Omega Watch Company

Brief History: Omega Watch Company

Including Serial Numbers, Production Dates and Case Metal Codes

1848 - Present

La Chaux de Fonds, Switzerland

The Omega Watch Company was founded by Louis Brandt in La Chaux de Fonds, Switzerland in 1848. Brandt, 23 years old, began by hand assembling watches from parts produced by local craftsmen. When Louis Brandt passed away in 1879, he left the company to his two sons Louis-Paul and Cesar, who moved Omega to Bienne in January 1880.

By 1889, Louis Brandt and Fils became the largest producers of watches in Switzerland, with a production rate of of over 100,000 watches per year. During this period, they continued to make significant innovations, like the minute-repeating wristwatch, developed in 1892 in partnership with Audemars Piguet, and quite likely the first wristwatch of its kind.

Both Brandt brothers died in 1903, placing the fate of the company in the control of four descendants, the oldest of whom, Paul-Emile Brandt, was only 23 years of age.

Following a merger with Tissot in 1930 a new parent company, SSIH, Société Suisse pour l'industrie Horlogère SA, Geneva, was established. This group eventually encompassed over 50 companies including, Lanco, Lémania and Hamilton. SSIH eventually became the third largest producers of finished watches and movements in the world.

Omega World-Renowned Quality

Omega has a long-established reputation for innovation and quality, which has led to numerous awards over the company's 150 year history, starting as early as 1900 with the Grand Prix at the Paris World Fair. In 1936, an Omega watch was awarded 97.8 points at the Kew-Teddington chronometer trials in England setting a world precision record.

Omega has also had a long affiliation with sports. Omega has been the official timekeeper at over 21 Olympic Games, and has contributed many significant innovations to sports timekeeping over the years. For example, Omega brought the first electronic timekeeping device to the Helsinki Olympic Games in 1952. In that same year, Omega was awarded the Olympic Cross of Merit in recognition of its outstanding contribution to Olympic sports.

Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin wears
his Omega Speedmaster on the lunar surface
and in the lunar lander

Omega on the Moon

Because of its well-deserved reputation for precision and reliability, the Omega Speedmaster was chosen by NASA as its official chronometer in 1965. It was the only watch flight-certified by NASA for EVA use, and accompanied astronaut Ed White on the first space walk during the Gemini 4 mission in 1965. In 1969 became the first watch to be worn on the moon when Buzz Aldrin wore his Speedmaster, fitted with cal. 321 movement, on his first lunar excursion. Neil Armstrong left his Omega Speedmaster in the lunar module during his historic first spacewalk. In all, Omega watches made six lunar landings. Omega watches were also the only watches certified for use in space by the Russian Space Agency.

Omega Co-Axial

More recently, Omega has continued to build on its reputation for innovation with the world's first self-winding tourbillon wristwatch in 1994, and the commercial introduction of the revolutionary coaxial escapement developed in conjunction with world-renowned English watchmaker George Daniels. The coaxial was first offered in limited series in 1999. The new coaxial escapement consists of three components: a coaxial wheel, an escape wheel, and a lever with three pallet stones, unlike the conventional pallet-lever and escape wheel of the lever escapement. The combination of the new escapement and a newly developed free-sprung balance attempts to eliminate the sources of error in timekeeping. The effect of the thickness and viscosity of lubricant on balance amplitude has been virtually eliminated, extending the planned service interval to around 10 years.

In practice, Omega's implementation of the co-axial escapement has not been without problems. Omega is currently on at least the 4th generation of their co-axial, and have yet to achieve the theoretical goal of lubrication-free performance. It has been reported that George Daniels (who passed away in 2011) was not happy with Omega's execution of his escapement design.

Through an economic crisis in the 1980’s the company merged with another large Swiss conglomerate, ASUAG, makers of Swatch, Longines and Rado, to create a new company ASUAG-SSIH. Eventually this pairing fell on hard times and the company was taken over by a private group and renamed SMH, which still exists today.

Fake "Omega" Watches:

The Omega brand has been frequently copied, and you have no doubt seen email advertisements for imitation Omega watches at deep-discount prices. Don't waste your money! These watches are cheap, poorly-made fakes that are not serviceable and will not perform like the genuine article. Counterfeiting products is illegal. We do not encourage or endorse the purchase of any counterfeit watch!

Omega Watch Repair:

At Renaissance Watch Repair, we are experts in the repair and restoration of vintage Omega watches. We do not repair modern Omega watches. We are also always looking for Omega pocket watches and vintage wristwatches to purchase for our inventory. Please contact us if you have any questions about the repair or sale of your vintage Omega watch.

Omega Watch Company Serial Numbers and Production Dates

Note that Omega began using ETA movements in some of its watches in about 1980. This table does not include accurate dates for Omega/ETA movements.

Omega serial number dates (excluding Speedmaster)

Serial number	First year made	Serial number	Year
1,000,000 – 1,999,999	1894	43,000,000 – 43,999,999	1979
2,000,000 – 2,999,999	1902	44,000,000 – 44,999,999	1980
3,000,000 – 3,999,999	1906	45,000,000 – 45,999,999	1982
4,000,000 – 4,999,999	1910	46,000,000 – 46,999,999	1984
5,000,000 – 5,999,999	1915	47,000,000 – 47,999,999	1984
6,000,000 – 6,999,999	1923	48,000,000 – 48,999,999	1985
7,000,000 – 7,999,999	1920	49,000,000 – 49,999,999	1986
8,000,000 – 8,999,999	1934	50,000,000 – 50,999,999	1986
9,000,000 – 9,999,999	1939	51,000,000 – 51,999,999	1989
10,000,000 — 10,999,999	1944	53,000,000 – 53,999,999	1991
11,000,000 – 11,999,999	1947	54,000,000 – 54,999,999	1993
12,000,000 – 12,999,999	1950	55,000,000 – 55,999,999	1995
13,000,000 – 13,999,999	1952	56,000,000 – 56,999,999	1998
14,000,000 – 14,999,999	1954	57,000,000 – 57,999,999	1998
15,000,000 – 15,999,999	1956	58,000,000 – 58,999,999	1998
16,000,000 – 16,999,999	1958	59,000,000 – 59,999,999	1998
17,000,000 – 17,999,999	1959	60,000,000 – 60,999,999	1999
18,000,000 – 18,999,999	1961	61,000,000 – 61,999,999	2000
19,000,000 – 19,999,999	1962	62,000,000 – 62,999,999	2000
20,000,000 – 20,999,999	1963	63,000,000 – 63,999,999	2000
21,000,000 – 21,999,999	1964	64,000,000 – 64,999,999	2000
22,000,000 – 22,999,999	1965	65,000,000 – 65,999,999	2001
23,000,000 – 23,999,999	1966	66,000,000 – 66,999,999	2002
24,000,000 – 24,999,999	1966	67,000,000 – 67,999,999	2002
25,000,000 – 25,999,999	1967	68,000,000 – 68,999,999	2003
26,000,000 – 26,999,999	1968	69,000,000 – 69,999,999	2003
27,000,000 – 27,999,999	1968	70,000,000 – 70,999,999	2004
28,000,000 – 28,999,999	1969	71,000,000 – 71,999,999	2004
29,000,000 – 29,999,999	1969	72,000,000 – 72,999,999	2005
30,000,000 – 30,999,999	1969	73,000,000 – 73,999,999	2005
31,000,000 – 31,999,999	1969	74,000,000 – 74,999,999	2005
32,000,000 – 32,999,999	1970	75,000,000 – 75,999,999	2005
33,000,000 – 33,999,999	1971	76,000,000 – 76,999,999	2005
34,000,000 – 34,999,999	1972	77,000,000 – 77,999,999	2005
35,000,000 – 35,999,999	1972	78,000,000 – 78,999,999	2006
36,000,000 – 36,999,999	1973	79,000,000 – 79,999,999	2006
37,000,000 – 37,999,999	1973	80,000,000 – 80,999,999	2006
38,000,000 – 38,999,999	1974	81,000,000 – 81,999,999	2007
39,000,000 – 39,999,999	1975	82,000,000 – 82,999,999	2007
40,000,000 – 40,999,999	1977	83,000,000 – 83,999,999	2007
41,000,000 – 41,999,999	1978	84,000,000+	2008
42,000,000 – 42,999,999	1979

Omega Speedmaster serial number dates

Serial number	Earliest year made	Serial number	Year
14,000,000 – 14,999,999	1957	32,000,000 – 32,999,999	1973
15,000,000 – 15,999,999	1958	33,000,000 – 33,999,999	1975
16,000,000 – 16,999,999	1958	34,000,000 – 34,999,999	1976
17,000,000 – 17,999,999	1960	35,000,000 – 35,999,999	1977
18,000,000 – 18,999,999	1961	36,000,000 – 36,999,999	1977
19,000,000 – 19,999,999	1962	37,000,000 – 37,999,999	1978
20,000,000 – 20,999,999	1963	38,000,000 – 38,999,999	1979
21,000,000 – 21,999,999	1963	39,000,000 – 39,999,999	1979
22,000,000 – 22,999,999	1964	40,000,000 – 40,999,999	1980

Omega Watches Case and Metal Codes

Code Metal

AB Platinum + 18k Yellow Gold

AT Platinum

BA 18k Yellow Gold

BB 18k Pink Gold

BC 18k White Gold

BD 14k Yellow Gold

BF 14k White Gold

BG 9k Yellow Gold

BJ 18k Multi-Colored Gold

BK Gold, Bezel Steel

BL 9k Pink Gold

BP 18k Pink Gold

BR Two-Tone 18k Gold Yellow-Pink

BT 18k Yellow Gold + Titanium

BU 18k Yellow Gold, Bezel Aluminum

CD 14k Yellow Gold Cap

CE 14k Pink Gold Cap

DA 18k Yellow Gold + Steel

DB 18k Pink Gold + Steel

DC 18k White Gold Bezel on Steel

DD Steel + 14k Yellow Gold

DE Steel + 18k Pink Gold

DF Steel + 18k Yellow Gold. Steelback

DG 18k Pink Gold Bezel on Steel

DH 18k Pink Gold Bezel on Steel

DL Two-Tone Plated 20M Yellow

DM Two-Tone Plated 10M 1N14

DN Two-Tone Plated 10Y

DP Steel, 18k Pink Gold

DR Bezel 18k Pink Gold on Steel

DS 14k Yellow Gold Bezel on Steel

DX Two-Tone Plated 10M Yellow

ED Plated 10M 2NIB

EF Plated 10M 1N14 Steelback

EX Plated 10M 1N14

FD Plated 80M Yellow

FE Plated 80M Pink

GD Plated 80M Yellow Steelback

GF Plated 80M White Steelback

HG Plated 40M Yellow

HH Plated Two-Tone 40M

JD Plated Two-Tone 40M

JE Plated 40M Pink Steelback

KD Plated 20M Back 40M White

LD Plated 20M 2N18

LE Plated 20M Pink

LX Plated 20M 1N14

MD Plated 20M Yellow Steelback

ME Plated 20M Pink Steelback

MF Plated 20M White Steelback

MK Plated 20M Back and Bezel Steel

MP Plated 20M Two-Tone Yellow-Pink

MR Chromium-Plated Black, Bezel 20M Yellow

ND Plated 20M Yellow on Steel

OA Plated 40M Yellow on Steel

PA Plated 40M Yellow on Steel, Steelback

PE Miniature Clock

RP Silver Plated 40M Yellow

RS Silver 0.925

SC PVD Grey

SE PVD Yellow

SI Steel + Titanium

SO Oxidized Steel

SR Chromium-Plated Black

ST Steel

SU Steel, Aluminum Ring

TA Titanium + Gold Case and Bracelet

TB Titanium + Pink Gold Bracelet Titanium + Pink Gold

TD Titanium + Plated 20M Yellow, Brac.: Titanium + Pl. 10M

TE Titanium + PVD Yellow

TI Titanium

TL Titanium/Tantalum + 18k Pink Gold

TR Titanium + Pink Gold Titanium Bracelet

TT Titanium + Palladium Titanium Bracelet

TZ Titanium + Pink Gold Bracelet: Gold Logo

UT Chromium-Plated

YA Hard Metal Yellow

YR Hard Metal Black

This is an unofficial history of the Omega Watch Company. Experts Watches is not affiliated with the Omega Watch Company. The Omega name and names of various Omega watch models as shown here are trademarks of Omega. Information provided for educational purposes only and we make no warranty as to its accuracy or reliability.

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Omega Watch Company

Brief History: Omega Watch Company