Omega Automatic Watches Sale, Swiss Replica Omega Automatic

Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch (3870.50.31)

an overall great buy

---- [Rating: 5 / 5 stars]

Review by ROSA LO PRESTI, From Italia Acerra

Omega Deville Annual Calendar Co-Axial Silver / Alligator (431.13.41.22.02.001)

Rilly nice Omega Deville Annual Calendar Co-Axial Silver / Alligator (431.13.41.22.02.001)- very QUICK shipping- YAY i needed new watch!

---- [Rating: 5 / 5 stars]

Review by Shana, From Germany Munich

Omega Seamaster Diver 300 Chronograph Automatic Grey Dial Black Rubber Men's Watch 21292445099001

This watch was even more beautiful than the picture. The bracelet was very dainty and feminine. I bought this for a gift for my mother and she loved it. I priced this watch at several jewelry stores online and UpReplica's price was excellent.

---- [Rating: 5 / 5 stars]

Review by Matthew Short, From USA Portland, Oregon

In a bit of a surprise move, Peter Speake-Marin recently announced that he had signed well-known actor Pierce Brosnan as the ambassador for the Speake-Marin brand. It's rare for a small, independent brand to have an ambassador.
"It wasn't planned or searched for, it was the result of meeting on the filming of the movie 'Survivor' and becoming friends," explains Speake-Marin, who worked as a watchmaking consultant on the film. "Pierce started posting pictures of himself and his watches on Instagram and it seemed like a natural thing to do to ask him if he was interested in taking it to another level.

"He is classical with a twist as is my work; he is also in his own right an artist as well as an actor," Speake-Marin continues. "When we first met we became friends within minutes, in a slightly surreal way. We are kindred spirits from different worlds. We both love what we do and we both live in creative worlds."

Brosnan has had an incredible career, appearing some of the biggest movies made, including playing James Bond four times, while sporting an Omega, of course. Now, whenever he has a chance, Brosnan will wear his Speake-Marin. "Pierce has worn a Speake-Marin in the last film he made, called 'IT' and will do likewise in a new movie starting in the coming months," Speake-Marin details. Currently, Brosnan wears the Resilience timepiece (), the same one he wore in "Survivor."

Does an ambassador really pay off, especially for a small brand that struggles for recognition? Having a recognizable face of the brand certainly can't hurt. "Speake-Marin is a small company and we are slowly growing from year to year at a steady rate," Speake-Marin says. "This year was exemplary, which I believe was due to Pierce but also the evolution as a whole within the collections and the growing awareness of my work. Each year we are alive we grow."

Speake-Marin sees the association with Brosnan as a sign of future success. "Business is good, but I have no illusions, life for a small company in a competitive industry life can be challenging, but we are growing at a time when many companies are shrinking and making cutbacks," he says. "For the industry as a whole it is forever changing as it has been for the last 30 years with peaks and troughs, there is no longer a genuine sense of stability but this brings in its own way a need for creativity and originality to adapt to the new and changing world we live in.
"For Speake-Marin, I am more optimistic today than I have ever been due to the reality of our situation with growing sales, knowledge and maturity as a whole," he continues. "Also, I have a freedom for development now that I have never had before, due to a growing team to whom I have been able to delegate the daily activities of running the business."

When asked whether Brosnan will have a hand in the design of any Speake-Marin watches, Speake-Marin is tight-lipped. "For that you will have to wait and see," he says.

The Winston Cluster is one of the House of Harry Winston's most coveted jewelry designs. In these jewels, fancy-shaped diamonds are set with minimal metal at varying angles to each other, resulting in a cluster of pear, marquise-shaped and round brilliant diamonds that has depth and remarkable brilliance. Transformed into highly dimensional sculptures, diamonds appear to float in their settings, emphasizing the inherent beauty and fire of each different shaped diamond.

At the the Omega - De Ville Prestige 'Butterfly' launch on October 2, 2014 in Seoul, Nicole Kidman was wearing a Wreath diamond necklace, a Winston Cluster diamond bracelet, a diamond Links bracelet and a Qipao diamond ring.

Although their names may not be familiar as writers of horological reference works, Gregoire Rossier and Anthony Marquie have invested several years in the production of this consummate guide to one of the few genuine watch icons.

The Omega Speedmaster needs little introduction, having secured its very own page in the history books when it was selected by NASA for use in its manned spaceflight programme. But the Moonwatch is only part of the varied history of the Speedmaster model, which traces its lineage back over 50 years, to the first model in 1957.

catalogues over 125 models, covering all Speedmaster production since 1957, including limited and special editions, as well as projects and prototypes. It also analyses and codifies over 250 different components, from calibres to cases, bezels to bracelets, crown to crystal… and even the presentation boxes, using an original nomenclature developed by the authors. It is illustrated with over 1000 images, some of which have never before been published.

Moonwatch Only. The Ultimate Omega Speedmaster Guide, by Gregoire Rossier and Anthony Marquie, is available in English, French and Italian, priced CHF 290 or €250 from Watchprint, the watch and jewellery bookstore. 

Order a copy

Yesterday in London's chic New Bond Street, Sotheby's auction house undertook what was certainly its most high-profile auction of the year: selling the horological remains of George Daniels' life.
At precisely 2:30 GMT, the elite of the horological auction world crowded into Sotheby's posh auction room to witness - or possibly bid on - the 137 items left in Daniels' collection at the time of his death in 2011.
 

Daniels can rightly be viewed as the first independent, a talented watchmaker who practically led this movement of the mechanical renaissance by example. He was revered by the other independents - as F.P. Journe's platinum Chronometre Souverain (lot 27) gift to him shows - and inspired them in their own work. "This auction will set the precedent for other independents' work," Geoffroy Ader, head of Sotheby's Geneva, remarked.
Daniels is best remembered for inventing the co-axial escapement, which was industrialized and is now in serial use by Omega, though as his protege and only apprentice Roger Smith pointed out, "He made everything by hand, every part of the watch." His 37 unique pocket watches remain so one-of-a-kind because they were indeed manufactured by his own two hands and because each one represented a new technical experiment.

Daniels was a collector of automobiles, cameras, and timepieces. As an expert in the history of horology, he also traded in very high-end vintage timepieces and was an adviser to Sotheby's for much of his career. Much of the proceeds of the auctions surrounding these objects will benefit the George Daniels Educational Trust, a charity he set up before his passing to benefit the higher education of pupils studying the disciplines of horology, engineering, medicine and building construction. Financial aid from the trust is granted to students nominated by City University London and jointly the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers and The British Horological Institute.
Auction results
Many pieces in the auction were highly anticipated, and the top lot performed as expected, which is probably why it did not elicit applause from the polite gathering of aficionados: the Space Travellers Watch, a large Lepine-style pocket watch complicated beyond belief and ahead of its time in terms of added technology. Smith explained that Daniels had created it in honor of man's first landing on the moon (hence the name). The bidding on it was spirited and included a prominent local London retailer, who dropped out before it crossed the one-million-pound mark. Bidding topped out at 1,150,000 pounds before commission.

The second most expensive lot came in at 1,100,000 pounds before commission: an ebony-encased striking table clock by Joseph Knibb from 1677. It has royal provenance, which is probably what at least partially spurred the heated bidding for it. As expected, Daniels' own pieces did remarkably well, with the Grand Complication wristwatch hammered at 780,000 pounds before commission.
Anther notable lot was an Urban Jurgensen wristwatch modified by Daniels to include a slim version of the co-axial escapement, which was sold to the Jurgensen Museum via telephone for 50,000 pounds before commission. And, naturally, the Journe piece was notable for the above-mentioned reasons. It sold for 36,000 pounds before commission.
The Sotheby's team and other notables present at the auction were pleased with the results, totaling 8,285,139 pounds after commission (and beating the pre-sale estimate by more than 3 million pounds). About 8 million pounds of that will go to the George Daniels Educational Trust.
 

The Omega Black Dial Constellation Calendar watch was gifted to Elvis' longtime friend and confidante Charlie Hodge, a musician who played with Presley and who was honored at the 2007 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Hodge recalls, "… several times I told Elvis how beautiful his watch was... and he took it off his wrist and gave it to me."

The self-winding, center-seconds, water-resistant, stainless steel and pink gold-capped chronometer wristwatch with black dial was produced circa 1960. The winner of this watch, expected to sell for $10,000 - $20,000, will receive a letter of attestation signed by Hodge.
Few watches owned by Elvis remain from this era and considering his professional relationship with Hamilton watches and sizable collection of Hamilton and Rolex watches, this Omega is truly unique.
"This is an important piece of history sure to appeal to Elvis fans, collectors of music memorabilia and watch aficionados," says Evan Zimmermann, President and CEO of Antiquorum.
The Omega Constellation is one of 269 remarkable timepieces, including rare Patek Philippe, Piaget, Ulysse Nardin and Jaeger-LeCoultre wristwatches, to be featured at the auction. A Patek Philippe Ref. 5016 in 18K yellow gold with a custom grey dial is estimated to fetch $450,000 - $ 650,000 and a limited edition Jaeger Le-Coultre Gyrotourbillon in platinum is expected to sell for $ 250,000 - $ 350,000.
The collection will be previewed in New York from June 9 - 11.
www.Antiquorum.com

These five watchmakers are endowed with spirits of curiosity, technical supremacy and progressive thinking. They lead the mechanical industry by example: exploring theunknown while ensuring that stability and accuracy remain the prime elements of their creations. Meet five examples of horological brilliance as different as day and night—all bound to write their own chapters of watch history.
 

Jean-François Mojon
Shooting star Mojon maintains an uncompromising, engineering approach to his movement designs and this is logical, for he not only studied watchmaking technology at the Technicum in Le Locle, but also mechanical engineering. "Technology in general fascinated me as a child," he explains.
His career has been broad: starting out in electronics, he worked in quartz and LCD. He also worked in the aviation industry and for Omega for six years. In 1995, he acted on the desire to learn German and get really involved in the watch industry, so he sent an application to IWC, where he worked under Gunter Blumlein and became the head of quality control (...)

Omega is proud to introduce the Spacemaster Z-33. Inspired by the iconic "Pilot Line" case shape and equipped with a brand new multifunction quartz movement, calibre 5666 has been designed with modern pilots in mind and artfully combines its ancestor's legendary design with Omega's industry-defining innovation.

The Spacemaster Z-33's case shape cannot be mistaken for that of any other timepiece and in the tradition of Omega's great pilots' watches, it separates its day-to-day timekeeping from its professional functions ergonomically, using state-of-the-art technology.

Designed for pilots
Floating above the digital dial is a set of analogue timekeeping hands that are adjusted by the crown at 3 o'clock. Surrounding the watch are four pushers that, along with the crown, allow full control over the array of digital features. For keeping track of the time these include date, UTC and two time zones (in 12 or 24 hour display), an alarm and a perpetual calendar. Elapsed time is measured with a chronograph function and a countdown timer. Alongside these features are self-programmable professional pilot functions to log up to ten flights and visualise those logs with date-hour indications.

High-technology case, dial and hands
Continuing the high technology feel of the watch, the modern-sized case is manufactured from grade 5 titanium, and features brushed, polished and sandblasted highlights, reminiscent of Omega's pilot case design. The caseback features the polished Omega Seahorse, the O symbol, the word "Speedmaster" and the watch's serial number. The back is fixed in place with four screws and its "double wall" construction acts as a resonance chamber, thus amplifying the sound of the alarm. The Spacemaster Z-33 is fitted with a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment on both sides to provide a clear view of the display regardless of the conditions. The watch is water resistant to 3 bar / 30 metres / 100 feet.

The Spacemaster Z-33 has a non-reflective matt black dial with white Omega name and logo and featuring the words "Spacemaster" and "Z-33" in white. The white indexes are coated with white Super-LumiNova, as are the skeletonised hour and minute hands. The elements coated with Super-LumiNova emit a green glow in low light conditions.
The dial features two large display panels for the digital functions. These screens have black backgrounds with red digital segments and use transreflective LCD technology to provide easy reading in all light conditions.
The new design incorporates skeletonised hands to help the wearer view the digital displays below them. By simply depressing the pusher at the 8 o'clock position, the hands are disengaged to either 3 o'clock or 9 o'clock, allowing the wearer an unobstructed view of the digital information.

On your wrist in the cockpit
The Spacemaster Z-33 is supplied with a black rubber strap with the inscriptions "Omega" and "Speedmaster" in red. It is also available on a brown "Soft Touch" leather strap. The black rubber strap features a model-specific Titanium folding clasp (grade 5 for all the visible parts and grade 2 for the moving parts). The brown "Soft Touch" leather strap is secured to the wrist by a standard grade 5 titanium folding clasp (again with grade 2 titanium used for the moving parts of the clasp). Both clasps bear the Omega logo.
The digital displays is automatically regulated by their transreflective technology, which takes into account ambient light, allowing the digital data to be read as easily on night flights as in direct sunlight. This technology also helps conserve battery power. In dark conditions the Super-LumiNova provides a green glow for the analogue time measurement hands allowing them to be distinct enough not to interfere with the digital

A very special and highly useful additional detail that underlines the Spacemaster's professional heritage & distinction is the fact that its digital display can be read under all conditions, even for wearers with polarized glasses.
The watch is delivered in a special presentation box which includes a detailed manual.
Respecting the past, defining the future
The Omega Spacemaster Z-33 carries on the traditions of robust reliability and innovation that have always defined Omega's watches. Coupled with specific functions desired by professional pilots, Omega's new thermo-compensated quartz calibre 5666 is particularly dedicated to them, providing them with the combination great accuracy and functionality they need in the cockpit.
With the launch of the Spacemaster Z-33, Omega has re-introduced a professional pilots' watch, combining the legendary look of the past with cutting-edge watchmaking features.
It is sure to be one of the most welcomed and talked-about releases of 2012.

The Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Chronograph Ceragold has a generous 45.50 mm 18 Ct red gold case. Its most striking design element is its polished black zirconium-based ceramic bezel ring which offers a stark, dramatic contrast to the Ceragold diving scale.

No less impressive is the Omega Co-Axial calibre 9301 at the heart of the Seamaster Planet Ocean Chronograph Ceragold. Launched last year, it was the first chronograph in the brand's proprietary family of Co-Axial movements. The movement has a special luxury finish including an 18 Ct red gold rotor and balance bridge; the screws, barrels and balance wheel are blackened. With the Omega Co-Axial calibre 9301 it is possible to adjust the hour hand without affecting the performance of the minute or seconds hands, allowing for easy adjustments for travellers changing time zones. The movement is equipped with a silicon balance spring and like all Planet Oceans, the watch comes with a full four-year warranty.
The lacquered black dial presents both the 60-minute and 12-hour counters on the same subdial at 3 o'clock so reading the elapsed chronograph time is particularly intuitive. The small seconds sub-dial is at 9 o'clock.
The Seamaster Planet Ocean Chronograph Ceragold is presented on a black leather strap secured by an 18 Ct red gold foldover clasp.

OMEGA celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of the first James Bond film with the launch of two commemorative limited edition watches, a press conference and a showcase of props from every James Bond film at its new Westfield Stratford (England) boutique.

The event was opened by OMEGA president Stephen Urquhart, who welcomed media and guests and talked about his brand's relationship with the film franchise. He said, "James Bond is unmatched as a cultural icon and we are excited to be celebrating half a century of great adventure films featuring the world's favourite spy. We are also happy to have the opportunity to display items from every one of those films. I know that the showcase will bring back a lot of cinematic memories." Stephen Urquhart was joined by OMEGA's vice president and head of product development, Jean-Claude Monachon, who introduced two Seamaster Diver watches that OMEGA has released to commemorate the milestone. Released in two sizes, the new Seamaster Diver is distinguished by a red "50" on its diving bezel, a reminder that it is celebrating a special anniversary. Also at the press conference was Lindy Hemming, the Oscar-winning costume designer who chose the OMEGA Speedmaster as 007's watch in GoldenEye in 1995. Asked about her selection of the OMEGA Seamaster with the blue dial, she said "I was convinced that Commander Bond, a Naval man, a diver, and a discreet gentleman of the world would wear this watch as opposed to the one everyone expected me to use."

She added, "I had also known contemporaries when I was in my twenties who were military and naval, and some who worked in field of energy and electricity, who all swore by their Omegas. Therefore, as one of the early tasks in designing the new Bond, Pierce Brosnan, I went to a props and hand props meeting and argued for the use of Omega, which I had of course first investigated to make sure they would be interested in placing their watches on Bond!" Bond film props and gadgets on display The showcase which opened on Wednesday features props from all 22 previously released Bond films. The Parahawk from The World is Not Enough is displayed outside the boutique; it attracted considerable attention from shoppers in the mall who were pleased to enter the boutique to see a wide range of props that includes a Dom Perignon champagne bottle from Dr. No, a flask bomb used in A View to Kill, super-villain Jaws' teeth from The Spy Who Loved Me and Bond's piton gun from GoldenEye.

The showcase continues through Friday February 24th at the OMEGA Boutique at the Stratford Westfield Mall and is open to the public.

This year's edition of the OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic golf tournament boasted a stellar roster that included three of the world's four top-ranked golfers. The stars didn't disappoint: at the end of the third round, Rory McIlory, Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer, who entered the tournament ranked second, third and fourth in the world respectively, were in the leaderboard's top ten. But it was Spain's Rafael Cabrera-Bello who won by a single stroke over Westwood and Scotsman Stephen Gallacher.
Cabrera-Bello, who had been a stroke behind Westwood overnight, birdied the 17th hole and was able to hang on to his lead.
Cabrera-Bello was presented with the OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic trophy by His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Raynald Aeschlimann, Vice President and International Sales Director, OMEGA, the tournament's title sponsor, in the fiercely contested European Tour event.
The prestigious 18 Ct red gold an OMEGA Seamaster Aqua Terra Annual Calendar was presented to Cabrera-Bello along with the tournament trophy, following a tournament that saw one of the most dramatic European Tour finishes of the season.

"We are particularly proud to present this timepiece to a winner as worthy as Rafael," said Aeschlimann. "I know that when he wears it, it will bring back memories of his extraordinary performance at this tournament." 
The watch presented to Cabrera-Bello is an OMEGA Seamaster Aqua Terra Annual Calendar with an 18 Ct red gold case and a brown leather strap. The date only needs to be adjusted once a year, on March 1. It is delivered with a four-year warranty and is water-resistant to 15 bar/150 metres/500 feet. The exclusive Co-Axial calibre 8611 is a member of the mechanical watch movement family that has signaled a revolution in the way mechanical wristwatches are being made.
OMEGA is one of the most prominent watch brands in the world and has long promoted golf as a global sport. Its title sponsorships include the OMEGA European Masters played each September in Switzerland and the OMEGA Dubai Ladies Master hosted every December in Dubai. In 2011, the brand entered into a partnership with The PGA of America and will serve as official timekeeper to The PGA Championship, one of golf's four "Majors," and the Ryder Cup when it is contested in the United States. OMEGA is also among the world's leading sports timekeepers and in 2012 will assume its Official Timekeeping role at the Olympic Games for the 25th time since 1932.

One of the brightest new stars in Omega's Constellation family is the Co-Axial 27 mm in 18 Ct red gold. It is not only uncompromisingly elegant but equipped with the brand's proprietary Co-Axial calibre 8521, from Omega's family of mechanical movements widely considered to be among the world's finest.

The luxurious timepiece's brushed case with polished claws is crafted from 18 Ct red gold. The matching bracelet has brushed links and polished bars set with 144 full-cut diamonds totalling 0.54 carat. The bezel is paved with 32 full-cut diamonds with a total weight of 0.50 carat. The screw-in caseback features a sapphire crystal that reveals the perfection of the Co-Axial movement inside.
The mother-of-pearl dial is completed with, appropriately, a constellation of applied 18 Ct red gold stars, some that are raised and others with a recessed profile. There is a trapezoidal date window at 3 o'clock. The polished and facetted 18 Ct gold hour and minute hands are coated with white Super-LumiNova, making them easy to read even in limited lighting conditions.
The Co-Axial movement at the heart of the Constellation is equipped with OMEGA's Si 14 silicon balance spring. The dimensions of the movement have allowed Omega to introduce its proprietary Co-Axial technology in a 27 mm wristwatch for the first time. The combination of the Co-Axial calibre 8521 and the silicon balance spring offers so much stability that Omega offers the stunning timepiece with a four-year warranty.
The Omega Constellation Co-Axial 27 mm is water resistant to 10 bar / 100 metres / 330 feet. An 18 Ct yellow gold model is also available.
The Omega Constellation Co-Axial 27 mm was designed for the woman who cares as much about the mechanical movement inside the case as she does for its breathtaking beauty.

Michael had the opportunity to visit the Omega Boutique at the Swatch Art Peace Hotel. Being one of the greatest swimmers in history, Michael got the chance to talk to some young Chinese swimming fans, who were all enthusiastic about meeting him.

As to what time means to him, Michael said, "Time is of paramount importance to me. In swimming, a hundredth of a second can determine the result. That's why precise timing is critical to competitive swimming. Omega is visible everywhere I compete. It's just like having a family around when I'm travelling."
He added, "Omega has offered unwavering support for a long time. I really think that being part of a company like this is extremely special. It's been amazing to have been an ambassador for so many years. I'm looking forward to sharing time with them this summer at the World Championships in Shanghai, and of course I'm looking ahead to the London 2012 Olympic Games."

Omega is a company of the Swatch Group, the largest manufacturer and distributor of watches and jewellery in the world At the boutique, Michael also assumed a different role. In addition to autographing watch boxes containing the newly upgraded Seamaster Planet Ocean collection, the 14-time Olympic gold medalist, donned a white lab coat and a watchmaker's loupe. He was then joined by the children who were also outfitted in Omega lab coats and worked with them as they used precision horological hand tools to disassemble a watch movement. The next challenge was to put the Omega movement back together and Michael and the children applauded each other enthusiastically when they successfully completed this daunting task.
The Swatch Art Peace Hotel where the Omega Boutique is located is directly on Shanghai's iconic Bund, is a historic landmark in Shanghai. It has been painstakingly renovated and now offers the same magnificent splendor that has defined it since it first opened its doors as the Palace Hotel in 1908.
The FINA World Championships are taking place from July 16th to 31st at the Shanghai Oriental Sports Center. Omega wishes Michael Phelps every success in his upcoming competitions.

In recent decades, women have been an increasingly important force for social, political and economic change. They are opinion shapers and leaders in business, in politics, in lifestyle and in the media.
In designing the Ladymatic, OMEGA set an audacious challenge for itself: the aim was to create a watch which would integrate the brand's most innovative technology with dramatic, eye-catching design. The Ladymatic dramatically meets the challenge.
Subtle elegance
This elegant member of the Ladymatic collection features a polished 34 mm stainless steel case with a distinctive white ceramic ring between an outer decorative wave and the inner case body. The polished screw-in crown is set with a brilliant Omega cut diamond. Its bezel is dramatically paved with snow set diamonds.
The face of the Ladymatic is highlighted by the supernova pattern emanating from the centre of the extra-white mother-of-pearl dial. There is a diamond-polished date window at the 3 o'clock position and the other hours are marked by diamonds. The polished alpha-shaped hands have been made from 18 Ct white gold and are treated with white Super-LumiNova, making them readable in any lighting conditions.
The polished caseback has a sapphire crystal that reveals the Co-Axial calibre 8520, the best women's mechanical watch movement in the world. At the heart of the movement is the Co-Axial escapement, the component that in 1999 signalled a revolution in how mechanical wristwatches are made. Each movement is equipped with OMEGA's exclusive Si 14 silicon balance spring, an innovation that makes it more resistant to external shocks and environmental disturbances.
The OMEGA Ladymatic is water-resistant to 10 bar/ 100 metres / 330 feet.

A four-year warranty
The OMEGA Ladymatic is an officially certified chronometer, a testimony to its outstanding timekeeping performance. The remarkable stability and performance of the Co-Axial calibres equipped with silicon balance springs makes it possible for OMEGA to deliver each Ladymatic wristwatch with a four-year warranty.

The face of the Ladymatic is highlighted by the supernova pattern emanating from the centre of the dial. The extra-white mother-of-pearl features a diamond-polished date window at the 3 o'clock position.

The OMEGA Ladymatic is presented with a stainless steel bracelet 3-row featuring OMEGA's patented crew-and-pin design with a butterfly clasp.

Omega has announced that it will work in cooperation with actor and brand ambassador Daniel Craig to support Orbis International and its Flying Eye Hospital in the fight against preventable blindness.

A special watch - the Hour Vision Blue - has been created to celebrate the partnership, and Omega has guaranteed that at least one million U.S. dollars from its sale will be donated to Orbis, an organization which delivers eye care to some of the world's most remote and developing regions.  
 
Omega president Stephen Urquhart spoke of his brand's commitment saying, "Omega is pleased to have the opportunity to contribute to Orbis' remarkable mission. It's particularly gratifying to be working with Daniel in support of an organization whose work we all believe in."
Daniel Craig is arranging a visit to Orbis' Flying Eye Hospital with Omega this year. "I think that it's important to do all that we can to draw attention to the invaluable work that Orbis is doing. By visiting them in the field and seeing their team at work, I hope we will be able to make more people aware of the issue of preventable blindness and to let them know how much of a difference they can make. I'm delighted that Omega feels as bly about this initiative as I do."

 
Since it was founded in 1982, Orbis has carried out programs in 88 countries to provide medical training, tools and technology for local partners to address the tragedy of avoidable blindness in their communities. As a result of Orbis' support, more than 12 million individuals have received medical care and more than a quarter of a million eye care professionals have been trained.  
 
"We are tremendously excited about our new partnership with Omega", stated Dr. Robert Walters, Chairman of Orbis, "and are looking forward to working closely with Omega and Daniel to heighten the awareness of preventable blindness in the developing world. With Omega and Daniel's support, Orbis will reach and treat even more people, reducing the global burden of blindness and ensuring productive lives for many".
 
The Hour Vision Blue wristwatch is a special edition of the elegant Hour Vision. It has a classic 41 mm stainless steel case and is equipped with Omega's Co-Axial caliber 8500, the movement that signaled a revolution in series-produced mechanical watchmaking. The movement can be viewed through the sapphire crystal on the caseback.

Adding distinction to the timepiece is its specially designed sun-brushed blue dial. It has 18 Ct white gold facetted hour, minute and seconds hands coated with white Super-LumiNova and features a date window at the 3 o'clock position.

In January 2011, Tech-Airport received from Duty Free News International the Product Award 2010 in the category "Best new store" for its Hour Passion Boutique at Geneva International Airport.

WORLDTEMPUS - 23 December 2010

George Daniels is considered by many "the greatest living watchmaker." This extraordinary - if fictional - title is not undeserved: Daniels, now 84 years old, made all his watches by hand; he invented new and important elements to add to horology's collective knowledge; and he has passed on his acquired know-how in both writings and teachings.
The element Daniels is probably most famous for is the co-axial escapement that Omega now uses in the lion's share of its movements. Daniels celebrated this escapement not only in his own Millennium wristwatch series (completed with Roger Smith's help). It also continues to live on in Roger Smith's own handmade bespoke watches.
Smith was Daniels's only apprentice, and it is he who carries the torch of traditional English watchmaking. The visuals of the new Co-Axial Anniversary Edition, designed by both masters and manufactured in Smith's Isle of Man workshop, are based on Daniels's 1994 one-off tourbillon chronograph pocket watch. The manually wound movement is fully styled according to traditional English watchmaking: gold-plated, frosted surfaces emphasize the free-sprung balance and - naturally - the co-axial escapement. The time, date, and power reserve displays of this 35-piece limited edition housed in a 40 mm case are found on a hand-guilloche solid silver dial with 18-karat gold chapters. "Simplicity is seen as the keynote of enduring beauty," Daniels and Smith sum up.

Can you imagine a line of women's watches that recalls the most compelling design elements of the golden age of couture and combines them with the best mechanical watch movements in the world? Is this idea simply too good to be true? 

Omega can answer these questions in a word: Ladymatic.

WORLDTEMPUS - 28 October 2010

Luigi Macaluso, affectionately called Gino by those who knew him, led a multicultural life and can lay claim to having successfully resuscitated the Girard-Perregaux brand, integrating it into a group and making it a major independent player in the haute horlogerie scene.
Having been a successful rally driver and obtaining a degree in architecture - a sure sign of the Italian national's good taste - Macaluso, born in 1948, took a job with Omega's new Italian subsidiary in 1975. In 1982, he founded his own company, Tradema, and became a watch wholesaler in Italy for brands as reputed Breitling. One of the brands he sold through Tradema was Girard-Perregaux, and it wasn't long before he was offered shares in the Swiss brand. A few short years later, the entire company was proposed to him, and thus it came about that he went to La Chaux-de-Fonds in 1992 to polish up a grand old name as its owner.

Macaluso had a place of residence in Switzerland's third largest French-speaking city, but he always retained an apartment in Turin and a farm in Tuscany.
Macaluso's systematic acquisition of property around the main Girard-Perregaux factory building located on Place Girardet made it possible to cleanly separate production workshops, representation space, and management offices for his group's two watch brands Girard-Perregaux and JeanRichard from each other while keeping them connected by short pathways. Villa JeanRichard and its museum for tools and tooling machines is located just a few steps away from the Girard-Perregaux Museum within Villa Marguerite, and in between them the main factory and manufacturing buildings pretty much take up the rest of the block. Acquisition of suppliers for case and bracelet manufacture and the consistent quest for quality in Girard-Perregaux's own four manufacture movements combined with prestigious strategic alliances such as Ferrari and the BMW Oracle returned Girard-Perregaux to its former status. This was aided by the creation and continuation of historical delicacies such as the Three Golden Bridges Tourbillon and the Laureato line.
Macaluso's two sons (he is also survived by two daughters) joined his company close to a decade ago. Massimo (who also raced cars like his father) is currently president of JeanRichard, while Stefano (who studied architecture in Turin) became vice-president of Girard-Perregaux a few years ago.
Macaluso sold 23 percent of the Sowind Group's capital to PPR in 2008. PPR owns such prestigious brands as Gucci, Boucheron, and Bedat. Boucheron's prestigious jewelry designs are powered exclusively by Girard-Perregaux's manufacture movements.

WORLDTEMPUS - 25 June 2010

I remember walking down Washington Street in downtown Boston, that city's "jewelry district," and seeing a white-dialed Breitling Premier shining under the lights in a shop. This was during my Hamilton period, and the $1,200 that they wanted for the watch was more than I could imagine spending at the time. I remember being impressed by how smoothly the chronograph pushers worked and how great the dial and case looked. I later enjoyed owning both the white and black dial versions of the Premier. I feel compelled to note that Breitling offered many interesting chronographs in the 1990s and early 2000s—such as the Spatiographe, which displays the elapsed minutes in digital format on a wheel, exactly the way most watches display the date except that it was the chronograph minutes that were displayed. The Montbrillant Eclipse and the Navitimer Twin Sixty are other models from the 1990s that are quite interesting and now rare.

One of the most iconic watches of our generation is the Chronoswiss Opus. It was seeing this watch on the cover of Wristwatch Annual in 2000 that made me buy the book. I never did buy the watch, but that copy of Wristwatch Annual, which I perused so many times that the binding fell apart, really accelerated my watch collecting by exposing me to countless new brands and models. The Opus is aptly named and the watch could serve as a fine holy grail, though—amazingly—it is not priced like most other horological hall-of-famers. Note to self: buy the Chronoswiss Opus to celebrate writing my first articles for Worldtempus.com!
Alain Silberstein offers singularly styled watches, almost always with interesting complications (like his Smileday, which allows you to display your mood with various emoticons in an aperture on the dial—long before "emoticons" was even a word). I love how he playfully blends all of the colors and uses curvy hands. The Alain Silberstein Krono Bauhaus with complete calendar was always on my radar, but, alas, never my wrist.

Finally, my own personal mother of all gaps is the IWC Portuguese Automatic Chronograph in steel (reference 3714). I have probably tried it on 50 times and never pulled the trigger. This watch with silver dial and rose gold hands and markers is the best looking watch of all time. In my formative collecting years, I found it too difficult to choose between the black dial and silver dial…so I bought neither. I've gone on to own watches much more expensive, but none more beautiful than the Portuguese. Every time I see one, its beauty gives me pause. There must be some reason I never returned to fill that gap. Maybe, just maybe, that watch is my personal Alpha and Omega.
In my estimation, it is a rare collector that has collected for any length of time and does not have similar gaps in his or her own collecting history. I invite you to look back over your own experience and spend a few minutes remembering the watches that you yearned for, but never owned. It's never too late. And if you have been collecting for a while, you may find that the watches that you regret never owning are now discontinued. This just makes filling in those old gaps more fun as you can look forward to some excellent adventures. Late-night detective work online is always fun, as are visits to local watch stores, flea markets, yard sales and maybe even travelling to watch shows: in pursuit, and hopefully conquest, of filling in those gaps. Good luck and good hunting.

The Museum, which opened in January of 1984, is the oldest museum dedicated to a single watch brand. Located just opposite Omega's headquarters in Biel, it features items representing the brand's entire history, including the watchmaker's bench used by Louis Brandt when he began to make watches more than 160 years ago.

Omega president Stephen Urquhart likened the period of renovation to an archaeological dig. "Not only did we renovate the whole Museum but we also restored many of the period features of this listed building. The project gave us a chance to review our entire collection. Some of the objects displayed are being presented to the public for the first time, including things which we didn't even know were hidden in the archives."
One of these is a pocket watch used by Albert Einstein, a man whose work is closely identified with time.
Omega's history is vividly recreated with displays presenting all the brand's most important stories. Visitors will have a chance to examine the equipment OMEGA has developed and used in its timekeeping role at the Olympic Games since 1932.

The brand has been closely involved in NASA's manned space programme for more than 45 years and Omega Speedmasters were worn on all six lunar landings. The Museum exhibit highlighting the role of the Speedmaster in space features four watches which were worn on or near the Moon.
One of the new sections of the Museum is dedicated to prototypes - watches which were developed by Omega but, for various reasons, never introduced into commercial production.
Some of the timepieces on display have been long time favourites of visitors to the Omega Museum, including the wristwatch worn by author/adventurer/spy T. E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) and the watch worn by John F. Kennedy at his inauguration when he became 35th President of the United States.

Following publication of sales figures on January 20, 2010, we now present the unaudited Group key figures. This advance information will be followed by the distribution and discussion of the detailed annual report at the press conference scheduled for March 11, 2010.
•   Group gross sales of CHF 5 421 million, on comparable basis (excluding 2008 divestmentsof Sokymat and Michel) -6.3% at constant exchange rates and -8.1% in total lower than in the record year 2008.
•   Watch segment sales with a decrease at constant rates of -5.5% largely outperform Swiss Watch Federation export sales (-22.3% in 2009), gaining market shares for the Group in practically all price segments and markets.
•   Operating profit reaches CHF 903 million or 17.6% on net sales (versus 21.2% in 2008), with a very b performance in the second half-year (EBIT margin of over 20%) despite currency losses of CHF 105 million versus 2008.
•   Net income amounts to CHF 763 million, -8.9% less than in 2008, with 14.8% of net sales exactly the same as in the previous year.
•   Substantial equity of CHF 6 billion or 77.6% of total balance sheet (versus 75.3% in the prior year).
•   Dividend 2009 proposed: CHF 0.80 per registered share and CHF 4.00 per bearer share.
•   At the Annual General Meeting, the Board of Directors will propose reelection of its current members and in addition the election of Jean-Pierre Roth and Georges Nicolas Hayek as new Board members.
•   A good start so far in 2010, January sales representing the second-best month of January in the history of the Group, with an excellent outlook for the Group for the rest of this year.
 

Group Overview
 
In a very challenging year 2009 with a worldwide recession, the Swatch Group recorded gross sales of CHF 5 421 million, a decrease of -6.3% on a comparable basis (at constant exchange rates and excluding 2008 divestments of Sokymat and Michel) compared to the record year 2008. This performance is substantially better than the export figures published by the Swiss Watch Federation (-22.3% in 2009), which means that the Group has once again increased its market shares in practically all price segments and markets. Foreign currencies negatively impacted sales by CHF 105 million or -1.8%, mainly in the second half of 2009. The month of December 2009 showed a very positive sales trend in the watch segment (+28.8% versus December 2008), with clear signs of market normalization.
 
After a temporary setback in the first half of 2009, the Group's operating margin improved considerably in the second half year and achieved 17.6% (21.2% in 2008) for the full year. The main driving force was the watch segment, with a very convincing operating margin. Taking into account that foreign currencies as well as the gold price, an important raw material for the Group's watches, did not develop in our favor, this represents a very positive achievement. In addition, the Group preserved jobs for its employees, maintained b marketing activities and kept investment at a very high level.
 
Net income decreased by 8.9% to CHF 763 million compared to CHF 838 million in the previous year, and, at 14.8%, the net margin remained at the same level as in 2008. The Group's balance sheet is still solid, with an improved equity ratio of 77.6% as at December 31, 2009 compared to 75.3% in the previous year, and also a much higher cash position. The average return on equity was a remarkable 13.3%.
 
The Board of Directors of the Swatch Group will propose the following dividend for 2009 to the Annual General Meeting on May 12, 2010: CHF 0.80 per registered share and CHF 4.00 per bearer share. Furthermore, besides the planned reelection of the current Board members, Jean-Pierre Roth, former Chairman of the Governing Board of the Swiss National Bank, and Georges Nicolas Hayek, Group CEO, will be proposed for election as additional Board members at the Annual General Meeting.
 
Outlook for 2010
The Board of Directors and the Executive Group Management Board are very confident of achieving further organic sales growth and improved margins in 2010. The main reasons for this positive outlook are the excellent start in 2010, increasing order entries as well as the improving economic environment and market confidence worldwide. In addition, the Group's positioning in all market segments and its broad geographical presence represent important success factors in the watch industry. The solid balance sheet and the improved capability to generate cash flow will bring the Group in an even ber position than before the financial crisis.
Omega's mission as official timekeeper at the Winter Olympics 2010 in Vancouver, starting at the end of this week, is one of many positive factors that will improve sales in 2010. Furthermore, the opening of the Swatch Art Peace Hotel mid 2010, during the World Exhibition in Shanghai, will represent another milestone for the Group. In order to gain further market share and strengthen its worldwide presence, the Group will also take advantage of interesting opportunities in the different markets.
 

 
As the OMEGA clock counting down to the start of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games has just reached the minus 100 day mark, OMEGA is releasing two special limited edition watches to commemorate the milestone. The OMEGA Seamaster Diver 300m "Vancouver 2010" Limited Edition will be produced in 41 mm and 36.25 mm versions, each in a release of 2010 numbered pieces and featuring the OMEGA Co-Axial caliber 2500.
The Seamaster Diver 300m "Vancouver 2010" Limited Edition is equipped with professional diving features: it has a unidirectional rotating bezel, a helium-escape valve and is water resistant to a depth of 300 meters. The caseback is embossed with the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games logo which features "Ilanaak", the symbol of the Games. It represents the figures made of piled stones which the Canadian First Nations people created to serve as greetings to anyone moving through their territories. The logo's name, Ilanaak, was taken from the word for "friend" in Inuktitut, the name given to the variety of Inuit languages spoken in Canada. The caseback is engraved with the Limited Edition number (0000/2010).
OMEGA will be serving as Official Olympic Timekeeper for the 24th time at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver and will be carrying on a legacy dating back to the 1932 Los Angeles Olympic Games. The Seamaster Diver 300m "Vancouver 2010" Limited Edition watches ideally commemorate the Winter Games in Vancouver and OMEGA's long relationship with the Olympic Movement.
The striking watches feature white lacquered dials and red-anodized aluminum bezel rings. These bold contrasting colors recall the Canadian flag with its proud red maple leaf against a stark white background. The white dials are also reminiscent of the snow and ice which will play such an important role in the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games.
The watches' connection to the Games in Vancouver is further reinforced by the colored Olympic rings on the counterweight of the red-tipped, rhodium-plated chro¬nograph seconds hand. Their hands and indexes are coated with white Super-LumiNova which at night or in limited light conditions casts a soft blue reflection.

Christmas has come and gone. The gifts were exchanged - maybe last night, maybe this morning, depending on your culture or your own family traditions.

And now you have 364 days before it's time to do it all again. There are only about 8,700 hours to select, buy and wrap next year's presents - less, if you do your shopping early.

And the passing of time is tracked sublimely on the Omega wristwatch she found under the tree. Each glance at the watch reminds her of the best Christmas ever and the special person who gave it to her.

She will notice more of the 525,600 minutes between this Christmas and next than usual because she can't keep her eyes off the dial. And the Omega she received this year will be counting down the days perfectly. Who should be thinking about you each time she looks at her watch ?

Omega's holiday selections
To mark all the great moments this holiday season and in the years to come, Omega has some selections for 2009 including two dramatically detailed Constellations for ladies and an eye-catching Seamaster Aqua Terra Co-Axial Chronograph for gents or for women who enjoy wearing larger watches.

The advertisements feature photographs of Omega's brand ambassadors sporting loupes, the magnifying glasses favoured by watchmakers.

 
Inspired by Omega's award-winning advertisement
The visuals were inspired by Omega's award-winning "Watchmaker Wanted" campaign, which featured a Greg Williams photograph of George Clooney wearing a lab coat and a loupe.

In one of the new advertisements, Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin, the first man to walk on the Moon wearing an Omega Speedmaster, appears with the headline, "It's not rocket science. But it's close."
Formula One superstar Michael Schumacher's Co-Axial advertisement describes the steady, constant performance of the movements with the legend, "When faster isn't better."
All of Omega's high-flying ambassadors are taking part in the campaign including George Clooney, Michael Phelps, Nicole Kidman, Cindy Crawford, Zhang Ziyi, and Sergio Garcia.

The advertising texts have been written with reference to the ambassadors' professional fields of endeavour and an aspect of Omega's Co-Axial movements. Swimmer Phelps's ad talks about the importance of timing. Super model Crawford's copy is about the fashion statement made by the movements.

The other "stars" in the adverts: Omega's Co-Axial calibres
The Co-Axial escapement, introduced in 1999, was the first practical new watch escapement to be developed in some 250 years. The escapement is, in simple terms, the heart of the mechanical watch. It maintains the oscillations of the balance, the watch's regulating mechanism. The Co-Axial Escapement reduces the friction among the parts that transmit energy from one component to another, resulting in longer service intervals, a reduced need for lubrication and, above all, greater stability of the watch's precision over time.  
Since 2007 Omega has been producing its exclusive Co-Axial calibres in house comprising more than 200 parts.

 
 "Co-Axial has been a turning point"
Commenting on the advertisements, Omega president Stephen Urquhart said, "T

October 9th 2009
The Seamaster Planet Ocean Liquidmetal Limited Edition unveiled by Omega on Monday is the first model from the brand, and doubtless in the entire watch industry, to contain Liquidmetal. This alloy discovered by researchers at the Californian Institute of Technology is endowed with several distinctive physical properties that have enabled the creation of a bezel alternating satin-brushed zones for the numerals and the minute scale with a polished surface for the ceramic part. Having in the process been granted exclusive rights to the use of this metal in watchmaking, Omega presents a timepiece of which the aesthetic criteria set out in the technical specifications led to the use of an ultra high-tech material.

Used to date in applications such as enhancing the flexibility of Head tennis rackets, the Liquidmetal is extremely different to classic metals. Amorphous rather than crystalline like most other metals, it has a 400°C melting point twice as high as titanium-based alloys, and is three times tougher than stainless steel. Nonetheless, Omega engineers have chosen it first and foremost for its malleability - a quality that enables even the smallest cavities to be perfectly filled thanks to the pressure of the alloy inside. This technology thus paved the way for the visually appealing alternation of metal parts with those made in ceramics and produced by Comadur - a sister company in the Swatch Group.
After presenting last spring a Speedmaster model not yet available on the market but equipped with a split-second chronograph and a ceramic dial, Omega once again introduces a model with a decidedly high-tech face. The shimmering pure dial echoing the bezel lends the watch exceptional depth and intensity, while the attractive dial design strikes a fine balance between vintage spirit and avant-garde styling.
The cogs of the in-house production process seems to be pretty well oiled, since the Seamaster Planet Ocean Liquid Limited Edition will be available by the end of the year in a series of 1948 - a nod to the launch date of the Seamaster collection. This relatively generous number is well over that of a "confidential" edition and doubtless heralds other forthcoming developments. The retail price is set at 4,800 Swiss francs excluding tax.

 
Omega has announced the launch of the Seamaster Planet Ocean Liquidmetal Limited Edition, the world's first watch to bond ceramics and Liquidmetal.

Swatch Group researchers collaborating with OMEGA's product development team have created a striking ceramic diving bezel whose numbers and scaling, made of the Liquidmetal alloy, appear in stunning silvery contrast to the black ceramic background. The colour of the ceramic dial perfectly matches that of the bezel. The result is an aesthetic wonder only made possible by several new and innovative processes.
The remarkable world premiere is being launched in a limited edition of 1948 pieces in honour of the year OMEGA launched its popular Seamaster watch line.

Liquidmetal®: seamless bonding, remarkable hardness
The Liquidmetal alloy is an amorphous metal - a metallic material with a disordered, non-crystalline atomic structure. Its fusion temperature is half that of conventional titanium alloys but when it is cooled, its hardness is three times as great as that of stainless steel. Its amorphous structure allows it to bond seamlessly with the ceramic bezel.

The Liquidmetal is a bulk metallic glass alloy consisting of five elements: zirconium, titanium, copper, nickel and beryllium. A bulk metallic glass can, by virtue of its low critical cooling rate, be formed into a structure with a thickness of more than a tenth of a millimetre. Zirconium is an important constituent part both of the Liquidmetal® alloy and of the ceramic material which is made of zirconium dioxide (Zr02).  
The final, perfectly smooth bezel is particularly resistant to scratching and corrosion because of the hardness of the two components.

The union of ceramics and Liquidmetal® at OMEGA
First, ceramic rings are formed. The numbers and the fine lines of the minute scaling are then engraved into these ceramic bezel rings and polished. The alloy is heated and pressed into the cavities in the ceramic material after which any excess Liquidmetal is removed. The Liquidmetal can be manipulated at a lower temperature than metals normally used in watchmaking so the heating process does not damage the ceramic material.
The Liquidmetal numbers and scales are then satin brushed. Because the ceramic is a harder material than the alloy, the satin brushing of the fine details can be done without affecting the ceramic bezel. The numbers and scaling then appear in bold, vivid contrast to the glossy ceramic background.

Redefining longevity in the watch industry
The OMEGA Seamaster Planet Ocean Liquidmetal Limited Edition, which has a stainless steel case and bracelet, is driven by OMEGA's revolutionary Co-Axial calibre 2500. These movements, which have been heralded for their long-term chronometric performance, are perfectly complemented by the ceramic and Liquidmetal alloy components which are incredibly resistant to corrosion and scratching. The result is pure OMEGA: a design premiere which will retain its appearance indefinitely, blended with innovative Co-Axial technology.