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BAD CRISIS: Omega

Omega just could not catch a break this year as Coronavirus wreaked havoc on its launch programme built around the 25th James Bond movie and the Tokyo Olympics.

Omega just could not catch a break this year as Coronavirus wreaked havoc on its launch programme built around the 25th James Bond movie No Time to Die, which was supposed to premiere in early April but is now rescheduled for November, and the Olympic Games in Tokyo that have been bumped to 2021.

James Bond’s delay may not prove to be too much of a problem. The movie had already been postponed from late last year, and Omega therefore had watches ready to go.

Its Diver 300m Co Axial Master Chronometer 42mm went on sale at the start of the year, and has been impossible to buy ever since from any authorised dealer.

Omega 210. 90. 42. 20. 01. 001 pub

The Olympics would have been on another scale entirely.

For the Rio Olympics in 2016, Omega launched a collection of three special watches: a Seamaster 300M diver, a Seamaster Bullhead using the colours of the Olympic rings, and a Speedmaster Mark II with its three subdials circled in bronze, silver and gold.

Omega had already been robbed of its Time to Move kick-off event in Zurich, where Swatch Group’s luxury marques would have unveiled their 2020 collections.

I’m not sure the group’s heart is fully committed to this concept, so another year to refine the idea will do no harm. I hope Swatch Group chooses to align its 2021 kick-off event with the Geneva shows in April.

There have been a few watches unveiled, including a 38mm Speedmaster for ladies in two shades of gold and the option of a 90-diamond bezel.

And Omega marked the announcement it will be the Official Timekeeper of 2021’s America’s Cup sailing race in New Zealand with a nautical red, white and blue Seamaster.

Omega 215. 32. 43. 21. 04. 001 amb 01 pr low e1589965715656

Since this article first went to press in May, we have also seen the introduction of a central tourbillon De Ville that will have collectors’ salivating.

Omega 529. 53. 43. 22. 01. 001 close up

This could prove to be a V-shaped downturn for Omega if it can raise pulses over the summer with new watches and intelligent marketing or it might just wait until next year when it can build activity around the rescheduled Olympics.

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