Omega Yellow Gold Wristwatch with Gold Bracelet

It’s a celebrated part of Omega lore that the brand’s Speedmaster Professional Chronograph was the first watch to make a lunar landing. But the universal love for vintage Omega watches isn't confined to astronomers, and there’s more to the company’s heritage than the story of the Moonwatch.

The house’s origins date to 1848, when Swiss watchmaker Louis Brandt first set up shop. His sons Louis-Paul and César took over after his death, and in 1894, the pair developed an intriguing new movement.

Not only was it highly accurate, but every part was replaceable, making it easy for any professional to service. The Brandts called their movement the Omega, and as its popularity spread, they changed their company’s name to that of its flagship product.

In 1917, the British Royal Flying Corps designated Omega as an official supplier, and during World War II it became the principal watch supplier for the British forces and their allies. These commissions further strengthened Omega’s commitment to ensuring its products’ reliability under extreme conditions. In 1948, it launched the versatile Seamaster. Developed as a dive watch, the Seamaster proved its durability at high altitudes and freezing temperatures, as well. (Here is the 1stDibs guide to spotting a fake Omega Seamaster.) 

Thanks in part to its rugged reputation and Omega’s links to the British military, it became James Bond’s watch of choice in 1995, appearing in GoldenEye and every succeeding Bond movie; it returned in 2021’s No Time to Die. Nevertheless, the most famous Omega by far is the Speedmaster, introduced in 1957. The first chronograph to display its tachymeter scale on the bezel instead of the dial for easier readability, it was quickly adopted by engineers and scientists. 

Worn by Buzz Aldrin during the 1969 Apollo 11 lunar mission, it’s the only watch certified by NASA for extravehicular activity (space walks) — and, as far as we know, the only one approved by the Russian space agency, too. 

Watch aficionados and aficionadas alike can find vintage Omega watches today on 1stDibs.

My business has been carried on by two generations, it started in 1960 in Milan by my father. Today my showroom is still in Milan, capital of the Italian design. My pieces of jewellery are distinguished by the registered trade mark MI716. My jewels have a modern style and they are hand made in Italy by me and produced in 18 carat gold with diamonds, aquamarines, sapphires, rubies, emeralds, tanzanite, pearls, like my cocktail rings, that are stunning pieces of jewelry. But I'm a vintage jewellery lover too: like the 1960s cuff or link bracelets, the engagement or dome rings, the enamel broochs, the 1950s necklaces, the engraved cufflinks and the vintage watches, like Rolex. You can find my modern collection and my vintage jewelry in my 1stdibs online shop.