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Post by Houston on Jul 3, 2007 5:28:57 GMT -5
No 16 - July 3 2007 OMEGA DE VILLE CO-AXIAL GMT Picture - omegawatches.com The OMEGA calibre 2628 is a self-winding chronometer-certified movement with Co-Axial escapement bearing a circular-grained finish with Geneva waves, polished bevelled bridges in company with rhodium-plated surfaces and gilt engravings. The revolutionary Co-Axial escapement has been jointly developed with the reknown British horologist, Sir George Daniels and is a high-precision escapement guaranteeing long-term stability in its’ regulating system. Beneath the domed, scratch-resistant, sapphire crystal with multi-layered anti-reflective coating sits the impressive dial with applied facetted hour markers, applied Omega symbol and date window at 3 o’clock. The Alpha-style hour and minute hands feature luminous inserts and a central 24-hour hand with red arrow pointer and a 24-hour scale around the dial fulfills the purpose of maintaining and reading a second time zone. The OMEGA De Ville Co-Axial GMT is available in either the 35mm or 38.7mm case size and comes in stainless steel, red or yellow gold with a choice of an alligator leather strap and foldover clasp or the striking bracelet with hidden clasp. |
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Post by Houston on Jul 4, 2007 8:06:41 GMT -5
No 17 - Independence Day 2007 OMEGA RAILMASTER XXL CHRONOMETER
Picture – omegawatches.com
Initially launched in 1957, the OMEGA Railmaster wristwatch was successfully reintroduced in 2003 and a new range was further launched in November 2004 which included this highly unusual pocket watch-sized model, the XXL Chronometer, reference 2806.52.37. Housed in the familiar Railmaster case with its’ contrasting brushed and polished facetted lugs along with the simple polished bevelled bezel, the XXL Chronometer is of a similar size to a pocket watch and is by far, the largest watch in the current Omega catalog. Beneath its’ domed sapphire crystal with multi-layered, anti-reflective coating is the familiar Railmaster dial with its’ Arabic numerals and triangular hour markers in company with the facetted dauphine hands, all in Super Luminova though there is another difference. The absence of the central seconds hand is amply compensated by a distinctive and aesthetically-pleasing small seconds dial that is located in the 6 o’clock position. A superlative COSC-certified, OMEGA calibre 2201 manual pocket-watch movement measuring 16.5 lines or 37.2mm in diameter with the highly decorative Geneva waves with circular graining, rhodium-plated finish and gold-plated engravings which is true to the precision of OMEGA's original railway pocket watches, powers the Railmaster XXL Chronometer, delivering a handsome power reserve of 60 hours. [/color] |
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Post by Houston on Jul 5, 2007 4:28:27 GMT -5
No 18 - July 5 2007 OMEGA SPEEDMASTER RACING
MICHAEL SCHUMACHER WORLD CHAMPION 2001 EDITION
Picture – omegawatches.com
The second in the series of World Champion Editions since Michael Schumacher became a driver for Ferrari, the Speedmaster Racing model reference 3519.50.00 is powered by the OMEGA calibrer 1152 automatic chronograph movement that is based on the Valjoux 7750. Its’ distinctive carbon fibre dial features luminous hour and minute hands, rectangular hour markers with batons at 3,6,9 and 12 o’clock and the symbolic number 1 at the 1 o’clock position, all again in Super Luminova. The small seconds subdial is placed at 9 o’clock, date at 3 o’clock, the minute recorder at 12 and at 6 o’clock are the the “Racing” legend and the hour totaliser. Housed in a stainless steel case measuring 40mm with tachymetric scale, the numbered caseback bears the familiar signing in black and red with the legend, World Champion 2001. [/color]
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Post by Houston on Jul 6, 2007 6:15:26 GMT -5
No 19 - July 6 2007 OMEGA CONSTELLATION
DOUBLE EAGLE CHRONOGRAPH
 
The Constellation Double Eagle Chronograph scores a world first in being powered by the chronometer-certified, self-winding OMEGA calibre 3313 chronograph movement, the first chronograph movement to incorporate the revolutionary Co-Axial Escapement. Its’ column-wheel mechanism guarantees precise and trouble-free operation of the chronograph functions and the free-sprung balance offers excellent regulating stability, delivering a power reserve of 55 hours. Finished in fine circular graining with Geneva waves and rhodium-plated surfaces, its’ aesthetics, which include the gold-plated engravings and blued-steel centre screw may be viewed through the sapphire crystal caseback that is common to many Co-Axial shod Omega watches. Taking its’ design cues from the successful Constellation 95/96 series, the 41mm brush stainless steel case features contrasting polished asymmetric claws that clamp the stainless steel and black lacquered bezel which in turn has a brushed finish. Beneath the domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment on both sides, lies a matt black dial with facetted hour markers and rhodium-plated and truncated Dauphine hands that show through in dim light courtesy of the efficient Super Luminova coating. The model 1819.51.91 shown here and worn by OMEGA Ambassador and international professional golfer Sergio Garcia, has its’ chronograph and small seconds counters are all silvered to accompany the applied OMEGA symbol and name along with the silvered tachymetre scale which surrounds the white on black minute circle. Graduations are given to 1/4 of a second. The dial is completed with a date window at 6 o’clock. The Constellation Double Eagle Chronograph is rated to a depth of 100m/330 ft. [/color]
Pictures - omegawatches.com
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Post by Houston on Jul 9, 2007 4:30:17 GMT -5
No 20 - July 9 2007 OMEGA DE VILLE CO-AXIAL RATTRAPANTE
 
Pictures – omegawatches.com
The OMEGA De Ville Co-Axial Rattrapante model 4847.30.31, presented on a black alligator leather strap with a twin-button quick-release stainless steel foldover clasp is a revolutionary design. Within its’ stainless steel case with matching polished stainless-steel bezel is a striking silver dial which features an applied OMEGA symbol and name, facetted hour markers and silver totalisers with applied Roman numerals for the chronograph functions. An interesting and intriguing truncated sector date window is located at 11 o’clock and this is coupled by an unusual small-seconds counter with two sectors. The time is read off by luminous facetted and diamond-polished Alpha hour and minute hands and a double-tipped small seconds hand. The split-seconds pusher has a varnished red circle that recalls the red zone at the tip of the split-seconds hand. The exclusive chronometer-certified, OMEGA calibre 3612 split-seconds chronograph movement may be viewed through the sapphire crystal caseback that has become a delightful feature of many OMEGA watches with the Co-Axial movement. It is a double column-wheel mechanism and is luxuriously finished with blued-steel screws and two blued-steel column wheels. The power reserve of the OMEGA De Ville Co-Axial Rattrapante is rated at 52 hours and the stainless steel case offers a water resistance of 100m/330 feet. [/color] |
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Post by Houston on Jul 10, 2007 2:44:48 GMT -5
No 21 - July 10 2007 OMEGA SEAMASTER APNEA
The OMEGA Seamaster 300m Apnea was develped in conjunction with the reknown freediver Jacques Mayol. Its’ stainless steel case measuring 41.5mm possesses a unidirectional turning bezel with a luminous dot at the 12 o’clock position. Beneath the domed, anti-reflective sapphire crystal is the dial which is available in either black or silver and features applied hour markers, specially-adapted skeleton hour and minute hands, all of which have Super Luminova inserts. In addition, there is a very distinctive red chronograph seconds hand. A special feature on the dial are the seven circular apertures which represent the apnea timing function. When the start-stop pusher at 2 o'clock is pressed, the apertures successively fill with red from left to right, each aperture representing one minute. Once the first seven minute cycle is complete, the apertures revert in succession to the background colour of the dial, thereby allowing a 14 minute cycle to be timed.  Facilitating this process is the OMEGA calibre 3601 which is a specially-adapted chronograph movement with a power reserve of 40 hours. The screw-in caseback is engraved with the name of Jacques Mayol and is characterised by the “dolphin and man” motif. Water resistance of the OMEGA 300m Apnea is 300m/1,000ft.
Pictures – omegawatches.com
[/color] [/center] |
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Post by Houston on Jul 11, 2007 2:25:16 GMT -5
No 22 - July 11 2007 OMEGA RAILMASTER CHRONOGRAPH
The OMEGA Railmaster Chronograph has a 42.2mm stainless-steel case with polished stainless-steel bezel, screw-in crown and a screw-in case back. Available in a gloss black dial, with luminous triangular hour markers and Arabic numerals at 3, 6, 9 and 12 o’clock, it has the hallmark Railmaster facetted, rhodium-plated Dauphine hands with extra Super Luminova inserts. The small seconds subdial, chronograph hour and minute totalisers all have very distinct and decorative double ring graduated surrounds.  Exclusive to the Railmaster Chronograph is the self-winding, COSC-certified Omega caliber 3205 movement which is of a column-wheel design with rhodium-plated finish and Geneva waves. It delivers a power reserve of 55 hours. The Railmaster Chronograph may be acquired with a brown or black alligator leather strap with pushbutton-operated stainless-steel foldover clasp or a matching stainless-steel bracelet with hidden clasp. Water resistant is rated at 150m/500ft. [/color]
Pictures - omegawatches.com
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Post by Houston on Jul 12, 2007 5:03:32 GMT -5
No 12 - July 12 2007 OMEGA MUSEUM COLLECTION 2001 LIMITED EDITION
The OMEGA Museum Collection series was inspired by a desire to produce in a numbered limited edition, a series of watches which combine historical milestones in timekeeping with the technology of the 21st century. The collection of four unique timepieces is targeted at collectors and lovers of extraordinary watches. Number 1 in the series is the new edition of a pilot watch dating back to 1938. Bearing outward similarities to its’ original inspirational model, it incorporates various changes in technological details and materials, elevating the heart of the watch to become a modern equivalent of its’ predecessor. As much as was possible of the original characteristics of the watch was retained including the bi-directional turning bezel mechanism which allows an additional time scale to me moved on the dial. Offered with a distinctive dark-brown calfskin strap and as a tribute to the habits of pioneering pilots, the Museum Collection 2001 Edition is also supplied with an extra-wide leather strap measuring approximately 6 x 60cm which can be used for wearing the watch above the knee!!! The inscription on the caseback reads THE OMEGA MUSEUM COLLECTION, PILOT WATCH 1938, COLLECTOR SERIES NUMBER ONE and the limited edition number of the watch, of which 4,938 examples were produced.
Pictures – omegawatches.com
[/color] [/center] |
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Post by Houston on Jul 13, 2007 1:04:52 GMT -5
No 23 - July 13 2007 OMEGA SPEEDMASTER RACING CHRONOGRAPH
The OMEGA Speedmaster Racing bears a characteristic sporty appearance in the black carbon fibre dial on which may be found its’ hour, minute and central chronograph hands in company with the hour markers with red surrounds, all of which bear luminous Super Luminova coating. At 3 and 6 o’clock respectively are the 30 minute and 12 hour counters, with the small seconds subdial located at 9 o’clock. The anti-reflective, scratch-resistant sapphire crystal keeps that “ new on the first day ” appearance. The screw-in caseback bears the RACING inscription in red in company with the OMEGA double-gasket crown guarantees water resistance to a depth of 100m/330ft. Finished in polished stainless steel, the case which measures mm houses the automatic OMEGA calibre 3301 movement with column-wheel chronograph mechanism. It incorporates the OMEGA free-sprung balance without index, a feature that ensures excellent regulating stability. This officially-certified chronometer delivers a power reserve of 55 hours. The OMEGA Speedmaster Racing Chronograph is offered on either a stainless bracelet with deployment clasp that bears the RACING inscription or a black alligator leather strap with new twin-button foldover clasp. Pictures – omegawatches.com [/color] |
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Post by Houston on Jul 16, 2007 2:11:16 GMT -5
In the week of the 38th anniversary of man's landing on the moon, I thought to dedicate our Watch Of The Day threads of the entire week to the OMEGA Speedmaster Professional. The format will be a varied menu of features, both written and pictorial or simply graphics only beginning today with the direct descendant of the first and only watch that was worn on the moon in July 1969. No 24 - July 16 2007 OMEGA SPEEDMASTER PROFESSIONAL
Arguably the most famous watch in the world, the OMEGA Speedmaster Professional had its’ beginnings in 1957. The Professional tag was not added to the dial until NASA, following successful tests with the Speedmaster against other brands, equipped its’ astronauts on manned space flights with Speedmasters which were worn on the outside of their space suits and fastened with velcro straps. It wasn’t until OMEGA spotted the Speedmaster on the wrists of the astronauts that it added the word Professional to the dial. At the heart of the original Speedmaster was the OMEGA calibre 321 manually-wound chronograph movement. OMEGA’s drive to produce a more robust movement saw the introduction of the calibre 861 which in turn evolved into the c1861 which is the movement, still Lemania-based, which powers all manually-wound Speedmaster Professionals with the exception of the calibres 863/1863 which have heightened decorative elements and metal delryn brake. The current model Speedmaster, the 3570.50 with a 42mm stainless steel case bearing a hesalite crystal is a hand-winding chronograph with hour and minute display, continuous small seconds hand, central chronograph seconds hand, 30 minute and 12 hour totalisers, start-stop pushbutton at 2 o’clock and return-to-zero at 4 o’clock. The rhodium-plated cal 1861 movement delivers a power reserve of 48 hours. The hour and minute hands in company with the hour markers are in Super Luminova. With a screw-in case-back, water resistance is given at 50 metres, There a fixed tachymeter scale on the bezel allowing for the calculation of a vehicle speed and a machine’s hourly production rate. The model 3870.50.31 is offered with a black alligator leather strap. Pictures - omegawatches.com [/color] |
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Post by Houston on Jul 17, 2007 6:32:18 GMT -5
WATCH OF THE DAY SPECIAL TRIBUTE
THE OMEGA SPEEDMASTER PROFESSIONAL – A LEGEND IS BORN
On October 3 1962, Astronaut Walter Schirra gave the OMEGA Speedmaster its’ first spaceflight on board Mercury VIII completing six orbits round the Earth following which NASA decided that for future Gemini and Apollo missions, their astronauts would require highly accurate, legible, resistant and reliable wrist chronographs. Thus it was that NASA sent a purchaser to Corrigan’s, a reknown Houston retailer of fine watches who returned with a dozen brands for testing. When their tests finally concluded, NASA drafted a memorandum on March 1, 1965, stating that because of the Speedmaster’s overwhelmingly superior performance and its’ unanimous preference by its' astronauts, it would therefore type classify the OMEGA Speedmaster for issuance to its’ flight crews. The OMEGA Speedmaster was then taken into NASA's inventory.  Till now of course, OMEGA had no knowledge of NASA’s selection of the Speedmaster for its’ missions. Then on June 4 of the same year, Edward White became the first American to perform a walk in space with the Speedmaster strapped to his forearm thus making the Speedmaster the first watch to be worn into the vacuum and extreme temperatures of space. Before that day, it was not known if a watch could withstand these conditions without malfunctioning or even be destroyed. The Speedmaster therefore proved to be the right watch to ensure the success of the mission. When the photographs of the mission were released, Edward White’s timepiece of choice was instantly recognized and confirmed upon further investigations by OMEGA, following which, changes were made to the dial and the Speedmaster Professional came into being. Now, 118 space missions later, the OMEGA Speedmaster remains the choice of NASA with its' successful use on extra vehicular activities  to specialized exercises such as closed-loop rendezvous capabilities and stationkeeping techniques  on board the first space station  to the most famous mission of all  and the greatest escape in the face of disaster  In all these moments of history, the watch on the wrist of the astronauts which has largely remained unchanged, is the same one that still to this day takes 14 months to complete, for the manufacture of the 195 separate parts prior to assembly and the 80 hand-held operations to create the main plate. There is no shortcut to excellence - the OMEGA Speedmaster Professional [/color] Pictures - omegawatches.com, nasa.gov, expeditionexchange.com |
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Post by Houston on Jul 18, 2007 6:52:44 GMT -5
WATCH OF THE DAY SPECIAL TRIBUTE 2
THE OMEGA SPEEDMASTER PROFESSIONAL – THE MISSIONS
A very special series, The Speedmaster Missions collection was issued as a celebration of the 40th anniversary of the OMEGA Speedmaster. Thus, forty numbered cases fom 01 to 40 were produced, each with 23 watches all of which were powered by the OMEGA self-winding chronograph calibre 1861 and were on bracelets, accounting for the 22 Gemini, Apollo and Skylab missions and an reproduction of the first ever Speedmaster, the CK2915.
The 22 “Mission” watches all had mission patches in the 9 o’clock position on the dial. This was a faithful reproduction of the original mission patch, some of which are presented here in this thread. The casebacks of the watches were engraved with the mission name in respect of the mission watches and replica for the 1957 reproduction and numbered in accordance with the case number.
A year later in 1998, 5 cases with the same watches were produced as “ Epreuves d’Artiste ” limited series. Casebacks were engraved EA with the mission title and numbered 1/5 to 5/5
Additionally 5 other cases were made as “ Hors Commerce ” for display purposes only, engraved HC. They were not for sale and were numbered I/V to V/V
and
Individual pieces in numbers of 150 each with casebacks engraved once again with the mission title but remain un-numbered.
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Post by Houston on Jul 19, 2007 5:02:50 GMT -5
No 25 - July 19 2007 WATCH OF THE DAY SPECIAL TRIBUTE 3
THE OMEGA SPEEDMASTER PROFESSIONAL – 1957 REVISITED
Produced as a Collectors’ Piece to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Speedmaster, the OMEGA Speedmaster Professional Replica of 1957 is an authentic reproduction of the very first generation of the watch that has captured the imagination of watch lovers and is the envy of many a watch company. As in the original watch, the dial is matt black oxidized radium with an applied OMEGA logo. Luminous hands and an arrow-tipped hour hand along with the distinctively-shaped hands of the choronograph totalisers and small seconds subdial all add to the feeling of deja vu which was the intention of the makers of the 1957 replica. The stainless steel bezel with tachymetre scale is satin-finished. As a hand-wound mechanical chronograph, the 1957 replica is powered by the OMEGA calibre 1861 with circular-grained bottom plate, decorative Geneva waves and rhodium-plated finish. As on all Speedmasters, the start-stop and return-to-zero push buttons all ally perfectly with the central chronograph hand, 30-minute and 12-hour totalisers on the luminous dial which offers a 1/5 second display. Pictures - omegawatches.com [/color] |
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Post by Houston on Jul 20, 2007 4:37:29 GMT -5
WATCH OF THE DAY SPECIAL TRIBUTE 4HAPPY ANNIVERSARY AMERICA, Neil, Buzz, Michael
and of course OMEGA 
Today is the 38th anniversary of man's first landing on the moon and the great part OMEGA played on that historic day.
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Post by Houston on Jul 20, 2007 4:42:34 GMT -5
WATCH OF THE DAY SPECIAL TRIBUTE 5
TO OMEGA WITH THANKS
The crew of Apollo lifted off on Saturday, April 11, 1970 at 13:13 CST. It was to be the third lunar landing attempt and two days into the mission, Apollo 13 was looking like the smoothest flight of the entire program to date. At 46 hours and 43 minutes, Joe Kerwin, the CapCom on duty said “ The spacecraft is in real good shape as far as we are concerned. We’re bored to tears down here.”
Nine hours and 6 minutes later after the crew had concluded a 49-minute TV broadcast about conditions in their weightless atmosphere, Oxygen tank No 2 on board the command module blew up causing No 1 tank to fail and cutting of all vital life-support to the craft. Jack Swigert upon seeing the warning light which accompanied the explosion then said “ Houston, we’ve had a problem here.”
With their life support depleting rapidly, the crew were instructed to make their way to the Lunar Module which though provided respite from their immediate problems, was only built to support the crew for a 45-hour flight. Power was a concern and every effort was made to conserve energy. In order to bring their craft home, the crew, directed by their colleagues at Mission Control who had feverishly poured over charts, computations and scenarios, had to fire the engines of the Lunar Module twice, the first burn to move the craft away from a lunar landing trajectory and the second critical burn was needed to angle the shuttle for re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere. It would take a burn of 14 seconds with a minute error margin to place the craft on the correct trajectory. Anything else and the crew of Apollo 13 would be lost forever.
Thus, the Speedmaster Professional once again became a legend
because in the extreme conditions faced by the astronauts, it performed perfectly and helped to deliver those fourteen seconds of burn that Jack Swigert needed to angle their craft for the journey home.
to the joy and relief of the crew of Apollo 13 and the recovery ship, USS Iwo Jima
and all at Mission Control Center
and while a grateful nation remembered the momentous occasion
the astronauts remembered that while they had a problem, they also had a solution
and said
Thank You OMEGA
Pictures - nasa.gov and omegawatches.com
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SEMPER FI - THERE IS NO COMPROMISE 
