If you ask a watch enthusiast about his/her favorite luxury watch brand, there is a high probability that the answer would be Omega watches. These timeless timepieces are considered royalty among watch brands throughout the world. However, their high prices often make people wonder, are Omega watches good?

Omega watches are luxury Swiss-made watches with co-axial escapement, a feature which enables it to last longer with minimal wear and tear than other luxury watches. It was the first watch brand to conquer magnetism and features anti-magnetism of up to 15,000 gausses in every watch. Federal Institute of Metrology (METAS) and Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres (COSC) have certified their accuracy.

Omega watches have been worn by the most prominent figures in history because of their accuracy and superior quality. These watches have accompanied adventurers to the ends of the world. It is also the world’s most loved spy’s go-to watch brand.

Where are Omega Watches Made?

Image via Omega Watches

Omega watches are made in Switzerland. It is owned by the Swatch company, a Swiss luxury watch and jewelry company. Recently, its biggest watch production center was inaugurated at the company’s headquarters’ site in Bienne, Switzerland. 

Now, a few of you must be wondering, has it always been a Swiss brand? Well, the answer is “Yes”. Let’s take a trip down the Omega’s history lane and discover how it reached its current luxury status:

• In 1848, Omega was started by a 23-years old watchmaker, Louis Brandt, in a small Swiss village named La Chaux-de-Fonds. In a span of a few years, he became popular in not just Switzerland, but throughout Europe for his accurate watches.
• In 1879, he passed away and his sons, Louis-Paul and César, moved the business forward.
• In 1880, Omega, then known as Louis Brandt & Fils, moved from La Chaux-de-Fonds to Bienne.
• In 1885, the company manufactured its first series of caliber, the Labrador.
• In 1892, Omega developed the world’s first minute-repeater for the wrist.
• In 1894, the name, Omega, was first born when the brothers developed the 19-ligne caliber.
• In 1895, the Omega brand and symbol was advertised for the first time.
• In 1905, Omega became the official timekeeper of all the sports competitions in Switzerland.
• In 1932, Omega became the official timekeeper for Olympics.
• In 1962, astronaut Wally Schirra made Omega the first watch to enter space.
• In 1965, NASA declared Omega as the official watch for all space missions.

These are the most significant events that won Omega its luxury status. 

Is Omega as Prestigious as Rolex?

Yes, Omega is as prestigious as Rolex. It was the first watch to pass NASA’s checks and visit the moon. It was also the first watch brand to design and produce watches with an anti-magnetism of up to 15,000 gausses. In addition to this, the most prominent figures in history have worn them, including John F. Kennedy and Elvis Presley.

Omega is almost every celebrity’s first choice when it comes to wrist accessories. Sports giants, business tycoons, showbiz superstars and world leaders have worn it on special occasions. Who were these prominent figures and where did they wear it, let’s have a look:

• Former American president, John F. Kennedy, wore an Omega “Ultra-Thin” wristwatch to his inauguration ceremony.
• The Italian business tycoon, Gianni Agnelli’s favorite wristwatch was an Omega Ploprof.
• Buzz Aldrin took an Omega watch, now known as the “Moonwatch”, with him on a mission to the moon.
• During his time in the US Army, the King, Elvis Presley, used to wear an Omega watch from the Constellation collection.
• Prince William, second-in-line to the British throne, is a fan of Omega Seamaster Professional.

Are Omega Watches Worth the Money?

Omega watches are worth every penny of their price. They provide longer service as compared to other luxury watches because of the co-axial escapement, which reduces friction and causes less wear and tear over the span of usage. They offer anti-magnetism up to 15,000 gausses. Furthermore, they are NASA EVA, COSC and METAS certified.

In addition to these, there are multiple other facts which prove that Omega is worth every hard-earned dollar spent on it:

• Omega was the most popular brand among the armed forces throughout the world during World War II.
• The blockbuster movie “Scarface” featured an Omega La Magique, which was worn by the lead character, Tony Montana.
• Omega is “The Beatles” drummer, Ringo Starr’s favorite watch brand.
• Omega’s every watch takes around 500 hours to make.
• Omega was the only watch brand that cleared all the temperature, pressure and speed tests conducted by NASA for space missions.

Do Omega Watches Keep Their Value?

Most of the new omega watches’ value depreciates 30-50% the moment they are bought. However, the pre-owned classic ones’ value appreciates over time. The older versions of Seamaster Professional without ceramic bezels are the best Omega watches in terms of value appreciation.

Now, since most of the Seamaster watches’ value appreciates over time, let’s explore the three oldest models in this series:

• Omega Seamaster ST 565.0009: This was the first watch of the Seamaster series and it was released in 1967. It has an automatic movement, unishell stainless steel case, leather bracelet and water resistance of 30 meters.
• Omega Seamaster Chronostop ST 145.0008: It was released in 1967. It has a mechanical movement, a screw-in stainless steel case, leather bracelet and water resistance of 60 meters.
• Omega Seamaster Cosmic ST 166.0023: This watch was released in 1967 and had an automatic movement, unishell stainless steel case, leather bracelet and water resistance of 30 meters.

Which Omega Watch to Buy?

Omega watches are luxury watches, which means one needs to consider a number of factors before buying one of them. Let’s have a look at the top 5 Omega watches and their prominent features:

1. Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Chronograph
2. Omega Seamaster 300 Limited Edition Men’s Watch
3. Omega De Ville Co-Axial Chronograph
4. Omega Seamaster Mechanical (Automatic) Black Dial Men’s Watch
5. Omega Constellation Automatic Self-Wind Female Watch (Pre-Owned)

Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Chronograph

The first and only watch worn onto the moon is what the Omega Speedmaster is known for, or most people would call it, the Moonwatch. And since the 21st of July 1969, when it was first worn on the lunar surface, it has been popularly known as the Moonwatch.

To some, this may appear like a rather plain hand-wound chronograph watch but simply ask a watch collector or someone who is into horology, they would tell you every attention and the science and engineering behind this beautiful timepiece.

This watch has not only been to the moon but has also been used in multiple space missions to Mercury. In 1965, NASA completed technical tests of the Omega Speedmaster along with other watch contenders and the Omega Speedmaster was the only watch to survive the grueling flight qualified test from NASA – This won Omega the right to proudly write on the back of each Speedmaster “The first and only watch worn on the Moon”.

The following are specifications of this beautiful Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch timepiece:

• Stainless steel case with stainless steel bracelet. With a fixed stainless steel tachymeter bezel
• Hand-wind mechanical movement with Omega caliber 1863 movement
• Scratch resistant sapphire crystal
• Case diameter of 42mm and thickness of 14.3mm
• Water resistant to 99 Feet
• Functions include chronograph, tachymeter hour, minute, second
• Swiss-made

Omega Seamaster 300 Limited Edition Men’s Watch

Do you love James Bond? Are you a fan of his exquisite style? If yes, then you shouldn’t miss the Omega Seamaster 300 Limited Edition Watch. As the name indicates, this is a limited-edition watch from the Seamaster collection, which accompanied James Bond in his mission in the movie “Spectre”.

Omega’s Seamaster series watches are a regular on James Bond movies, but they were never released for the public until the Seamaster 300. It has a lollipop central seconds hand, which is a rare detail in watch design.

Following are the specifications of James Bond’s favorite, the Omega Seamaster 300 Limited Edition Watch:

• It has a bi-directional rotating black ceramic bezel.
• It has a Liquidmetal 12-hour scale, which allows you to adjust the time with any country in the world. 
• It has a black and grey striped NATO strap.
• It has a 41 mm stainless steel case, a black dial and scratch-resistant sapphire glass dial window.
• It has an analog display and a Co-Axial 8400 caliber movement.
• It has a water resistance of up to 300 meters/1000 feet.

Omega De Ville Co-Axial Chronograph

Watch enthusiasts love Omega’s De Ville collection because of its elegance, and superior design and quality. The Omega De Ville Co-Axial Chronograph is one of the most sought-after watches from this collection.

This popular timepiece has a two-zone black dial with its mechanisms enclosed in a 42 mm stainless steel case below the silver bezel.  Following are the major specifications of the Omega De Ville Co-Axial Chronograph:

• It has a 21 mm wide bracelet and 42 mm case, both made from stainless steel.
• It has a push and pull crown, a deployment-buckle and a scratch-resistant and anti-reflective sapphire glass dial window. 
• It has an Omega Co-Axial caliber 9300 movement.
• It has a date window in the 6 o’clock location and a seconds’ sub-dial.
• The watch has a 60-minute and 12-hour counter on the dial.
• It has a water resistance of up to 100 meters/330 feet.

Omega Seamaster Mechanical

The Omega Seamaster Mechanical (Automatic) Black Dial Men’s Watch is one of the most expensive Omega watches and retails at a price of $33,000. Woah! That, for sure, is quite a lot.

However, you can get your hands on this diver’s favorite watch at a much lower price by buying a pre-owned one from Amazon. If you are concerned about its genuineness, then don’t worry, the watch comes with a certificate of authenticity.

This elegant timepiece is basically a chronograph, which has a black dial and a black ceramic bezel. It features 18k red gold diving scale made through the Ceragold technology. Its case, which has a diameter of 45.5 mm, is also made from 18k red gold. It has a black alligator-style leather strap.

Following are the main features of the Omega Seamaster Mechanical (Automatic) Black Dial Men’s Watch:

• Its dial is made from anti-reflective and scratch-resistant sapphire glass.
• It has a unidirectional rotating black ceramic bezel.
• Its most compelling feature is the date window present next to the 3 o’clock location.
• It has a deployment clasp, an analog display and a Swiss automatic movement.
• It has a helium escape valve and a water resistance of up to 600 meters, which is equivalent to 2000 feet.
• The watch has a 15-month warranty.

Omega De Ville Ladies Prestige Quartz Watch

It is said that elegance is in simplicity, the Omega De Ville Ladies Prestigious Quartz Watch fits perfectly with this statement. This classy timepiece belongs to the Omega’s De Ville Prestigious collection, whose watches are known throughout the world for their elegant design and luxury finishes.

Let’s have a look at the main features of the Omega De Ville Ladies Prestigious Quartz Watch that compelled us to include it to this list:

• Its dial is made from scratch-resistant sapphire crystal.
• Its case and bracelet both are made from stainless steel.
• Its case has a 27.4 mm diameter.
• It has a deployment-buckle clasp and an analog display.
• It has a Japanese quartz movement with rhodium-plated finish.
• It has a water resistance of up to 30 meters, which is equivalent to 100 feet.

Omega Constellation Automatic Self-Wind Female Watch

Do you love being boujee and extra? If yes, then the Omega Constellation Automatic Self-Wind Female Watch is what you need. As the name suggests, this watch has diamonds present on the bezel. This elegant watch is crafted from 18k white gold and has an automatic movement.

Omega is a luxury brand, so people are usually concerned about the watch’s originality while buying pre-owned ones from Amazon. You don’t have to worry about being tricked with this one because it comes with a certificate of authenticity from WatchFacts.

This diamond-studded wrist watch’s following features qualify it to be a statement piece in every woman’s wardrobe:

• Its dial is made from anti-reflective and scratch-resistant sapphire glass.
• It has diamonds present on the bezel.
• Its straps are made from rubber.
• It has an analog display and an automatic movement.
• It has a water resistance of up to 100 meters.
• Its white gold case’s diameter is 35 mm.

Omega, which started off as a small watch workshop, has emerged as the world’s top luxury watch brand. It has a rich legacy of over 170 years. World’s most powerful and successful people have fallen for its elegance and class. Its watches are, no doubt, a highlight in their owners’ wardrobes.