Originally founded in 1848 by Louis Brandt, and more recently acquired by the Swatch Group, Omega boasts a rich history that is intertwined with remarkable moments in human exploration and precision timekeeping.

The brand rose to fame in 1932 when it became the official timekeeper of the Olympic games, setting the standard for precision in sports timing. Omega’s most definitive period came in the 1960s, however, when NASA chose the Speedmaster for the Apollo 11 mission to the Moon. Apart from being the first watch worn on the lunar surface, this famous chronograph has also been associated with numerous NASA endeavours and was instrumental in the safe return of the Apollo XIII mission in 1970.

The Seamaster collection, introduced in 1948, remains iconic for its maritime roots, and its association with James Bond. The famous British spy has worn a Seamaster in every film of the series since 1995’s ‘Goldeneye’. The model line has also been a platform for innovation with the recently released Planet Ocean ‘Ultra Deep’ delivering an impressive 20,000 feet of water resistance.

Omega continues to be a dominant force in the global watch market and is among the highest selling and most recognised luxury brands.

Over 80 Speedmasters have sold on Watch Collecting, with everything from patinated vintage examples through to latest generation references going under the hammer. A highlight for ‘Speedy’ purists was this 1966 reference 105.012-66 (£5,300) which is historically significant for being the first time the "Professional" moniker appeared on the dial. With its larger 42mm case and twisted lugs, it represented a new generation for Omega’s iconic sports watch and one that has gone on to define the modern era.

Making an early impact on Watch Collecting by setting an auction record for the reference was this Snoopy 45th Anniversary Moonwatch (£28,000). Launched to commemorate the Speedmaster’s role in the safe return of Apollo XIII and the Snoopy Award presented to Omega, this watch features a white dial incorporating a Super-LumiNova Snoopy on the 9 o'clock sub-dial.

Many of the Seamasters sold on Watch Collecting have referenced the James Bond connection. To mark the franchise’s 50^th anniversary, Omega created a very limited run of 257 watch sets, each presented in their own ‘Globe-Trotter’ suitcase (£32,250). Unique to the watches in this set is a hidden number 50 within the Super-Luminova of the 10 o’clock index – a reference to the 50^th anniversary of On Her Majesty’s Secret Service; 18k yellow gold hands and indexes, with a marker at 12 o’clock, inspired by the Bond family coat-of-arms.