Omega celebrates its cultural impact with new museum

Swiss watchmaker Omega has opened a museum dedicated to its timepieces as it looks to offer more engaging experiences to consumers.

Now open in Biel, Switzerland, the museum is the first to be dedicated to a single Swiss watchmaker. It also explores the brand’s historic ties to areas beyond watchmaking, such as filmmaking and space exploration.

Omega Museum
The Omega Museum is located opposite of the watchmaker’s headquarters. The exhibits trace the brand’s origins back more than 160 years.

Among the featured pieces are the bench at which Louis Brandt made his first watches as well as the Omega watches worn by astronauts on the moon. A lunar rover from NASA is also on display.

The Omega Museum is now open in Switzerland.

Stop-motion photography is used to show the Omega timepieces worn by U.S. President John F. Kennedy and in famous films, including those of the James Bond franchise.

Luxury watchmakers and jewelers often host special exhibitions highlighting their heritage and craftsmanship. However, the Omega Museum is a permanent establishment that further makes its headquarters a destination for fans of the brand.

In the past, the watchmaker has introduced special timepieces for select milestones in history and culture.

Omega recently marked the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing with the release of a timepiece that points to its history with space exploration.

The watchmaker's Speedmaster Moonwatch is the first to house its reconstructed Calibre 321 movement, which was originally used on a number of watches that astronauts wore into space. Omega often celebrates its history with astronauts, pointing to the technological aspects of its timepieces (see story)