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Official Omega SA
Press Kit Bienne Switzerland (01
January 2001)--
After years of intensive development, working closely
together with renowned British master watchmaker George Daniels, Omega
is proud to present a genuine revolution in master watchmaking: the new
Omega De Ville with Co-axial Escapement. The innovative principle behind
this exciting innovation offers genuine benefits in comparison with
traditional watch escapements.
Throughout its 150-year history, the Omega brand has stood out through
its dynamism and openness to revolutionary new ideas. One of the first
examples of this is the process that was introduced to produce the
remarkable 19-line calibre, designed in 1894. The idea was revolutionary
in two respects, since for the first time ever the components produced
were totally interchangeable and the finished watches themselves were
produced using a so-called "divided assembly" system, similar to a
modern-day production line.
The resulting calibre was baptized Omega and formed the basis for
accurate timepieces at a highly competitive price, helping to make Omega
the leading watch manufacturer in Switzerland. Throughout the first half
of the 20th century, Omega's pocket chronometers dominated annual
production figures, with the same true of its wrist chronometers after
the arrival of the famous 30mm calibre in 1938. In 1964, two thirds of
the official chronometer certificates issued in Switzerland were awarded
to Omega chronometers.
The considerable success enjoyed by Omega timepieces is no doubt due to
the brand's unparalleled reputation for precision, having achieved a
total of 72 world precision records, including the unrivalled
all-categories record of 1936 set at the Kew-Teddington observatory in
London with 97.8 points out of 100. This reputation for precision also
led to Omega's proud record in the field of sports timekeeping. In 1932
Omega was the first-ever company to be appointed official timekeeper of
all Olympic disciplines – a privilege entrusted to the brand a total of
21 times over the past century. Further recognition of the brand's
pioneering achievements came in 1952, when Omega was awarded the Olympic
Cross of Merit for its "outstanding services to the world of sport" in
acknowledgement of yet another pioneering achievement: the Omega Time
Recorder, the first quartz electronic chronograph to record times to a
thousandth of a second. Omega's ground-breaking work in the field of
sports timing still continues unabated, with the brand's most recent
world-first introduced in 2000, when for the first time ever, the
results of swimming races were made available on the Internet in real
time thanks to Omegatiming's new "Live Timing" system.
With Omega's tradition of over 150 years at the forefront of watchmaking
and the personal backing of Nicolas G. Hayek, Chairman of Omega's parent
company, the Swatch Group, prestige Swiss watch brand Omega is proud to
present yet another historic moment in the history of watchmaking: the
new De Ville with Omega Co-Axial Escapement. The heart of the new
escapement is a double co-axial escape wheel and a new lever design with
three ruby pallet-stones. This new technology reduces friction in the
escapement and improves the long-term accuracy of the watch, which in
turn increases service intervals – as is evidenced by the extended
3-year warranty offered with this exclusive new timepiece. Thanks to the
unparalleled know-how, as well as the synergies, resources and
industrial capacity available within the Swatch Group, the Omega
Co-Axial Escapement was successfully adapted for series production and
is now being used in the latest addition to Omega's De Ville collection.
The watch, available in 18-carat yellow gold or stainless steel, has a
design with classic lines reminiscent of successful Omega models of the
1950s and Omega's sublime Central Tourbillon watch of 1994. The purity
of lines of the fully-polished case is accentuated by the horns, which
were inspired by the prestigious models of the 1950s. One particularly
striking element reminiscent of the 1950s is the unique metal bracelet
similar to the one seen on the successful Omega Constellation models of
that era: intricately manufactured of small interlinked sections, with
satin-finished central links and contrasting polished edges, it offers
unparalleled comfort for the wearer. The watches are also available with
a shaped, rolled-edge alligator leather strap with polished foldover
clasp in 18-carat yellow gold or steel.
The yellow gold models are elegantly set off by silvered or dark-blue
dials, with the steel models in contrast available with black or
ruthenium dials. The dials are cambered, with a central section raised
0.35mm, and feature an applied Omega logo, applied and facetted hour
markers as well as facetted Alpha-style hour and minute hands with
luminescent inserts for excellent night legibility. Models with the
lighter-colored dials are further enhanced by a blued-steel seconds
hand. All this is housed behind a domed scratch-resistant sapphire
crystal with multi-layered anti-reflective treatment on the inside.
Three different versions of the new De Ville with the Omega Co-Axial
Escapement are available. The standard Automatic Chronometer model,
which uses the Omega calibre 2500 movement, is complemented by models
with a power reserve indicator at 6 o'clock and small seconds counter at
9 o'clock (Omega calibre 2627) and a central 24-hour hand and 24-hour
scale for reading a second time zone (Omega calibre 2628). Each of the
movements is a self-winding COSC-certified chronometer with
circular-grained finish, Geneva wave decor, polished beveled bridges,
rhodium-plated surfaces and gilt engravings. Each watch has a power
reserve of 44 hours and, thanks to the use of an Omega double-gasket
crown, is water-resistant to 100 metres. |
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