Preowned Omega Watches

About Omega

The first genuine new Omega caliber was long awaited with growing anticipation. Since 1999, Omega's watches have been outfitted with an interesting mixture of classic Swiss lever and traditional chronometer escapements. Though this fusion has only been used by Omega, a correspondingly reworked ETA base caliber has had to serve as the foundation technology. Since the serial development and industrial production of it took longer and became more difficult than originally thought, the manufacture of the brand-new coaxial caliber was delayed. This first Omega manufacture caliber of the modern era represents a milestone in the company's history. With a diameter of 29 mm (corresponding to 13 lines) and a height of 5.5 mm, Caliber 8500 enjoys rather stately dimensions for an everyday three-handed movement. The freely swinging balance is located under a charmingly curved bridge, shock-protected and not subject to much vibration. The black-colored balance swings at an unusual frequency of 25,200 vph (3.5 Hertz) after the industry standard of 28,800 vph (4 Hertz) turned out to be too fast for the complex motion of the coaxial escapement. Like all coaxial movements, Caliber 8500 is officially C.O.S.C. certified and comes with a chronometer certificate. Two serially operating spring barrels ensure enough energy and a power reserve of 60 hours, their performance enhanced by an inside coating of extra-hard, smooth DLC (diamond-like carbon).

The cutting-edge technology used everywhere in this movement contrasts with its classic, almost arabesque finishing with curved, ray-shaped cotes de Geneve on the rotor and bridges. The simple red gold finish, which was utilized in the past for the exceptionally precise Omega chronometers, was in a way a trademark - just think of epoch-making Caliber 30 T2, for example. With an uninterrupted series of more than 6,500 movements that have been successfully tested by the C.O.S.C. since last fall, Caliber 8500 also counts as one of these epochal Omega movements, even without the red gold plating.

The classically designed De Ville case that houses it is transparent on almost all sides thanks to a sapphire crystal ring around its circumference, held in place by two graceful case halves and some screws. There may not be much to see on the edge of a movement's base plate, but the airy nature of this case allows light into the depths of the movement, making the view through the sapphire crystal even more attractive.