July 26, 2024 is almost tomorrow. That day will begin the Olympic Games in Paris. To punctuate the time that separates us from the opening ceremony, the Swiss watchmaker Omega, official timekeeper of the Olympic Games, has launched the countdown in the capital, at the port of La Bourdonnais, at the foot of the Eiffel Tower.
On July 26, one year before the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, Raynald Aeschlimann, CEO of Omega, surrounded by Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee (on the left) and Tony Estanguet, former canoe champion and Chairman of the Organizing Committee for the 2024 Summer Olympics and Paralympics (right), officially started the countdown. © DR
For nearly twelve months, the hours, minutes and seconds remaining before the moment T will be displayed day and night for everyone to see. Until the flame is lit which will light up the world of sport between Friday July 26 and Sunday August 11, 2024. For Omega, these Paris 2024 Olympic Games will mark its 31st participation in one of the most popular in the world. Indeed, it was in 1932 that the watchmaker began to provide timekeeping for events.
Since that date, Omega has developed and introduced increasingly efficient technologies in order to decide between competitors with the best possible precision (for example, the appearance in 1948 of photo-finish cameras and photoelectric cells that automatically stop the stopwatch when passing an athlete on the finish line; introduction in 1968 of touchpads in swimming pools; use in 2012 of the Quantum Timer device offering an accuracy of the order of a millionth of a second, etc.). “As we approach the Olympics, we still feel a lot of energy and excitement one year away from the event. The athletes are starting to dream and, of course, our timekeepers are finalizing their preparations. I am sure that Paris 2024 will be unforgettable,” said Raynald Aeschlimann, Chairman and CEO of Omega.
Omega Seamaster Diver 300M “Paris 2024” Special Edition watch. Steel case. Diameter 42mm. Moonshine 18k yellow gold bezel. Master Chronometer Co-Axial 8800 automatic movement. Water resistant to 300 m. Interchangeable metal bracelet. METAS certified. €8,900. © DR
Because the athletes selected for the Olympic Games all hope to get on the podium and, for the best, to receive the gold medal promised to the winners, Omega has chosen to adorn its new watch with precious metal. The Seamaster Diver 300M “Paris 2024” Special Edition has been specially designed to celebrate the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad. As proof, this prestigious model will only be available in the brand’s Parisian boutiques. Its 42 mm diameter case, crafted in stainless steel, is associated with a bezel made of 18-carat yellow gold Moonshine (an alloy with a particular hue specific to Omega).
Crafted in white ceramic, the laser-engraved dial features a matte finish with raised polished waves. For the date display, Omega has used Paris 2024 typography to inscribe the numerals in black, while the central seconds hand bears the emblem of the Paris Olympics. © DR
As an Olympic year, the new special edition Omega Seamaster Diver 300M expresses a sporty temperament through various elements. Starting with its automatic movement whose name “Master Chronometer Co-Axial 8800” defines the extreme quality. This caliber and the entire watch have been tested and certified by the Swiss Federal Institute of Metrology (METAS) to meet the highest level of requirements. If the watch is offered on a steel bracelet, a new patented system allows it to be changed quickly in favor of a blue, white or red rubber strap, or even a NATO evoking Paris 2024. Among the other links, technical or aesthetic, with sport, we can cite the rotating bezel embellished with a diving scale, the water resistance of the case to 300 meters, the back decorated with a gold medallion and, above all, the “Paris 2024” emblem appearing on the central seconds hand. The clock is ticking, the Olympic Games are approaching…
