Omega SA
Omega SA is Swiss watch manufacturer. It belongs to the Swatch Group of companies. It is in Biel-Bienne (Switzerland). Omega SA produces watches of a high standard. It was founded in 1848 by Louis Brandt in La Chaux-de-Fonds (Switzerland). There are many famous people that promote Omega SA including Michael Schuhmacher, George Clooney, Cindy Crawford and Nicole Kidman.
History
The beginning of Omega was 1848 in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Louis Brandt opened a factory that produced watches. The watches made there carried the name Louis Brandt. After the death of Brandt, his sons transferred the production to Biel/Bienne (Switzerland). There, they started to produce their watches industrially. In 1898, "Louis Brandt & frères" employed more than 500 workers.
In 1894 they changed their name to Omega, named after their first watch.
In 1904, the Brandt brothers died, and the company came into the hands of their children. In the following years, Omega became a highly prestigious watch manufacturer. In 1925, Omega started to work with Tissot, another watch manufacturer.
Today Omega belongs to the Swatch Group.
Advertising
James Bond
Many filmmakers have Omega watches in their movies. For example, Pierce Brosnan wore an Omega Seamaster Quartz Professional in James Bond movies starting with the movie "Golden Eye". In all later movies, Brosnan wore an Omega Seamaster Professional Chronometer.
Daniel Craig also wears Omega in his James Bond movies. He even mentions the watch manufacturer by name in the movie.
Sports
At the moment,[when?] Omega SA is the official timekeeper for the Olympic Games. Their first time was 1932 at Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. They were the timekeeper in the 2006 Winter Olympics, and in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
As a sponsor for the Emirates Team New Zealand, Omega introduced the Seamaster NZL-32 chronograph in 2007. The name is the same as the name of the boat that won the America's Cup in 1995.
Omega SA Media
The workbench of Louis Brandt with a photograph of the founder
Pocket watch, made in the 1970s
Omega Seamaster De Ville, an early "waterproof" watch, with automatic movement and date, in 14k gold
Omega Constellation - Rosegold - 1958
Omega Genève, Cal. 613
The distinctive Omega Constellation day-date model of 1980's generation that was known as "Manhattan", equipped with quartz movement, Cal. 1444
Buzz Aldrin wearing the Omega Speedmaster (on his right wrist) during the first manned moon landing of Apollo 11 in 1969
Seamaster 120M Analog-Digital "Multifunction" was introduced in 1998 and discontinued after few years, fitted with Omega, Cal. 1665.
The Omega Speedmaster, or "Moonwatch", selected by NASA for all the Apollo missions
The Omega Seamaster, a deep diving watch. The second crown (at 10 o'clock) is a helium release valve to allow helium out of the watch after practicing saturation diving at great depths. The watch is similar to that shown in recent James Bond films, in which this valve is transformed into improbable hidden gadgets.
