Come Home to Omega This Paris Olympics

Since the inception of competitive sports, time has been an inalienable aspect of the pinnacle of athletic competition. In the modern context, the Olympic Games embody the collective pinnacle of global sport, and even at the first iteration of the modern Games in 1896, time was a crucial element — its significance to events such as the marathon were as important then as it is now. Omega has a stellar reputation when it comes to producing incredibly accurate timekeeping instruments — the story of the Apollo 13 crew using their Speedmasters to time critical engine burns, ultimately saving their lives, comes to mind. It comes as no surprise then, that Omega has been the Olympic Games’ official timekeeping partner for the better part of the last century.

A timekeeping partnership that spans over nine decades is no mean feat — if anything, it is a testament to Omega’s ability to innovate and evolve through the years. At its first Olympic Games as official timekeeper, in 1932, the Swiss manufacture’s involvement took the form of 30 high-precision stopwatches and as many timekeepers; today, Omega deploys hundreds of employees and tonnes of cutting-edge timing equipment.

The Games are not just a metaphorical home for the manufacture — Omega also has a physical home in Paris for this year’s Games as well. A cozy, intimate space where guests will be able to delve into the heart of the brand, the Omega House Paris is located at The Hôtel de Poulpry, Maison des Polytechniciens. Beginning with a full timeline of Omega’s history at both the Olympic and Paralympic Games, guests are also invited to visit the various rooms dedicated to Omega’s watchmaking universe.

The Timekeeping room showcases the modern Omega technologies that are critical to the Games functioning smoothly today, such as the electronic starting pistol and photo-finish camera, while Stadium is a unique experience that immerses guests in the excitement that comes with being an Olympic champion.

Elsewhere, Speedmaster luxuriously highlights Omega’s well-known history in space exploration, showcasing a variety of floating Speedmaster timepieces, astronaut memorabilia, and a golden astronaut for a photo opportunity. The Seamaster room provides a sophisticated space in which guests can enjoy a drink, whilst also diving into the manufacture’s current staple Seamaster collection. Finally, Her Time exhibits Omega’s watchmaking for women from the past century, headlined by vintage ladies’ pieces, as well as other keepsakes.

Rounding out the experience, The Garden is a green-hued respite from Parisian urbanity — the space’s plush furniture and big screen makes it the perfect secluded space in which one can relax and enjoy the Games.

The Omega House will be open to members only from 28 July to 10 August. 

This story was first seen on MensFolio.com

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4 New Omega Watches To Count Down To The Paris Olympics With

We’re down to the last 80 days before the 2024 Olympic Games begin in Paris, and Omega, the official Olympic timekeeper since 1932, has launched its latest special commemorative editions, this time based on the Speedmaster collection’s Chronoscope series, distinguished by its two-counter presentation.

At 43mm, the four vintage-inflected models feature while opaline dials bearing three concentric timing scales—tachymeter (to measure speed), pulsometer (pulse), and telemeter (distance)—in a design that harks back to the aesthetic from the 1940s. In stainless steel with an anodised aluminium bezel, or in Omega’s proprietary fade-resistant yellow-gold alloy, Moonshine Gold, with a ceramic bezel, and paired with either a bracelet in the same material as the case or a black calfskin strap, the models combine gold, black and white, the colours of the logo of the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic games.

The closed caseback features a stamped medallion with a mirror-polished Paris 2024 emblem against a base of frosted metal. (The emblem—combining gold, a stylised Olympic flame, and a woman’s face to stand for Marianne, the personification of the French Republic—is designed as a three-fold tribute to this year’s Games.)

Powering the four Speedmaster Chronoscopes is the Co-Axial Master Chronometer Calibre 9908/9909, certified by the Bern-based Swiss Federal Institute of Metrology (METAS) for superior precision, performance and magnetic resistance.

This duo comes after the Seamaster Diver 300m Paris 2024 special edition launched last July to mark the one-year countdown to the start of the Games and also Omega’s 31st turn as the event’s official timekeeper. The 42mm watch is available only at the brand’s Paris boutiques, making it bona fide souvenir for those attending the Games in person.

The Seamaster Diver 300m Paris 2024 special edition is composed of a stainless steel case and bracelet, together with a Moonshine Gold bezel. Its laser-engraved white ceramic dial bears the wave pattern found on most members of the Seamaster Diver 300m family, while the date display at 6 o’clock employs the custom Art Deco–inspired typeface specially developed for the Paris 2024 games, and the central seconds hand is decorated with the Paris 2024 emblem.

Like the Olympics-themed Speedmaster Chronoscopes, the Seamaster Diver 300m Paris 2024 special edition comes with a closed commemorative caseback and a polished Moonshine Gold medallion in the form of the Paris 2024 logo inlayed on textured laser-ablated steel. Within the case resides the Co-Axial Master Chronometer 8800, also certified by the Swiss Federal Institute of Metrology. The Quick Change System lets wearers switch between steel bracelets, rubber straps, and the Paris 2024 NATO straps.

This article was first seen on Grazia.sg

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