[story time] Why I love Omega watches so much
We’re continuing our series on luxury brands (after Hermès , and Dior). I have a bling side running through my veins, so I really have a soft spot for luxury brands. But not just any luxury brand.
Recently, someone searched for “Gucci” on my blog. Why would I buy Gucci, seriously? Who do you take me for? Ewwww…
I discovered the Omega brand when I was very young. I didn’t know it was a luxury brand. Because my grandfather had an Omega watch. The DE VILLE model, to be precise. My family is middle class, so I never thought Grandpa would have bought such a luxury item. He probably bought it after his year in the Congo (which I told you about in another article).
Image: my grandfather had a similar watch, but not in gold.
My grandfather was a physics and math teacher, so he not only appreciated beautiful things but also the mechanics behind them, like an engineer. I’m sure back then, with that money, he could have bought a house instead, but no, my grandfather had that bling side, preferring beautiful things over everyday comfort, even if it meant eating vegetables and rice for years.
From time to time, he would show me his Omega and explain the basic principles of mechanical watches. Anyway, the side effect of having teachers in the family is that every conversation turns into a science lesson. Even though I knew nothing about astronomy, after spending so much time with him, I had enough knowledge to point out scientific errors in Interstellar, for example, because my grandfather was like an encyclopedia. I remember when I was 4 and wanted to cut out stars, he took out a compass to draw the perfect star for me. Such a teacher thing.
So, if my grandfather chose an Omega, it must have been the best. Since I was little, I had as a reference: automatic watch = Omega. Rolex who? Don’t know them.
I became their service provider
When I joined a digital agency in 2013, one of the first accounts I was given was Omega. The agency had other Swatch Group brands, but as luck would have it, I landed on Omega. I jumped for joy internally. OMG.
To do my job properly, I had to read all the pages available on the site to learn the difference between each watch model. The client kindly sent me all the documentation, catalogs, and kept me updated on every product release. That only strengthened my love for the brand.
My grandfather once explained to me that there were rubies inside the mechanism. At that time, I had never seen gemstones in my life, so that information alone really impressed me. I suggested he take apart his watch to get the rubies, hahaha.
Unfortunately, he never knew Omega’s revolutionary caliber: the Co-Axial caliber launched in 1999: a true breakthrough in the world of mechanical watches in 250 years.
The caliber in question is extremely small and supported by 5 perfectly cut synthetic rubies. The choice of ruby is not random. On the Mohs scale, ruby has a hardness of 9 (vs. 10 for diamond), to limit wear. This expensive caliber, however, offers incredible precision and more power reserve (enough to last the weekend without being worn).
Moreover, the history of Omega watches is closely linked to space exploration (first watch on the moon, a rather decisive role in Apollo 13…), James Bond, the Olympics… and later associated with sports where the watch is particularly mistreated like golf, up to antimagnetic calibers to withstand the new demands of the modern world…
For sentimental reasons, I’m still more attracted to simple models than to the space exploration models of the Speedmaster collection.
However, I still haven’t bought an Omega watch. Hahaha
Why don’t I have an Omega watch?
First, it’s expensive. It’s not something you can decide to buy overnight. I have my grandfather’s DNA, but unlike him, I can’t subsist on rice and vegetables to buy a watch.
And unfortunately, even though I love beautiful things, I’m not in the habit of wearing watches. I’ve lost several. And it took me years to buy another watch, a Tissot, which I forget to wear 6 days out of 7. So with an Omega automatic watch, which works thanks to the daily movement of the wearer, it’s inappropriate to buy such a watch just for my personal collection.
I did try on Omega watches. First at an event organized by my client where I could chat with Omega master watchmakers, and then in a store in New York. Note: it’s advised to buy watches in Switzerland because with currency exchange, you lose a bit of money buying in EUR or USD. But unfortunately, automatic watches are still very thick and wide compared to my small wrist. So I’m waiting for Omega’s next technological advances to reduce the size further.
Anyway, when you choose an Omega watch, it clearly states whether it’s equipped with the Co-Axial movement or not.
It was my uncle who got my grandfather’s Omega watch. The watch didn’t work anymore and was all scratched, but it stayed in front of my grandfather’s altar for several years, as a memento, before my uncle took it.
Well, I hope this article gave you some cool insights into a brand you’re probably not going to buy from. I think being able to appreciate beautiful things (without necessarily owning them) is already a source of joy, so I simply wanted to share my enthusiasm for this lovely brand with you.
