Omega Watches & the Olympics - A Decades-Long History

At the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, Omega watches continued an Olympic timekeeping legacy that can be traced back to the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 1932 when the Omega brand became the first company to be entrusted with the timekeeping of every event. Omega began its Olympic timekeeping tradition using only stop-watches and chronographs.

In addition to its prominent Olympic role, Omega was been behind many of the most important technological developments in all of sports timekeeping. Over the decades that followed, Omega pioneered several key developments advancing sports timekeeping including the photofinish camera, the Racend Omega timer, and the first electronic sport timer, the Omega time recorder (OTR).

Omega Watches and the 2010 Olympic Winter Games

At Omega's first timekeeping assignment for the Olympic Winter Games in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, in 1936, a single Omega technician brought 27 stopwatches which were used to time every event at the Games. Seventy-four years later in Vancouver and Whistler, Omega deployed a reported 220 timekeeping professionals and engineers supported by 290 local volunteers. They brought approximately 250 tons of equipment for timekeeping, on-venue results and TV services - it was the largest timekeeping contingent in the history of winter sports. More than 5,500 Olympic Games athletes and officials from more than 80 countries made Vancouver the largest Olympic Winter Games ever.

Vancouver 2010 marked the 24th time the Swiss timing specialists served as Official Timekeepers at the Olympic Games. On the 12th of March, they played the same role at the Paralympic Games, for which Omega was also Official Timekeeper. The Games' organisers reported that the Paralympic Games attracted 1,350 athletes and officials from more than forty countries.

As expected, Omega also released a limited edition Seamaster-inspired diver watch to honor the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games. The red and white colors of the Omega Seamaster Professional Diver 300m Vancouver 2010 watch provided a subtle homage to the Canadian host. There were two versions of the watch released -- a larger 41mm wide version, and the smaller 36.25mm version - each limited to 2010 pieces. Like all Omega Seamasters that this watch is based on, it has 300 meters of water resistance and a helium escape valve. Other nice details include a red bezel, a seconds hand with a full-color Olympics logo and a Canadian-themed Olympics symbol engraved on the back.

Omega Watches & the Olympics - A Decades-Long History