Marking an enormous leap forward, the Brandt brothers released a new calibre in 1894 that was to famously become the company’s namesake – the 19-ligne calibre. Produced in series using revolutionary new methods, the movement set a new standard for watchmaking. It was not only extremely accurate, but every component could be replaced without modification by any watchmaker in the world. The combination of winding and time-setting via the stem and crown was also groundbreaking and still widely used today.

The brothers crowned their new achievement “OMEGA”, a name that classically signifies ultimate accomplishment. They knew that precise, series-produced movements were the future of watchmaking, and it didn’t take long for the public to realise this too, with the reputation of the company quickly growing around the globe.

The success of the movement was so great that the brothers changed the name of their company to OMEGA Watch Co (shortened). By 1903, OMEGA had become the largest manufacturer of finished watches in Switzerland and had taken on the role of research and development facility.

The hard work of its master watchmakers was rewarded in 1931 when OMEGA set precision records in all six of the trials at the Geneva Observatory. The OMEGA chronometer tested kept time more accurately, in a range of conditions, than any other watch ever before produced.

OMEGA’s commitment to record-setting precision remains to this day, most recently recognised in 2014 when the Master Co-Axial proved to be so reliable that it merited an entirely new level of quality certification.

In 1947, OMEGA created one of the world’s first tourbillon wristwatch movements, successfully miniaturising one of the most complex mechanisms in watchmaking. Tourbillon movements were always prized for their ability to offset the effect of gravity on timekeeping performance, but were mostly limited to pocket watches due to their technological constraints.

The early OMEGA watch version went on to win numerous illustrious prizes for accuracy and served as proof that tourbillon watch movements had a viable future. Today, OMEGA continues on its pioneering path and is proud to offer the only automatic central tourbillon watch in the world.

Named after the eight stars emblazoned on its crest, the Constellation was launched by OMEGA in 1952. Because of its high-quality construction and unfaltering precision, the Constellation quickly became known as “the Swiss watch”.

The eight stars on the Constellation medallion represent eight precision records that OMEGA set at Kew-Teddington and the Geneva Observatory during the mid-20th century. The iconic engraving of the stars and observatory are in homage to these results, as well as the incredible accuracy that the Constellation watch offered, and still offers, to consumers

In 1957 OMEGA introduced its Professional line of watches. The line consisted of three watches that were all to become legends in their own rights – the Speedmaster, the Seamaster 300 and the Railmaster.

The Speedmaster was destined for a future of pioneering space exploration with NASA, and became known as “the Moonwatch”. The Seamaster 300 ushered in a new era of underwater discovery, while the Railmaster was OMEGA’s first commercially available watch able to resist magnetism more than 1,000 gauss, becoming a timeless symbol of earth-bound precision.

In 1967 the De Ville dropped “Seamaster” from its name and became a line in its own right. At its launch, the De Ville generated considerable attention due to the fact that it combined OMEGA’s already-proven movements with meticulous finish and design. Simpler, slimmer and more varied, the collection was instantly appreciated for its refined form.

Since then, the timeless good looks of the De Ville have remained untouched. Inside the case, the timepieces in the De Ville family have become equally as impressive. Today, they are also equipped with OMEGA’s state-of-the-industry technology.

After a decade of development, OMEGA launched the Megaquartz movement, a wristwatch-sized calibre that was certified as a “Marine Chronometer”. Due to its routine variation of less than 0.002 seconds per day, it remains the world’s first and only wristwatch to receive this distinction.

In the pre-computer age, marine chronometers were crucial for maritime navigation and had bulky movements due to the need for extreme precision. They were stringently tested and certified because if a chronometer were to fail, a ship could be lost. Today, OMEGA’s Marine Chronometer can be viewed at the OMEGA Museum in Biel/Bienne, Switzerland.

By the 1970s, OMEGA had a solid reputation in the manufacture of divers’ watches. The OMEGA Seamaster Professional 200 m was one of that decade’s best. Notable for its octagonal steel case and luminous black dial, it was selected in 1978 as the watch of choice by The Naval Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service (SHOM). This French government agency was responsible for producing the official maps and charts for divers at sea and OMEGA provided them with just the right timepiece for their meticulous and demanding work. Reflecting that support, the watch is today more commonly known as the OMEGA Seamaster Professional “SHOM”.

Signalling a turning point in mechanical watchmaking, OMEGA released the industry’s first practical new watch escapement in some 250 years – the Co-Axial escapement. Using smaller contact surfaces, the Co-Axial escapement produces less friction and requires less lubrication, making it far more reliable than traditional movements.

Developed by inventor George Daniels (1926 – 2011), the Co-Axial escapement was both a leap forward in watchmaking and a symbol of OMEGA’s on-going dedication to the pioneering spirit.

To create a mechanical watch equal to the challenges of a contemporary lifestyle, OMEGA had to rethink the very heart of its movements. In 2008, OMEGA released the Si14 balance spring, created to resist the ever-increasing magnetic forces that are part of our lives. Named after the chemical symbol and atomic number of silicon, the new spring significantly reduces deviation and improves chronometric stability.

Watches equipped with OMEGA’s proprietary Co-Axial movement and fitted with the Si14 balance spring offer such outstanding stability and reliability that they are delivered with a full four-year warranty.

Launched in 1955, the Ladymatic was OMEGA’s first ladies’ automatic wristwatch. In 2010, OMEGA re-launched the Ladymatic with a new mechanical movement – the best in the world – for a new generation of women.

Thanks to a modern blend of materials, the captivating face of the new Ladymatic becomes partially transparent when angled, revealing the Co-Axial movement within. And like the original Medicus, it features a central strap attachment first conceived by OMEGA more than 75 years ago.

Overcoming one of nature’s greatest forces, OMEGA revealed a new watch movement resistant to magnetism of more than 15,000 gauss in 2013 – the Co-Axial 8508. Previous watches identified as anti-magnetic relied on a protective inner case and were only resistant to magnetic fields of about a thousand gauss. Through the creative use of non-ferromagnetic materials developed by OMEGA in partnership with Swatch Group sister companies, it was possible to create a movement that is truly anti-magnetic. And because the movement itself resists magnetism – with no need for the protective inner case, the dials can have date windows and the movement can be viewed through a transparent sapphire crystal caseback. Given the dramatic rise in daily magnetism due to wireless technologies, the Co-Axial 8508 is a timely and relevant development in mechanical watchmaking.

It had become clear to OMEGA that existing watch movement certifications were no longer equal to the quality of the brand’s new watches, which is why OMEGA established a new watch certification process approved by the Swiss Federal Institute of Metrology (METAS). Passing this series of eight independent tests and performing within the parameters set by the Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres (COSC) qualifies a timepiece as a Master Chronometer.

Not only do the tests measure the performance of watches in daily wearing conditions, they also ensure that the watch and its movement function properly when exposed to magnetic fields of 15,000 gauss. This revolutionary process established a new quality standard in the watch industry – you’d expect nothing less from OMEGA.

More than 50 years after the iconic Calibre 321 was last produced, OMEGA brought the movement back in 2019. The original Calibre 321 was the first movement ever used in the OMEGA Speedmaster and was famously used in a variety of models including those worn on the moon.

The column-wheel design is also notoriously beautiful and intricate. Therefore, to bring this “collector’s favourite” back into production for the modern era, OMEGA utilised a diverse group of Swatch Group experts, including researchers, developers, historians, craftsmen and watchmakers. Based on historical research, digital scanning and original movements, the team reconstructed the Calibre 321 as accurately as possible and assured its future for a new generation of fans.