Omega is everywhere..

Outside the atmosphere, within it and in the deep sea: OMEGA shows his mastery everywhere. The watch house's creations were seen on the wrists of astronauts who traveled to the moon, as well as on those of stars like George Clooney. James Bond and the Olympic Games are loyal partners and with their ultra-precise Master Chronometers, OMEGA is once again pushing boundaries. MASTERS speaks with CEO and President Raynald Aeschlimann.Text: Lex Stolk
Image: OmegaOMEGA has set itself the goal of exploring and pushing boundaries since 1848. The watch house from Bienne, Switzerland, achieved many memorable world firsts with this bold, adventurous and ambitious attitude. Big and small. On July 21, 1969, the OMEGA Speedmaster was the first watch on the moon during perhaps the most momentous moment in human history. And in 1892 OMEGA produced the first pocket watch with minute repeater and in 1913 most likely the very first wrist chronograph – much more modest highlights, but which nevertheless have great significance in the watch world. OMEGA's starting point is in micromechanics, in the design and realization of precise, complicated and functional timepieces. The result is that their excellent watch creations find a place on the world stage. For example, at the largest global sporting event, the Olympic Games. The motto of the Games is 'faster, higher, stronger', a credo that also resonates at OMEGA. The highest goal of a timepiece manufacturer is to build a timepiece without any deviation. Supreme precision is the utopia that every watchmaker dreams and sleeps about. That OMEGA took on the role as official timekeeper at the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 1932 makes sense in two ways. Firstly from the idea that everything can and should always be improved, secondly from a more pragmatic point of view: sport requires accurate timekeeping. The difference between profit and loss is sometimes only a fraction of a second and it needs to be measured. The Olympic partnership is a golden bond that is still very much alive. Photo: Omega

Record depth

OMEGA has made a name for itself not only on, but also below the water surface. When the watch house celebrated its centenary as a timepiece manufacturer in 1948, it launched the Seamaster. To this day, that model remains one of the most sought-after and respected watches in the OMEGA family. An interesting and colorful family too. The Seamaster collection ranges from the professional Ploprof (an abbreviation of plongeur professionnel, French for 'professional diver') who feels at home in the deep sea to the Aqua Terra, a stylish classic that also looks good on land. And then there is the experimental Seamaster Planet Ocean Ultra Deep Professional. In May 2019, deep-sea explorer Victor Vescovo successfully sent his submarine Limiting Factor to the bottom of the Mariana Trench. The submarine has a nine-centimetre-thick titanium hull that can withstand a pressure of 1.000 bar (the weight of fifty jumbo jets stacked on top of each other). Three Seamaster Planet Ocean Ultra Deep Professional prototypes were attached to the outside of the vessel. The dive to a world record depth of 10.925 meters was completed with flying colors by these diving watches extraordinaire. It is not at all surprising that the robust Seamaster has been James Bond's watch of choice since 1995. In GoldenEye From that year, Pierce Brosnan wears a Seamaster Professional 300, but one that Q has equipped with a laser weapon. Also in the upcoming, already 25th James Bond film No Time to Die, 007 will wear a Seamaster. Just like 007, astronauts are heroes, but with one important difference: their adventures are actually life-threatening. Eliminating every danger in space is impossible, but by equipping astronauts with the best possible equipment and instruments, risks can be faced with an open mind. The story of OMEGA and space starts with astronaut Wally Schirra, in 1962. Schirra is looking for a robust watch that can measure time periods and therefore buys a Speedmaster chronograph, a watch that is actually intended for motor racing (hence the name). Thanks to Schirra's purchase, the Speedmaster will become the first OMEGA in space. The hand-wound chronograph functioned so well that three years later the Speedmaster received NASA approval and became the official chronograph for American space missions.

You can read the entire conversation with CEO and President Raynald Aeschlimann in MASTERS #46. Never miss anything from MASTERS again? With 4 controversial MASTERS editions, the annual LXRY LIST and many more extras, you can easily enjoy reading at home: substantive reports, great photography and unique brands, trends and places in the world. Give it as a gift to yourself or a loved one. Easily close your subscription now here off.Photo: Omega