#omega

#omega

Photos of George and Amal Clooney in Milan this past weekend cascaded across social media and celebrity news sites. They looked elegant emerging from a car on Saturday night and effortlessly cool at the airport the next day. But what were they doing in the Italian fashion capital? Yes, they were in town for the Winter Olympics, but the Clooneys turned up for a specific event: the Opening Gala for the Omega House.

It's not surprising that the brand picked the Speedmaster for the Olympics. The watch that pushed the boundaries in space is more than qualified to do double duty for the pinnacle of sporting endeavor on Earth. Omega's duties in official sports timing at the Olympics in fact predate the space race by decades, and the Speedmaster will always be its preeminent chronograph.

While there are many significant watchmakers operating in Switzerland, Germany, Japan, and elsewhere, there are just a few whose names are known well beyond enthusiast circles. Omega is one of them. Often compared to Rolexthough the comparison isn't necessarily a just oneOmega produces some of the most notable and historically important models in the industry, from the NASA-approved Speedmaster to the deep-diving Seamaster worn by James Bond.

The Speedmaster, launched in 1957 and NASA-approved, marks Omega’s renowned chronograph legacy, but the brand's history in stopwatch technology actually dates back much further.