For nearly a century, Swiss Luxury watchmaker OMEGA has been at the forefront of the biggest and oldest sporting events on the planet, rewriting the playbook on reliability and precision in sports timekeeping with groundbreaking technologies that have since become the gold standard for measuring athletic performance.
The past year has been particularly significant for OMEGA. As official partners to two of the biggest sports events of the 2024 calendar, OMEGA was quickest off the mark with spectacular limited-edition releases – the OMEGA Speedmaster Chronoscopes in 18K Moonshine™ Gold and OMEGA Seamaster Regatta – echoing the group’s CEO Raynald Aeschlimann’s sentiments, who told DMARGE that the shared love for sport is not merely about sponsorship but about fostering a legacy of excellence and innovation in all that OMEGA does.
OMEGA and the Olympics: A Legacy of Precision Since 1932
OMEGA’s Olympic journey started a few years before the 1932 Los Angeles Games when the International Olympic Committee approached the revered Maison to take on the monumental role of the Games’ Official Timekeeper. OMEGA dispatched a single watchmaker armed with nothing but a suitcase filled with 30 state-of-the-art rattrapante chronographs – a crucial moment in a time of immeasurable importance that marked the beginning of an enduring partnership.
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Since this landmark event, OMEGA’s passion for the Games and sports across the globe has only grown exponentially. From the grandeur of London to the vibrant spirit of Tokyo, the Swiss Luxury watchmaker has proudly served as the Official Timekeeper for nearly every Olympic Games that followed, establishing itself as a steadfast partner for the world’s most prestigious sporting events.
“We celebrate sport,” OMEGA CEO Raynald Aeschlimann exclusively told DMARGE. “And the world knows that it is part of our DNA – that we’ve evolved so much. But it started from a deep dedication, not just ‘We’re [Olympic] sponsors after so many years.’ Now, everybody believes we created something together, and that makes a big difference.”
Paris 2024: OMEGA’s Role as Official Timekeeper
As the world descended on the picture-perfect streets of the Paris 2024 Games this year, it was certainly hard to miss the OMEGA branding adorning locations throughout this celebrated French city – a vibrant symbol of quality, precision, and performance against the eternal backdrop of iconic landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, the Stade de France, and Roland-Garros.
“We are passionate people. We are precise. We’ve always held these values – that we are an Achievers’ Watch.”
Raynald Aeschlimann OMEGA CEO
As the Official Timekeeper, OMEGA embodies the inherent values of the Games and the Olympic spirit, ensuring that every second of this timeless competition matters. But as the Paris 2024 concluded for another Olympiad, OMEGA’s love affair with the world of sport doesn’t simply wait for the next edition; the focus shifts to another monumental event on the global sporting calendar, one that can boast the title of the oldest trophy in the world, the 37th America’s Cup.
OMEGA and the America’s Cup: Timing Excellence in Competitive Sailing
OMEGA has been involved with the America’s Cup since 1995 and has continued to partner with this prestigious event in 2000, 2021, and now 2024, with significant investment and technological advancements. The Swiss watchmakers have also backed the Emirates Team New Zealand as catalysts for this all-conquering team’s unprecedented success in this competition.
“It’s an amazing, inspiring sport, sailing.”
Raynald Aeschlimann OMEGA CEO
For the uninitiated, the America’s Cup is often dubbed the Formula 1 of competitive yacht racing. It features cutting-edge vessels that skim across the water at exhilarating speeds, navigating challenging courses that test the limits of both the yachts and their crews.
The world’s top sailing teams, each striving for maritime supremacy through a combination of skill, strategy, and advanced technology, compete in the AC75 class of foiling monohulls. These boats are 75 feet long and 16 feet wide yet incredibly lightweight. Like F1, teams receive a general design blueprint for their boats; it’s up to each design team to innovate and experiment within that framework to gain a competitive edge over their rivals.
They use a combination of hydrofoils and complex sail systems that are designed to lift above the water, reducing drag and allowing for astonishing speeds. At times, only two small pieces of titanium reach below the water, making a thrilling spectacle as these great boats skim across the surface.
“They want the development of sport as an inspiration to be the best and to make it such an incredible race with incredible technology,” Aeschlimann continued.
“But at the end of the day, it’s important to keep those values, you know? These are two boats, fighting each other in a very small area. They have the same boat; the same wind; same ocean. This whole tactic at the beginning makes it quite inspiring. So it’s very clear that it’s done for the best – for the future of sailing.”
This year marked the 37th edition of the famous sailing competition in Barcelona with Emirates Team New Zealand, the sport’s most successful team of the modern era, securing a 7-2 win over nine thrilling races to fend off any chance of a comeback from INEOS Britannia in the Catalan capital.
As the America’s Cup evolves and interest grows across the globe, OMEGA’s contributions continue to be crucial. Beyond the brand’s limited edition releases in celebration of continued partnership, OMEGA played a significant role in pioneering advancements in sailing technology, offering timing solutions and strategic insights that help to ensure that the race remains at the forefront of maritime innovation for years to come.
