OMEGA: Official Timekeeper of the Olympics
When a thousandth of a second is the difference between gold and silver, timing is pretty important. Since 1932, OMEGA has acted as the official timekeeper of the Olympic Games on 26 occasions with the 27th quickly approaching. The brand will be in Rio August 5th-21st for the 2016 Olympics timing the hundreds of events taking place.
In its history, OMEGA has taken Olympic timekeeping from simple stopwatches to some of the most technologically advanced equipment in the world. In 1932, a lone OMEGA watchmaker arrived at the Olympics with 30 split-second chronographs. Today, an entire team of timekeepers is supported by 450 tons of equipment in order to crown the winners of each event with undeniable accuracy.
OMEGA ensures that the timing of some of the most popular events, swimming and diving, is exact (down to the thousandth) by employing state-of-the-art technology both inside and outside the pool. Electronic start systems, touchpads that allow swimmers to stop the clock with pressure and lap counters on the bottom of the pool are just a few of the brilliant technologies present at each event. It’s no wonder that OMEGA has team members supervising equipment installation and performing tests in host cities as much as two years before events begin.
A year out from the Games, OMEGA typically sets up electronic countdowns in the host city. For the 2016 Summer Games, however, OMEGA decided to support 12 “social action” projects in Rio during the 12 months leading up to the Games. Monthly projects work to improve community spaces, schools and more around Rio in order to improve the lives of thousands of young people and their families.
OMEGA’s Olympic Official Timekeeper Collection
A tribute to OMEGA’s longstanding history of sports timekeeping, the Olympic Official Timekeeper collection features three stunning timepieces with lacquered white dials and gold casings. Each timepiece is adorned with subtle red and blue details and the five Olympic rings engraved on the case back. OMEGA will only produce 188 pieces of each watch.
OMEGA’s Rio 2016 Collection
To celebrate this year’s games, OMEGA released their Rio 2016 collection. Colorful and vibrant, the collection truly embodies the spirit of the Games.
Will you be watching the 2016 Olympic Games? Be sure to pay close attention to the timing and look for OMEGA timepieces on some of your favorite athletes!
