A special exhibition at the Chelsea Factory in New York traces the history of OMEGA. From November 9 to 19, Planet OMEGA presents the unique DNA of the Swiss watch brand, as well as many of its most innovative and remarkable timepieces
Upon arrival, a special “Vintage” section reveals a whole series of historical models, on loan from the OMEGA museum in Bienne. Among them :
– The OMEGA wristwatch worn by Elvis Presley, a gift from RCA Records in 1960. The bezel is adorned with 44 brilliant-cut diamonds, while the following words are engraved on the caseback: “To Elvis, 75 Million Records, RCA Victor , 12-25-60” (“To Elvis, 75 million records, RCA Victor, December 25, 1960”). Elvis wore this watch on stage and in everyday life for many years. Among the watches that belonged to him, it is perhaps the most historically significant that has ever been put on the market.
– The OMEGA Slimline watch worn by John F. Kennedy during the presidential inauguration ceremony in 1961. Kennedy received this watch before the elections as a gift from his friend Grant Stockdale, who had the following words engraved on it: “President of the United States John F. Kennedy from his friend Grant. A few months later, the prediction came true.
– An original Ladymatic watch from 1955, considered at the time a revolution in women’s watchmaking. The idea was to create a timepiece that was both typically feminine and as precise as any male model. Inside, the watch housed the caliber 455, which became the world’s smallest automatic caliber with oscillating weight to obtain an official chronometric certificate with special mention.
Exposition Planet Omega – Section Vintage © Omega
The remainder of the exhibition has been divided into six distinct OMEGA-related areas.
For sport and the Olympics, OMEGA celebrates its heritage in official timekeeping in a growing variety of competitions, from the America’s Cup to professional golf, swimming and athletics. Watches on display include:
– One of the first split-seconds chronographs used to time the 1932 Olympic Games, a role that OMEGA still plays today. For this first occasion, more than 90 years ago, an OMEGA watchmaker traveled specially to Los Angeles, bringing 30 chronometers for the judges. Each of them had been certified as a chronometer by the Neuchâtel Observatory and displayed accuracy to within a tenth of a second. The most impressive thing was the “second-hand” function which also allowed split times to be recorded.
– Since then, this iconic piece has served as a source of inspiration for the creation of the brand’s revolutionary new Chrono Chime watch. Also on display, it houses the most complex OMEGA movement ever made.
For the Ocean section, the exhibition looks at the history of OMEGA’s creations inspired by the sea. Among them:
– An original Marine from 1932, known as the first diving watch made available to civilian divers. It was characterized by a clever double housing concept and was waterproof up to 135 meters. Particularly innovative and reliable, the Marine model became very popular with the first ocean explorers.
– One of the latest Seamaster Ultra Deep watches. In 2019, OMEGA created a special watch to reach the deepest point ever recorded in the ocean. The watch presented is a version suitable for any diving enthusiast. It is waterproof to a depth of 6,000 meters.
Exposition Planet Omega – Section James Bond © Omega
The James Bond section is dedicated to the world’s favorite spy, who has worn an OMEGA in all his films since 1995. Models to discover include:
– The Seamaster Diver 300M Edition 007 worn by Daniel Craig during his last appearance in No Time To Die. This authentic movie prop is made from lightweight grade 2 titanium. It was designed with the help of the lead actor himself, Daniel Craig. His unique knowledge of 007 and passion for classic timepieces inspired certain details of the watch.
– Two more magnificent models made for the 60th anniversary of the franchise. Not to be missed: the animations on the case back of these watches, which reproduce the iconic opening sequence of the James Bond films.
Another inseparable element of any OMEGA exhibition – Space. Since the Speedmaster Moonwatch was approved by NASA in 1965 for all manned missions, OMEGA has played an essential role in some of the greatest explorations in history, including the first moon landing in 1969.
Visitors will be able to admire:
– The same CK2998 model as that worn by astronaut Wally Schirra in 1962 during Mercury’s Sigma 7 mission. The first OMEGA watch worn in space, it embodies the first chapter in the brand’s history beyond terrestrial borders.
– Other models such as the latest Speedmaster “Silver Snoopy Award” or those created with real pieces of meteorite.
Exposition Planet Omega – Section Sport © Omega
Today, OMEGA is also known for its international family of Friends of the Brand and Ambassadors. They all embody the brand’s values of excellence and success, whether in the fields of exploration, sport, entertainment or fashion.
As part of the exhibition, the following models will be presented to the public:
– A Constellation model in 18-karat Sedna™ gold – from the family of watches worn by Cindy Crawford, OMEGA’s most loyal ambassador. This 34mm model features a sunburst burgundy dial and diamond-set indexes.
The exhibition ends with a theme that has been at the heart of OMEGA’s history since the very beginning: Precision. This section deciphers some of the brand’s greatest successes throughout its history. Among the models presented:
– The new Speedmaster Super Racing, presented as the first watch in the world to be equipped with the revolutionary Spirate™ system. This system is equipped with a new patent-pending hairspring which allows ultra-precise rate adjustment. Thanks to this unique mechanism, OMEGA is able to achieve a certified accuracy of 0/+2 seconds per day.
2023-11-09 23:04:55
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