← Back to Library
Omega occupies a rare position in watchmaking. It has the heritage and technical credentials to stand alongside any brand in Switzerland, having produced movements that set precision records, survived the vacuum of space, and fundamentally changed how mechanical watches are engineered. Yet it prices its watches in a range that most working professionals can reach. A new Seamaster costs roughly half what a comparable Rolex does. A pre-owned Speedmaster can be found for less than many entry-level Swiss watches retail for new.
This combination of genuine accomplishment and relative accessibility is what makes Omega one of the most interesting brands in the market today. It is not trying to be Rolex, though it is often compared to it. It is doing something different, and understanding what that is helps explain why the brand inspires the loyalty it does.
Origins
Omega’s history begins in 1848, when Louis Brandt opened a small watchmaking workshop in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. The brand name came later, in 1894, when Brandt’s sons developed a movement they considered their finest work and named it the “Omega” caliber, meaning the ultimate or the last word. The name stuck, and by the early twentieth century Omega had established itself as one of Switzerland’s leading manufacturers.
The brand’s early reputation was built on precision. Omega supplied timing equipment for the Olympic Games beginning in 1932, a relationship that continues today. It holds more precision records at the Kew Observatory and the Observatory of Geneva than any other manufacturer. These were not marketing claims. They were objectively measured, independently verified achievements that placed Omega at the forefront of mechanical accuracy for decades.
In 1930, Omega was absorbed into the SSIH group, which later became the Swatch Group in 1983 under the leadership of Nicolas Hayek. Today, Omega is the crown jewel of the Swatch Group’s portfolio, positioned just below Breguet and Blancpain but generating far more revenue than either. The Swatch Group’s ownership gives Omega access to shared manufacturing resources, including movements from ETA and METAS testing facilities, while maintaining its own identity and product development.
The Moonwatch
No single product defines a brand more completely than the Speedmaster defines Omega. In 1965, NASA selected the Speedmaster Professional as the only watch certified for all manned space missions, after subjecting it and competitors from Rolex, Longines, and Hamilton to a brutal series of tests involving extreme temperatures, vacuum, humidity, shock, and vibration. The Speedmaster survived. The others did not.
On July 20, 1969, Buzz Aldrin wore his Speedmaster on the surface of the moon during the Apollo 11 mission. (Neil Armstrong left his aboard the Lunar Module as a backup timing instrument.) The watch has been known as the Moonwatch ever since, and Omega has never let the world forget it. The association is earned, not manufactured. NASA did not choose the Speedmaster because Omega paid for the privilege. It chose the Speedmaster because it passed the tests.
The current Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional (ref. 310.30.42.50.01.002) retains the essential character of the original: a 42mm steel case, a black dial with a tachymeter bezel, and a hand-wound chronograph movement. The modern version uses the caliber 3861, a manually wound co-axial chronograph with a 50-hour power reserve and Master Chronometer certification. It retails for approximately $6,900, making it one of the most historically significant watches available at any price.
The Collections
Beyond the Speedmaster, Omega’s catalog is organized into three main families.
The Seamaster is the brand’s largest and most diverse collection. It ranges from the Seamaster 300M diver (the James Bond watch since GoldenEye in 1995) to the Aqua Terra (a versatile sport-dress hybrid) to the Planet Ocean (a more serious dive watch rated to 600 meters) and the Ultra Deep (which survived a trip to the bottom of the Mariana Trench at 10,935 meters in 2019). The Seamaster 300M is arguably Omega’s best all-around watch. It retails for approximately $5,700 in steel and can be found pre-owned for $3,500 to $4,500, representing some of the strongest value in the Swiss watch market.
The Constellation is Omega’s dress line, characterized by its distinctive claws on the case at 3 and 9 o’clock (originally designed to hold the crystal in place) and a star on the caseback. It is offered in a wider range of sizes and materials than the other families, including models designed specifically for women. The Constellation receives less collector attention than the Speedmaster or Seamaster, but it is a well-executed dress watch with genuine brand heritage.
The De Ville houses Omega’s thinner, more classically styled watches. The De Ville Prestige is a clean, elegant time-only watch. The De Ville Tresor is a manual-wind dress piece. And the De Ville Hour Vision features a display caseback and co-axial movement in a refined package. The De Ville line tends to appeal to buyers who want Omega’s engineering in a more understated form.
Co-Axial and Master Chronometer
Omega’s most significant technical contribution to modern watchmaking is the co-axial escapement, developed by the English watchmaker George Daniels and adopted by Omega in 1999. The traditional Swiss lever escapement, used in virtually every other mechanical watch, requires lubrication at the contact points between the pallet fork and the escape wheel. Over time, that lubrication degrades, friction increases, and timekeeping suffers. The co-axial escapement reduces friction at these contact points so dramatically that the lubricants last longer, which extends service intervals and improves long-term accuracy.
Omega combined the co-axial escapement with anti-magnetic technology in 2013, when it introduced movements using silicon and non-ferrous components capable of resisting magnetic fields up to 15,000 gauss. For context, most mechanical watches begin to malfunction at 50 to 100 gauss. A refrigerator magnet produces about 50 gauss. An MRI machine produces tens of thousands. Omega’s anti-magnetic capability is so far beyond what daily life requires that it is essentially a solved problem.
These technologies underpin Omega’s Master Chronometer certification, developed in partnership with METAS (the Swiss Federal Institute of Metrology). Master Chronometer testing goes beyond the traditional COSC certification by evaluating the watch after it has been fully assembled (not just the bare movement) and by testing for magnetic resistance, water resistance, power reserve, and accuracy in multiple positions. It is the most rigorous third-party certification in the Swiss watch industry, and Omega applies it across virtually its entire lineup.
The Rolex Comparison
The comparison is unavoidable. Both are Swiss. Both make sport watches. Both have deep ties to exploration and achievement. But the brands differ in important ways that affect how you should think about buying one.
Rolex is a brand where demand significantly exceeds supply for popular references. This drives secondary market premiums, creates waitlist culture at authorized dealers, and makes the buying experience as much about access as about preference. Omega operates differently. Supply generally meets demand at authorized dealers. You can walk into an Omega boutique, try on the Seamaster or Speedmaster you want, and buy it that day. There is no waitlist, no allocation game, no purchase history requirement.
The trade-off is resale value. Rolex watches hold or appreciate in value on the secondary market. Omega watches depreciate, typically trading 25 to 40% below retail within the first few years of ownership. For buyers who view a watch as an asset, this matters. For buyers who view a watch as something they intend to wear and enjoy, the lower retail price and immediate availability of Omega may represent a better overall experience.
In terms of pure watchmaking, Omega’s co-axial escapement and Master Chronometer certification represent a more ambitious technical program than Rolex’s Superlative Chronometer standard. Both produce excellent watches. Omega is arguably pushing harder on the engineering front, even if Rolex captures more of the cultural imagination.
Buying Omega Today
New Omega watches are readily available from authorized dealers, with retail prices ranging from approximately $3,500 for an Aqua Terra to $6,900 for a Speedmaster Moonwatch to $8,000 and above for a Seamaster Planet Ocean or precious-metal configurations. The AD experience is straightforward, and discounts of 10 to 15% off retail are sometimes available depending on the dealer and the model.
The secondhand market is where Omega becomes exceptionally compelling. A Speedmaster Moonwatch that retails for $6,900 can be found pre-owned for $4,000 to $5,500 depending on year and condition. A Seamaster 300M in the $3,500 to $4,500 range. An Aqua Terra for $2,500 to $3,500. At these prices, Omega delivers in-house movements, Master Chronometer certification, and genuine horological heritage at a fraction of what comparable quality costs from brands that command stronger secondary market pricing.
For first-time buyers and seasoned collectors alike, Omega represents one of the strongest value propositions in Swiss watchmaking. The watches are excellent. The prices, especially on the secondary market, are hard to argue with.
Browse Omega listings on Tempo, where every transaction is escrow-protected and both buyers and sellers pay zero fees. Explore Omega’s history in the Timeline. Visit tempo-watches.com.
This article is for informational purposes only. Prices, secondary market values, and technical specifications are approximate and based on market conditions as of early 2026. Omega is a registered trademark of The Swatch Group Ltd. Tempo is not affiliated with or endorsed by Omega or The Swatch Group.