In 1848, Louis Brandt opened a watch assembly workshop in Switzerland and in 1877, his son joined him to found Louis Brandt & Fils. By 1889, it had become the largest watch manufacture in Switzerland producing more than 100,000 watches, and by 1903 the company would make 240,000 annually. In 1894, the company created the Omega 19 calibre with interchangeable parts, a design that would eventually be used as a standard by watch manufacturers everywhere. That same year, the Omega name was registered. Less than 10 years later, the success of the "Omega" name led to it being adopted as the sole name for all the watches of the company. Though the commitment to innovation continued, Omega struggled amidst the recession of the late 1970s. It was purchased by what is now known as the Swatch Group.
The Omega Legacy
In 1909, Omega made its sports debut at the Gordon Bennet cup international ballooning contest. In 1917, Britain's Royal Flying Corps commissioned Omega watches as the official timekeeper of its combat units and the American army followed suit a year later. Omega held first place at the observatory timing competitions in Neuchâtel from 1919 until 1971. In 1957, the Omega introduced the Speedmaster. The Speedmaster Professional was chosen as the official wristwatch of American astronauts. When the astronaut took his famous first steps on the moon declaring, "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind” on July 21, 1969, he was wearing an Omega Speedmaster Professional. Most recently, Omega has developed the innovative coaxial escapement for series production in wristwatches. This design nearly eliminates the need for lubrication, greatly improving the accuracy and reducing the need for frequent service..
Omega watches are extremely popular among many famous and prestigious celebrities around the world. Most notably, Omega watches have been linked with the James Bond movie franchise since 1995, when Pierce Brosnan took over the role of James Bond. In his very first outing as James Bond, Brosnan wore the Omega Seamaster Quartz Professional. Ever since, Brosnan’s Bond has sported the Omega Seamaster Professional Chornomoter. One of the reasons Omega was chosen as the Bond replacement (for the previously worn Rolex Submariner) was the modern look of the watch and Omega’s willingness to participate in product placement in the Bond films. In 2002, which was the 40th anniversary of James Bond, a limited edition of a specially designed Omega Seamaster was released to commemorate the occasion.
Other notable celebrities who have sported Omega watches include George Clooney, Nicole Kidman, Cindy Crawfod, Michael Phelps, and Michelle Wie.
The Omega Collection
There are a number of Omega watch designs that are offered for both men and women. The men’s collection includes the Constellation, Seamaster, Speedmaster, and DeVille. The women’s collection also includes specific versions of the Constellation, Seamaster, Speedmaster, and DeVille.
Omega at Wingate’s
Wingate’s is proud to offer a selection of innovative Omega watches for men including: Constellation, Deville, Seamaster and Speedmaster.
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