Sails assistant: Omega returns to the America’s Cup

Featuring a pattern of subtly stylised laser-engraved waves, this is a classy paean to the iconic competition

Texto de: Josh Lee

Despite having well documented links with Neil Armstrong and James Bond, it is Omega’s unrelenting ties with sports that is perhaps the venture’s signature hallmark. Notably, having been the official timekeeper of the Olympics for the best part of a century, the Swiss watchmaker has chronicled the perimeter-pushing feats of the world’s greatest athletes: Usain Bolt’s iconic triple in front of the Beijing crowd; Sir Chris Hoy’s triumphs in London; Léon Marchand’s dominance in the pools of Paris. And, while this year’s collection of Olympians have long departed the athletes’village for a brief period of recovery (or retirement), Omega has been extremely quick to transition from its role in the French capital to one in Barcelona, owing to its official partnership with the 37th America’s Cup, which set off on 22 August and will conclude on 27 October.

Omega Seamaster Diver 300M America’s Cup, from £5,800, omegawatches.com

La historia

La relación de la firma con la emblemática regata comenzó en 1995, cuando patrocinó al Team New Zealand, antes de convertirse en cronometrador oficial en 2000, 2003 y 2021, y regresar en la competición de este año.

“I’m proud to say we’ve earned our place on the water, having served with distinction at three previous editions of the America’s Cup. We’re honoured to be tasked with measuring every microsecond of this historical boat race and the exciting new races under the America’s Cup banner,” says Omega president and chief-exec Raynald Aeschlimann.

La parte delantera y trasera

To mark its return to the waters, Omega has unveiled the Seamaster Diver 300M America’s Cup, a collectible piece of wristwear that’s produced from stainless steel and is instantly recognisable for its blue ceramic unidirectional bezel on which there is a regatta scale featuring two five-minute sections (used for race pre-starts), and a ‘START’ section complete with flag motif.

La esfera de cerámica con acabado mate presenta un motivo de ondas sutilmente estilizadas y grabadas con láser, mientras que el segundero incorpora un contrapeso con la forma del trofeo de la Copa América; el fondo de la caja, por su parte, muestra la Auld Mug junto a una «B» en alusión a la ciudad anfitriona.

The power

Driving it all is Omega’s Co-Axial Master Chronometer Calibre 8806, and the patented Quick-Change system is ideal for when wanting to make fluid switches between the stainless-steel bracelet and the blue rubber strap – options that are equally suitable when mastering the waves or back home on steadier ground.