Historical Infomation

Omega was founded at La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, in 1848 by then 23-year-old Louis Brandt, who started assembling key-wound pocket watches from parts he got from local craftsmen. Shortly after, he began selling his watches all over Italy, Scandinavia and England, which was his best market. After Brandt's death in 1879, his sons Louis-Paul and Cesar took over the company and began producing everything in-house with a staff of professional watchmakers. The actual name, Omega, didn't appear until 1894, only nine years before both Louis-Paul and Cesar would pass away, leaving the company in the hands of four young people (the oldest of which was only 24). However, after a merger with Tissot, the company would continue its success and become one of the most notable names in watchmaking. In fact, according to an Omega study, the company estimates that 7 out of 10 people have heard about their brand of watches.

In 1999, Omega unveiled the world’s first mass-produced watch, the Calibre 2500, that incorporated a co-axial escapement. This breakthrough functions with virtually no lubrication, therefore eliminating one of the most common shortcomings in traditional watches. By implementing radial friction instead of sliding friction at the impulse surfaces, the co-axial escapement significantly reduces friction and nets longer service intervals and greater accuracy over time.