Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. The Winning Omega Paris 2024 Bronze Gold Edition (Incl. Video)
Paying homage to the metals of the three Olympic medals, the vintage sector dial and Art Deco flourishes of this watch deserve a gold medal.
Omega won the coveted contract to time the Los Angeles Olympics in 1932, the first Olympic event to introduce the three-level winner’s podium, awarding athletes with gold, silver and bronze medals. Marking its 31st time at the rodeo this year as the Official Timekeeper of the Paris Olympics and Paralympic Games, Omega is in charge of timing all 329 Olympic events across 32 sports. The sheer volume of technology and logistics deployed by Omega is truly mind-boggling. For fans of Omega’s Olympic-related watches, the brand has unveiled a sporty steel and gold edition of the Seamaster Diver 300M and a fascinating Chronoscope. However, standing tall on the gold medal podium is the Omega Paris 2024 Bronze Gold Edition. Based on the handsome, although discontinued, CK 859 Re-Edition with its vintage sector dial, the Paris 2024 Edition brings a real sense of the Olympic spirit by fusing all three medal materials. Furthermore – albeit unintentionally – the Art Deco mood of the sector dial taps into a very Parisian style that has invaded the capital during the Olympics.
Three Medals, One Case
In the mid-1930s, Omega produced the CK 859 model, a Calatrava or coin-edge case with a three-part construction, a flat bezel and a raised crystal typical of the era. Re-edited in 2022 based on a 1939 reference, it was warmly praised by our team and even declared by Robin as the best Omega model of that year. It did make a brief comeback as a special edition for the Beijing 2022 Olympics in a more luxurious Sedna Gold case.
Although the Paris 2024 Edition abandons the CK 859 appellation, it shares many features with the Re-Edition, including the dimensions of the case. Measuring a compact and well-balanced 39mm across with a height of 11.7mm, the case is made from Omega’s proprietary Bronze Gold alloy. Developed by the brand to avoid oxidation and tarnishing, this special alloy comprises 50% copper, 37.5% gold, silver and palladium. The result is a soft, pink colour without the inconvenience of tarnishing.
The caseback is sealed and embossed with the mirror-polished Paris 2024 medallion, the Olympic Flame (Marianne) and the Olympic Rings against a frosted background. While some might view the solid caseback as a fitting memento of the event, we think it’s a shame that it conceals the manual-winding movement. To each his own.
Art Deco Sector Dial
Representing the silver Olympic medal, the dial is made from Ag 925 silver. However, in our eyes, it deserves a gold medal for its winning, elegant Art Deco sector dial. With its precision scales for the hours and minutes, the tracks can be interpreted as a reference to the Olympic tracks and the precision timings supplied by Omega. Given the amount of training and sacrifice athletes invest, it is reassuring to know that despite all the variables out there, one thing won’t fail for them at the Olympics: fair timing.
Another unintentional but serendipitous aspect concerns the Art Deco mood on the dial. While this typeface and font have appeared on the CK 859 and Beijing Olympic models, they take on a new light in this Olympic context. As you will have noticed, the streamlined logos, typefaces and fonts of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games feature an overt Art Deco design language. Designed by the Parisian-based agency Royalties (couldn’t have chosen a better name!), the custom typeface and logos developed for the Paris 2024 Games sits well with the city’s artistic heritage as the cradle of Art Deco.
Framed by the circular brushed scales, the centre of the dial features another French speciality and is decorated with a Clous de Paris pattern, repeated inside the recessed small seconds counter at 6 o’clock. The Art Deco Arabic numerals at 12, 3 and 9 o’clock and the historical Omega logo are applied to the central area of the dial, consolidating the watch’s retro spirit. Crafted in 18k Sedna Gold with a Bronze Gold coating, the time is read with slender sword-shaped hands.
Hidden from View
It’s a shame that the Omega manual-winding calibre 8926 is hidden by the caseback. Designed as a tribute to Omega’s signature calibre 30T that powered the CK 859 reference of 1939, the movement is packed with all the brand’s latest technology. As a contemporary Master Chronometer calibre, the movement is subjected to Olympian tests to ensure its resilience to magnetism, temperature fluctuations and other parameters and is double certified by METAS and COSC as a chronometer. Two barrels ensure the robust 72-hour power reserve, the balance spring is made from silicon, the escapement is co-axial, and the decoration, which you can’t see, features Arabesque Geneva waves across the three bridges.
The watch is delivered in a special Paris 2024 box and comes with a brown calfskin strap with a Bronze Gold pin buckle.
Availability & Price
The Omega Paris 2024 Bronze Gold Edition is a special edition but not limited. It retails for CHF 11,400 or EUR 13,200. For more information, please consult omegawatches.com.
