comes out of storage. Mechanical watches are ready to go all the time.
Omega and the Magnetic Pull
Omega is the first watch company to successfully protect its watches from magnetic influence. Beginning with the Omega Globemaster, Omega took the movement into a complete redesign, switching out their regular materials for non-ferrous ones. As a result, it allows the watch to resist a magnetic pull up to 15,000 gauss.
James Bond, Elvis Presley, John F. Kennedy
What do these three people have in common? They all wore Omega watches!
Omega is the company that rivals Rolex in its greatness. The watches they create have an artistic appeal as well as strong reliability. Its time spent on the wrist of 007 led to the creation of 007 branded collectable Omega watches, which are worth tens of thousands today.
The Seamaster
The Seamaster is the Omega watch favoured by James Bond. It is also one of the watches that successfully surpassed Rolex in competition. Rolex created a watch that can work at 10,908 metres below sea level.
Omega created the Seamaster Planet Ocean Ultra Deep Professional in response to this. At 10,928 metres below sea level, this watch blew Rolex’s record out of the ocean.
Hesalite Glass
Not many watch companies use hesalite glass today because sapphire crystal feels more luxurious and heavier. On the other hand, Omega still makes hesalite watches because of the authenticity of some of their watch styles.
The watch that went to the moon, for instance, has hesalite. While you can buy variants of this watch from Omega made with Sapphire, hesalite is easy to clean, makes it easy to remove scratches, and gives the watch a unique soft curve that lets you know it is authentic. In addition, hesalite is shatterproof making it perfect for watches for astronauts, as it is a safer alternative to sapphire when in outer space.
Tick Tock Omega
It is common to place a watch to your ear to ensure it works. You listen out for that telltale ticking sound. However, with an Omega watch, you will not hear it. The second hand of these Swiss-made beauties has such precision that the watch does not tick-tock. If you hear a ticking sound from your Omega watch, there is a good chance it’s a fake.
Additionally, the second hand will stop moving completely when you pull out the crown to adjust the time. Again, it is to allow you to pinpoint the time accurately.
Omega Watch History
If you have a Cartier watch, it is difficult to discern the watch history without multiple phone calls. With an Omega watch, this is never a problem. The unique serial code on each watch is available online. You will be able to find the complete history of the watch.
When an Omega watch is over ten years old, it becomes a little more complicated, but not impossible, as all details will be in the Omega’s Extract Archives Service.
Omega is the Ultimate Accomplishment
The Omega is the last letter of the Greek Alphabet. It symbolises the end, the last second, the final moment. On the day of their creation in 1903, the first high-tech omega watches became Omega. This is because they were creating something so great it would blow all other watches away. The watch to end all watches as it were.
Since then, Omega has risen from strength to strength, becoming one of the main rivals of Rolex.
Service Your Omega With Us
Our technicians have many years of experience handling Omega watch repairs and servicing.
So, If you need to service, repair, or restore an Omega, please contact Martins of Glasgow at martin@martinsjewellers.co.uk or Gail, at gail@martinsjewellers.co.uk. Alternatively, pay us a visit at 1158 Maryhill Road, Glasgow and we will be more than happy to give your Omega the care and attention it deserves.