Take your Olympic marks with Omega

On July 26, the 33rd edition of the 2024 Summer Games kicks off in Paris with 329 events across 32 sports and a host of impressive technological updates and new timekeeping equipment from Omega, which offers improved recording and contributes to an athlete’s long-term development while enhancing our viewing experience at home.

Omega’s relationship with the Olympic Games as the first official timekeeper dates back to the 1932 gathering held in Los Angeles. Timekeeping has evolved somewhat since the mechanic stopwatches used in earlier competition and the first electronic timekeeping set-up by Omega at the London games in 1948.

In 1992, Omega extended its expertise and technological innovations in precision timekeeping to the Paralympic Games. It was there that we first saw their Scan’O’Vision photo finish camera in action, recording up to 10,000 digital images per second.

Omega’s motion sensors and positioning systems introduced at Pyeongchang Winter Games in 2018 with various other innovations across different sports are also able to provide more accurate accounts of timing as well as athletes’ overall performances.

Among the latest tools, the Scan’O’Vision Ultimate captures up to 40,000 digital images per second at the finish line, while Computer Vision uses artificial intelligence to track every move and provide additional information to athletes and coaches.

Omega’s Vionardo Next Generation Graphics Technology offers in-depth, informative on-screen displays with live timing and scoring, which has become a familiar aspect of television viewing.

Yet, it is the two splendid special edition mechanical timepieces presented in celebration of the summer event that remind us of Omega’s heritage as a highly regarded manufacture of record-setting chronometers and early foray into sport.

Gold medal inspiration

The standout 42mm Seamaster Diver 300M Paris 2024 in stainless steel and 18-carat Moonshine Gold features a gold bezel ring, which they say took inspiration from the coveted gold medals. Its chic white ceramic dial has the familiar wave engraving and raised hour markers subtly framed in gold. The typography of Paris 2024 is applied to the date display and the emblem appears near the tip of the central seconds hand. A commemorative caseback is inlaid with a gold medallion engraved with the Olympic flame.

Inside beats the high-precision Co-Axial Master Chronometer 8800.

Equally presentable on steel bracelet or tricolour Paris 2024 Nato strap, it retails for R197,000 at omegawatches.com.

Record time

Introduced in 2021, the 43mm Speedmaster Chronoscope is three chronographs in one, combining timing and measurement scales from the bezels of various iconic Speedmaster references used to record activities on and off the racetrack.

A chronoscope (from Greek “chronos” meaning time and “scope” meaning to observe) is described as “a high-precision instrument capable of measuring very short time intervals”. This Speedy does so through a tachymeter on the bezel — measuring speed based on time travelled over a fixed distance (or distance based on a fixed speed) — and telemeter and pulsimeter, which are integrated in the 1940s-inspired “snail” timing scales on the dial — measuring distance from an object based on the speed of sound (think gunfire or lightning) and heartbeat, respectively.

The new Paris 2024 edition updates the symmetrical layout in black, white and gold. Gold leaf-shaped hands and the “spiral” pattern beneath the applied Arabic numerals are also a reference to 40s styling.

While there is plenty of old-world charm, the Chronoscope features a reworked, thinner case design and is powered by the manual-winding Calibre 9908 (9909 in gold). 

Available in full stainless steel version, R218,000, or 18-carat Moonshine Gold, R1,141,000, at omegawatches.com.