Material World
With true pioneering spirit, OMEGA never ceases to innovate when it comes to the use of natural and engineered materials – adding not only value but also a sense of wonder to their magnificent line of luxury timepieces, writes BRUCE SCOTT
Just as every exquisitely handcrafted timepiece from OMEGA has its own unique and distinct personality, so too does every component used to fashion the final product. The natural and expertly engineered materials that are part of the brand’s creative palette allow their designers to achieve both diversity and unparalleled excellence. These building blocks, always of the finest quality, not only heighten the beauty of each timepiece, but also the intrinsic functionality and longevity. They are specifically chosen because they are considered to be the best that nature – and science – has to offer. Each adds its own unique attributes, whether that be colour and lustre, or strength, or even magnetic resistance.
METALS
When it comes to trusted watchmaking materials, metals offer endless advantages. Stainless steel, for instance, offers beauty, strength and affordability. OMEGA uses 316L stainless steel, known for its corrosion-resistance and high lustre after polishing. Titanium is another prized metal, as titanium alloys are light, corrosion-resistant, biochemically inert, and able to withstand extreme temperatures. Grade 2 titanium, featured in a number of OMEGA timepieces used for sport and space exploration – where light reflections should be avoided – is characteristically of a subdued grey colour. Grade 5 titanium, by contrast, offers a brighter tone, close to that of stainless steel, which suits both brushed and polished finishing.
Platinum, meanwhile, stands out for its brilliant shine and remarkable resistance to corrosion. The rarity of platinum is why it’s often associated with exclusivity and wealth, and OMEGA’S timepieces using 950 platinum offer wearers a distinctive look. Tantalum, on the other hand, is a lustrous blue-grey metal that is rarer than gold, and harder than steel. It’s a valuable alternative to platinum and finds use in decorative watch parts such as bezels and bracelet links. Then there’s Liquidmetal – a substance trademarked by OMEGA since 2010 – which offers new decoration possibilities.
Composed of titanium, zirconium and copper, this amorphous alloy is three times as hard as stainless steel and can be offered in contrasting finishes (brushed or polished).
EXCLUSIVE ALLOYS
The variety of exclusive alloys available to the watchmakers at OMEGA gives their designs both distinctive new colours and improved longevity. Each alloy is formulated to offer its own special advantages, and most are employed in the creation of cases, bracelets, hands, applied elements, diamond holders, and movement components. Sedna Gold is a fiery rose 18K gold alloy, while Canopus Gold is a white gold alloy offering high brilliance and longevity, making it ideal for diamond set timepieces. OMEGA’S Bronze Gold was specifically developed to produce a pleasing aesthetic and soft pink hue, while their poetically named Moonshine Gold – an 18K yellow gold alloy inspired by the lunar light in a dark blue sky – offers a distinctive paler hue than traditional 18K yellow gold.
CERAMICS
Ceramic is most often used for cases, bezel rings, crowns and pushers, bracelet buckles, clasps and dials, and it has become a popular choice for customers thanks to its appealing colour range. It’s also twice as light as stainless steel, highly scratch-resistant, chemically inert and nonmagnetic. Hardwearing, hypoallergenic, and environmentally friendly, this ancient material is used to fashion watch parts with exceptional mechanical properties
OMEGA’S unique bonding of a ceramic bezel with 18K gold is known as Ceragold. Here, pressed bezel rings have the diving scale laser engraved on the top surface, creating the necessary cavities to receive the bonding 18K gold. After an electroforming process and a gold electrolytic bath, a thick layer of 18K gold is formed on the ring’s surface. When the excess gold is removed, the result is a dramatic contrast between the two materials that is absolutely smooth to the touch.
CRYSTALS
Synthetic sapphire crystal, with a highly scratch-resistant and antireflective treatment, allows one to fully appreciate the finer details of a timepiece. Before the machining and finishing processes take place, OMEGA’S sapphire crystals are produced under the Verneuil process (also called flame fusion) which involves melting, using oxyhydrogen flame, and the crystallisation of the melted droplets to form a cylinder. The resulting sapphire crystals are virtually scratch-proof, while ensuring an unhindered clarity at all times.
NATURAL MATERIALS
When it comes to natural substances that are as durable as they are beautiful, it’s hard to compete with diamonds. Recognised as the hardest material on Earth, they can only be formed under specific high temperature and pressure conditions. OMEGA uses carefully cut ‘Top Wesselton’ white diamonds to decorate its timepieces and jewellery, with clarities ranging from pure to VVS (Very Very Small inclusions). In addition, OMEGA is a certified member of the nonprofit Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC), assuring customers that its processes involving people, materials and the environment are ethical and fair.
Another prized natural material favoured by the brand’s watchmakers is mother-of-pearl, also known as nacre. Resilient and splendidly iridescent, it’s often found gracing the dials in the ladies’ collections. However, for a natural material that is truly “out of this world”, you can’t beat meteorite. These extra-terrestrial stones contain mainly iron and are prized by designers for their criss-cross Widmanstätten pattern. Of course, the magnetic iron content of this kind of meteorite makes it unsuitable for Master Chronometer certified watches, so lunar meteorites with irregular stone patterns are used for OMEGA’S Master Chronometer timepieces instead.
(Visit OMEGA boutiques in Thailand at the following locations: Central Embassy, Emporium and Siam Paragon)