History Of The Omega Watch Company

The Omega Watch Company -
In 1848 a young man named Luis Brandt set up an assembly workshop in Chaux de fonds Switzerland, Where he passionately started putting together pocketwatches from components supplied by local craftsmen. 31 years later in 1879 his 2 sons started to manufacture the components and assemble the watches in their own facility. By doing so Louis-Paul and Cesar Brandt gained control over the entire process and eliminated supply chain irregularities and quality variables.

From that point on the Omega watch company has been at the forefront of technology and has set significant records and achievements in the history of watches and timekeeping:

• 1892 - First minute repeater watch (capable of sounding the hours by push of a button).


• 1885 - Introduction of the first mass-produced watch caliber - the "Labrador".


• 1932 - First official Olympic time keeper (Los angeles Olympic games).


• 1932 - Introduction of the first diving watch - the "Marine".


• 1934 - Amelia Earhart's first Atlantic crossing (Airplane equipped with Omega watches).


• 1937 - Omega launches their first line of water proof watches.


• 1943 - Omega launches their first line of automatic watches.


• 1948 - Launch of the Omega seamaster.


• 1948 - First photofinish in the Olympics using Omega time keeping system.


• 1952 - Launch of the Omega Constellation


• 1957 - Launch of the Omega Speedmaster.


• 1960 - Launch of Omega seamaster deville.


• 1969 - The Speedmaster lands on the moon - the only watch to date to land on the moon!


• 1970 - The Apollo 13 crew use their Speedmasters to time the manual engine boost required for re-entry.


• 1974 - Launch of Marine chronometer - the first wristwatch marine chronometer.


• 1981 - Jacques Mayol uses his Seamster 120 when he breaks the world free diving depth record.


• 1999 - Omega introduces the co-axial escapement!


• 2008 - Beijing Olympics - official time keeper.

Omegas' pioneering spirit has taken them up to the Moon and down oceans' depths. It has allowed them to time the world's most important sporting events. They have been repeatedly setting precision records and have been continuously redefining state of the art mechanical watchmaking since 1848.

Read more of the official time line by Omega.

Looking inside an Omega

---

Search this site