The Winter Olympics are finally on, bringing in a breath of fresh air and hope, and OMEGA – true to its role as Official Timekeeper of the Olympic dream – is in the midst of all the joyful chaos and action, keeping time in a highly efficient manner. “Day & Night” magazine talks to Raynald Aeschlimann, President of OMEGA, on the marque’s central role in the stadium…
As the Official Timekeeper for the Winter Olympics, how does it feel to be called the Timekeeper of the Olympic dream?
It’s a source of enormous pride. We use extraordinary technology and precision is everything, but it’s vital to remember that sport is a very human story, filled with hard work, sacrifice, glory and sometimes heartache. For the athletes we serve, to be at the Olympic Games is a dream come true, especially when they earn medals. We are honoured to record their dreams.
OMEGA is the timekeeper of the Olympics and the Winter Olympics, both are similar, yet also very different in terms of technology. Can you elaborate?
At OMEGA, we create sport-specific timekeeping technology. For instance, at summer events, we use swimming touch pads that allow the swimmer to stop and start times. Another example would be our integrated starting blocks for athletics. In winter sports, we have technology such as snowgates for ski events and false start systems for skating. One technology can inspire another and some equipment crosses over, such as our photofinish cameras. Our primary focus is to serve the athletes so it’s more about specific disciplines than divides between summer and winter.
OMEGA has elevated timekeeper precision to a new height with every Olympics. Is there any more room for more advancement?
Of course, there is always room to experiment, evolve and grow. That will always be the case and OMEGA will never be complacent in that matter. We will always push at the boundaries of what’s possible. Our motion and positioning technology, which tracks entire performances, is a good example of this.
What are the challenges for timekeeping in the Winter Olympics?
The main challenge is the cold, especially in outdoor sports, because there are a lot of variables that we can’t control. However, Beijing 2022 is our 30th time as Official Timekeeper, so we come to the event with a wealth of experience and the most incredible team of people. Also, we are a Swiss brand, so we thrive in the cold and we love challenges. Every sport, every venue, every country is different. We know what we’re up against and we are very well prepared.
Omega has been at the forefront of every groundbreaking event, from the Olympics to Winter Olympics to space exploration. How does that feel?
It’s fantastic! We have so many stories to tell, from moon landings to deep-sea records, James Bond and Olympic Games timekeeping. I can’t tell you how proud I am to be at the helm of such a brand. There is no watch company like it. In fact, there is no company at all that’s like OMEGA. If you explore our history, it is like a legend, a myth, but it is all true. This is why we pride ourselves on our pioneering spirit.
Which technological advancement that Omega has created for the Olympics are you most proud of?
There are so many. We have gone from timing an entire Olympic Games with 30 stopwatches to motion sensor technology in less than 100 years. It’s a bit like asking a parent to choose a child, so I think I would pick our most recent technology to measure the jumps in figure skating. Technology that can measure everything from height to spin. I wish I could go back to our very first timekeepers in 1932 and say, one day, this is what we’ll achieve. They wouldn’t believe me.
For Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, Omega released a special Winter Olympics edition of the Diver 300m and Aqua Terra 150m. Why did Omega decide on these 2 particular watches?
One is a sporty timepiece with serious dive tech and the other is dressy and elegant, so it allows fans choice in terms of style. Also, they are both Seamaster watches and the Seamaster is the watch associated with sailing, deep-sea diving and adventure sports. These two watches also lend themselves to collectible dial designs, allowing us to include Olympic ring-coloured indexes on the Diver 300M and an ice-inspired dial on the Aqua Terra.
