Omega : The gold standard of timekeeping at the Olympics
At every Olympic finish line, one name consistently appears: Omega. As the official timekeeper since 1932, the Swiss watchmaker has continually innovated to ensure that the world’s premier sporting competition remains as precise as possible. The long-term partnership with the Olympics is showcased at its best with the upcoming 2024 Paris Games as detailed by CEO Raynald Aeschlimann. Within a transparent circle, behind which the iconic silhouette of the Eiffel Tower is outlined, a counter meticulously ticks down the time until the opening of the Olympic Games. Next to the Paris 2024 logo stands a name known worldwide, to athletes and watch aficionados alike: Omega. This closeness, akin to an elective affinity, serves as both a symbol and a message. It also represents continuity and permanence, as since 1932 the brand has been the official
timekeeper of the pinnacle of international sporting competition. With 329 events and 32 disciplines in the 2024 edition, increasingly sophisticated technologies are employed to measure time that distinguish a gold medalist from a silver and then a bronze, providing exclusive data… Omega’s scientific role is more vital than ever. Despite having 31 Olympics behind it, all of which have confirmed the competence of this manufacturer in inventing ever smarter devices to quantify the best of athletic, scientific, and horological achievement, the stakes are such that each edition presents a formidable challenge.
When billions watch the races, everything must be more than perfect, especially the timing. Thus, this year again, Omega is putting its title on the line. Everyone can witness the brilliance starting from the opening ceremony on July 26 at 7:30pm, and then during the competitions that will feature many of the brand’s ambassador athletes. Additionally, for the fortunate, this can be experienced at the Omega House that the firm will open in the Maison des Polytechniciens, as well as through the three new watches linked to the Olympics that the watchmaker is introducing at the start of this summer. A profusion of actions that Raynald Aeschlimann, the CEO, recounts with passion: “The foundation of our relationship with the Olympic Games is based on trust,” he says. “We started timing the Games in 1932, and over the past 92 years, we have proven our excellence time and again. Thanks to passion, dedication, and constant technological evolution, we
have demonstrated that we are the best company for this role.” Indeed, the
achievements of Omega’s teams punctuate the history of the Olympic Games. Before 1932, and the selection of a unique and exclusive timekeeper, each referee used whatever brand of equipment they preferred, leading to erratic comparisons and inconsistent accuracy. That year, in Los Angeles, Omega arrived with thirty chronometers certified by the Neuchâtel laboratory, all calibrated to a tenth of a second and capable of recording split times—a revolution. In 1948, at the St. Moritz Winter Olympics, Omega introduced the photoelectric cell, which captured and measured an athlete’s time at the finish line to a thousandth of a second, far surpassing human capability. That same year, at the London Summer Olympics, the Magic Eye was used in conjunction with this cell to photograph the order of finish, decisively determining the top three competitors. In 1952, in Helsinki, the Omega Time Recorder made headlines because this electronic chronograph rapidly printed results to a hundredth of a second. Four years later, the measurement of swimming performances was transformed with the Swim Eight-O-Matic, the first semi-automatic chronograph capable of differentiating times by swim lanes.
In Innsbruck in 1964, Omega supported the televised broadcast of competitions with an Omegascope that superimposed the athletes’ times onto TV screens. Another four
years later, in Grenoble, names, times, speeds, and more were added. Skipping ahead: 1976 in Montreal featured the color photo-finish; 1984 in Los Angeles introduced the false start detector with a speaker to signal an error; 1992 in Albertville, the Scan-O-Vision measured time to a thousandth of a second with a single camera; 2008 in Beijing, GPS technology was used during races; 2010 in Vancouver, the design of the starter’s pistol was reinvented to prevent the athlete closest to the starter from having an advantage
when hearing the start signal earlier than competitors. In 2012 in London, the Quantum
Timer could measure time to a millionth of a second; in Rio in 2016, the Scan’O’Vision Myria captured 10,000 digital images per second of each athlete crossing a line. And so on… Paris 2024 will be no exception, as Omega introduces the Ultimate version of this technology, now capable of capturing 40,000 digital images per second to enable quicker decision-making by judges. The Olympics in the minutest detail, indeed. For example, in diving, cameras will follow athletes from the start of their dive until they enter the water, while AI and algorithms will recreate their performance in 3D with images and measurements. “We can often use the same technologies across multiple sports, for both the Olympics and Paralympics,” explains the CEO. “The work for Paris 2024 requires 550 Omega timers and 900 trained volunteers. It’s a massive operation that demands all our expertise and experience,” comments Raynald Aeschlimann. “An operation that proves to the world that we can be relied upon during the most critical moments in sports, highlighting our values of precision, excellence, innovation, and underscoring how our
legacy is unmatched by any other brand.” The diversity of athlete ambassadors representing the brand at these Olympic Games also reflects this total commitment and unique renown. From fencer Ysaora Thibus to handballers Nikola and Luka Karabatic, judoka Romane Dicko, triathlete Alexis Hanquinquant, golfer Céline Boutier to swimmer Léon Marchand, it becomes clear that such a lineup could only be offered by Omega.
“Omega supports athletes from all the Olympic and Paralympic Games, representing multiple sports and nations,” explains the CEO. “All are chosen for the values they embody, striving to be the best, pushing the limits of their disciplines, and consistently demonstrating the highest standards of precision and performance.”
An Omega house, like a sanctuary These athletes, along with VIPs and friends of the brand, will be received with all due honors in a unique location, a sort of Omega sanctuary anchored at the heart of the Olympics. “The Hôtel de Poulpry, just a stone’s throw from the Musée d’Orsay, was the perfect choice for Paris, not only because of its exquisite central location but also because it offers a bright space with outdoor areas and several rooms to create the atmosphere we desire,” details Raynald Aeschlimann. An Omega house designed to provide visitors a place to celebrate and relax, where sports are discussed, watched on large screens, and where one can immerse themselves in the Olympic spirit. Three unprecedented watches honor the partnership with the IOC. A year ago, it introduced the Seamaster Diver 300M Paris 2024 Special Edition, which features a 42mm case in steel and gold, a laser-structured diving scale, and a Super-LumiNova dot at 12 o’clock, with a white ceramic dial and a commemorative case back. More recently, the Speedmaster Chronoscope Paris 2024 was unveiled, adorned in the colors of the event and available in four 43mm versions, each reflecting the Olympic palette of gold, black, and white. All models feature a white opaline dial with three measurement scales (tachymeter, pulsometer, and telemeter), a frosted medallion on the back bearing the Paris 2024 logo, and are equipped with the certified Co-Axial Master Chronometer calibers 9908/9909. And what about a third unique watch stamped Paris 2024? Patience, it will be released the first day of the Olympics. Ultimately, what does Omega expect from the Olympics taking place in the heart of the French capital? “Incredible moments,” smiles Raynald Aeschlimann. “I love the idea of integrating sport into iconic places in the city like the Eiffel Tower and the Place de la Concorde because it will give the event a spectacular life. I also like to think that the Olympic and Paralympic athletes, who at each edition go ‘faster, higher, stronger,’ will offer us historic moments. And how wonderful it is for us to play such a crucial role.”
_________________________________
Among the French athletes supported by Omega, swimmer Léon Marchand is one of France’s great medal hopes
You must like these following articles
