Omega’s 4 Greatest Alpha Watches
Four seriously cool action watches from the legendarily rugged brand.
Founded in Switzerland in 1848—more than a half century before Rolex made its debut—Omega went on to capture the wrists, and imaginations, of Elvis Presley, JFK, and James Bond. In 1917, Britain’s Royal Flying Corps selected the brand as its official timekeeper. (The U.S. Army soon followed suit.) And in 1969, an Omega Speedmaster famously became the first watch worn on the moon. All those benchmarks and more can be found in the lavishly illustrated photo bookTimeless: The Omega Experience (Rizzoli). In the meantime, here are four signature Omegas that are always on time.
The Spy: Seamaster Planet Ocean 600M
Omega has been 007’s brand of choice since 1995, and special editions have commemorated the Daniel Craig era (he wore this one in Skyfall) and Bond’s 50th anniversary. But instead of laser cutters or mini grappling hooks, this real-life Omega boasts more seaworthy features, such as a depth-defying helium escape valve. [$6,200]
The Astronaut: Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon
Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong wore Speedmasters on the Apollo 11 mission, forever cementing the “Moonwatch” moniker. The striking blacked-out version references Pink Floyd in name only, and instead pays homage to this lunar legacy (NASA categorizes Speedmasters that have traveled in space as “flown”). [$12,000]
The Driver: Speedmaster Racing
Formula 1 icon Michael Schumacher has worn Omegas to the winner’s circle many times since the ’90s, but this chronograph has been favored by speed demons since 1957. Its dial design was inspired by the dashboards of Italian racecars, and the tachymetric scale on the bezel makes it ideal for timing laps around the track. [$3,500]
The Diver:Seamaster Ploprof 1200M
The original version of this deep-sea classic emerged in 1970, and was favored by Jacques Cousteau himself. It soon became known as the ploprof, short for plongeur professionnel, or “pro diver” in French. Water-resistant to a crushing 4,000 feet, it remains a holy diver that any captain would treasure. [$9,400]
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