Journey to the rediscovery of Omega

Omega, the moon and you... It is, to say the least, limiting to identify the Bienne-based brand only with the Apollo 11 mission and the Moon landing in July 1969. Not to mention that its most famous watch, the Speedmaster, actually began its space saga with the Gemini missions in the early 1960s.

Omega's history offers many and varied points of interest, tracing its roots back to the late 19th century, more than a century before the conquest of space (1848), when the company gained notoriety for manufacturing reliable, high-precision mechanical movements. Which today is a plus, but at the time was a must.

One gets a broad and clear view of this exceptional history by visiting the manufacture's museum (in Biel, in fact). And not only by observing the showcases full of firsts, such as the famous waterproof watch with a double case, the first wristwatch model advertised as a diver (the Marine, from the 1930s). But above all by getting involved in the interactive experiences, which trace the company's expertise in the manufacture of high-performance watches. Placed at the service of sports timekeeping (from 1932 to the Olympics) as well as missions at the limit of endurance, from the experimental flights of the Solar Impulse (in 2010) to the Five Deeps Expedition in the abysses of the globe (in 2019).

It is perhaps the museum that most sticks in my mind during my visit to Omega with The Watch Club. Recently refurbished and redesigned for an audience of enthusiasts and non-enthusiasts alike, it is a must-see destination for a watch enthusiast. And I recommend taking the children there. They'll love it.

You can read the report of the visit to Omega with L'Orologio Club members in the June issue of L'Orologio. And who knows, you might feel like attending the next one. I'm sure you will.

Dody Giussani

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