Omega calibers – The super-powers behind the Omega watch faces Part 1

Omega Museum photo credit

Part 1: The comprehensive list of Omega calibers, sorted

The beginning of the Omega’s story goes far back into the late 19th century and starts with a small shop in 1848 in a sub-alpine Swiss city named La Chaux-de-Fonds with a man named Louis Brandt. Today, Omega stands for one of the most recognized watch brands out there and one of the first associations on Olympic games. In our earlier blog posts, we’ve talked about the rich Omega history and its most famous re-presenters, such as the famous Moon watch and its adventurous colleagues, so now we want to explore the forces behind these wonderful timepieces.

When you start investigating the movements Omega has released under its name, you find that the number of them is incredibly large and it is pretty easy to lose your mind in all the references. Plus, there isn’t much information on some of the movements so the task of searching for it and consuming it is incredibly time-consuming, so we hope you’ll forgive us for the movements we don’t have much info on. Before anything else, we have to thank all the sources we found helpful in this try to build this comprehensive database on the Omega calibers. We also welcome any additional feedback or information so we can, hopefully, have them in one place one day, for all the Omega admirers and watch geeks out there. So, let’s dive into it.

Omega’s pocket watch featuring its first caliber: the 19-ligne , photo credit

Let’s first mention that not all Omega calibers were made in-house. Some of the calibers for Omega watches were manufactured by other manufacturers, mostly being the famous ETA and a historic Lemania (nowadays known as Manufacture Breguet), now both part of the Swatch Group, as Omega itself.

All Omega calibers can be split into several categories: Ebauche calibers, Quartz calibers, Electronic Calibers and In-House calibers.

Simply stated, Ebauche movements are those without escapements and mainsprings. They are also called raw movements, made for watch manufacturers, to build them into their watches. The Quartz revolution was a setback for such movements as they weren’t able to compete with cheaper, new calibers flooding the market. The remaining ebauche manufacturers that survived the Quartz revolution were mainly owned by the previously mentioned ETA.

Ebauche calibers can be further divided into Time-Only and Chronograph calibers. Below you can find the list of Omega Ebauche Time-Only calibers, with related calibers grouped together, along with the essential info on each of them, chronologically sorted:

Ebauche time-only calibers produced by ETA for Omega:

• Omega 1110 and Omega 1111 - 28800 bph, 21 jewels (1984),
• Omega 1109 (ETA 2892-A2) - 28800 bph, 21 jewels (1993)
• Omega 1116 (ETA 2891-9) - 28800 bph, 21 jewels (1990)
• Omega 1118 (ETA 2891-A9) - 28800 bph, 23 jewels (1991)
• Omega 1119 (ETA 2892-2) - 28800 bph, 21 jewels (1991)
• Omega 651 (ETA 7001) - Ultra-thin, hand-winding mechanical caliber, 21600 bph, 17 jewels (1993)
• Omega 1108 (ETA 2892-2) - 28800 bph, 21 jewels (1993)
• Omega 725 (ETA 2000) - Compact automatic caliber, 28800 bph, 20 jewels (1994)
• Omega 1120 (ETA 2892-A2) - 28800 bph, 21 jewels (1994)
• Omega 1128 (ETA 2892-A2 GMT) - 28800 bph, 21 jewels (1997)
• Omega 2400 (Yellow Gold-Plated Skeleton of Omega 1120) - 28800 bph, 21 jewels (1998)
• Omega 2401 (White Rhodium Plated Skeleton of Omega 1120) - 28800 bph, 21 jewels (1998)
• Omega 1221 (ETA 2892-A2) - 28800 bph, 23 jewels (1998)
• Omega 2200 (ETA 2895-2) - 28800 bph, 27 jewels (2001)
• Omega 2201 (ETA 6498-1) - 21600 bph, 17 jewels (2004)
• Omega 2520 (ETA 2000-1) - Automatic movement with date, 28800 bph, 20 jewels (2008)
• Omega 2211 (ETA 6498-1) - 21600 bph, 17 jewels (2010)

Omega calibers 2211 , photo credit

Ebauche time-only calibers produced by other manufacturers for Omega:

• Omega 700 (Piguet 21) - Ultra-thin, hand-winding mechanical caliber, 18000 bph, 17 jewels (1963)
• Omega 960 (Unitas 6497) - Hand-winding mechanical caliber, 18000 bph, 17 jewels (1971)
• Omega 980 (Lemania 2980) - Omega Memomatic, 21600 bph, 19 jewels (1969)
• Omega 2300 – Co-Axial movement, 25200 bph, 27 jewels (2004)
• Omega 2601 (Piguet 6763-4) - Full calendar, moon phase, two barrels, 28800 bph, 31 jewels (2001)

We’ll later dig deeper into some of these movements that made history, but for now, here’s a quick overview of Ebauche Chronograph calibers made for Omega watches.

Omega 1150 calibers ETA7751 , photo credit

Ebauche Chronograph calibers produced by ETA for Omega:

• Omega 1150 (ETA 7751) - Automatic chronograph, full calendar, moon phase, gold plated, 28800 bph, 17 jewels (1990)
• Omega 1156 (ETA 7750) - 21600 bph, 17 jewels(1990)
• Omega 1155 (ETA 7750) - Automatic chronograph, gold plated, 28800 bph, 17 jewels (1991)
• Omega 1158 (ETA 7750) - 28800 bph, 17 jewels (1991)
• Omega 1154 (ETA 7750) -28800 bph, 25 jewels (1992)
• Omega 1151 (ETA 7751) - Rhodium plated since 1996, 28800 bph, 25 jewels (1994)
• Omega 1152 (ETA 7750) - Rhodium plated since 1996, 28800 bph, 25 jewels (1995)
• Omega 1164 (ETA 7750) - 28800 bph, 25 jewels (1995)
• Omega 3606 (ETA 7751) - 28800 bph, 25 jewels (2006)

Ebauche Chronograph calibers produced by ETA and Dubois Dépraz for Omega:

• Omega 1140 (ETA 2890-2 & Dubois Dépraz DD 2020) - Chronograph module, gold plated, for Omega Speedmaster Reduced, 28800 bph, 21 jewels (1988)
• Omega 1141 (ETA 2890-2 & Dubois Dépraz DD 2020) - Chronograph module, rhodium-plated, for 1996 Omega Speedmaster Reduced (1996)
• Omega 1138 (ETA 2890-A2 & Dubois Dépraz DD 2030) - Chronograph module for 1997 Omega Dynamic Chronograph, 28800 bph, 21 jewels (1997)
• Omega 1143 (ETA 2890-A2 & Dubois Dépraz DD 2020) - Chronograph module for 1997 Omega Speedmaster Reduced, 28800 bph, 21 jewels (1997)
• Omega 3220 (ETA 2892-A2 with Dubois Dépraz DD 2020) - Chronograph module (3220A since 2003), 28800 bph, 47 jewels (2000)
• Omega 3602 (ETA 2892-A2 with Dubois Dépraz DD 2027) - Chronograph module with regatta timer, 28800 bph, 28 jewels (2002)
• Omega 3601 (ETA 2892-A2 with Dubois Dépraz DD 2029) - Chronograph module with 14-minute dive timer (2003)

Omega Calibre 321, photo credit

Ebauche Chronograph calibers produced by Lemania for Omega:

• Omega 321 (Lemania 2310/Lemania 2320) - Hand-winding chronograph, 18000, 17 jewels (1946)
• Omega 860 (Lemania 1872) - Hand-winding chronograph, 21600 boh, 17 jewels (1968)
• Omega 1040 (Lemania 1340) - 28800 bph, 17 jewels (1970)
• Omega 1041 (Lemania 1341) – Chronograph, 28800 bph, 22 jewels (1973)
• Omega 1045 (Lemania 5100) - 28800 bph, 17 jewels (1974)
• Omega 861 (Lemania 1873), 28800 bph, 17 jewels until 1992 and 18 jewels after (1968) and Omega 1861 (Lemania 1873), its Rhodium Plated Version of cal. 861, 21600 bph, 18 jewels (1996)
• Omega 862 (Lemania 1873) - 28800 bph, 17 jewels (1984)
• Omega 863 (Lemania 1873) – Rose gold and decorated, 28800 bph, 17 jewels (1980) and Omega 1863 (Lemania 1873), its Rhodium Plated Version, 28800 bph, 17 jewels (1996)
• Omega 866 (Lemania 1883) - 21600 bph, 17 jewels (1985) and Omega 1866 (Lemania 1874), its Rhodium Plated Version, 21600 bph, 17 jewels (1999)
• Omega 864 (Lemania 1873) - Hand-winding chronograph, 21600 bph, 18 jewels (1992)
• Omega 3604 (Lemania 1884) - Skeletonized hand-winding chronograph, moon phase, 21600 bph, 17 or 18 jewels (2003)

Ebauche Chronograph calibers produced by other manufacturers for Omega:

• Omega 3303 (Piguet 1285) (2002) - Column wheel chronograph, highly decorated (2001) and its skeletonized version Omega 3321, 28800 bph, 33 jewels (2002)
• Omega 3320 (Piguet 1285) - Column wheel chronograph, platinum rotor, elaborate decoration, 28800 bph, 33 jewels (2002)
• Omega 3304 (Valjoux 7753) - Automatic chronograph, date, 28800 bph, 27 jewels (2002)
• Omega 3301 (Piguet 1285) - Column wheel chronograph, 28800 bph, 33 jewels (2003)

The eighth and ninth decade of the past century brought what nowadays is called the Quartz revolution (sometimes related to as Quartz crisis). Basically, this is the rise of the quartz movements that started to replace mechanical movements all around the globe. The hit was largely taken by the Swiss mechanical industry that chose to stay with traditional mechanical watches, even though Asian watch manufacturers embraced the quartz technology. Still, Omega chose both, hence we have Omega quartz movements.

Quartz Omega calibers produced by ETA for Omega:

• Omega 1310 - Omega Megaquartz, 8192 Hz, 8 jewels (1973)
• Omega 1611 - Omega Chronoquartz, 32 kHz, 15 jewels (1975)
• Omega 1620 - Omega Speedmaster Quartz, 32 kHz (1977)
• Omega 1665 (ETA 988.431) - 32 kHz (1981)
• Omega 1380 (ETA-ESA 956.032) - 32 kHz, 7 jewels (1981)
• Omega 1420 (ETA-ESA 955.411) - 32 kHz, 7 jewels (1982)
• Omega 1422 (ETA-ESA 955.411) - 32 kHz, 7 jewels (1982)
• Omega 1378 (ETA-ESA 210.001) - 32 kHz, 8 jewels (1983)
• Omega 1426 (ETA 256.111) Yellow Gold Plated, 32 kHz, 7 jewels (1984)
• Omega 1379 (ETA-ESA 210.011) - 32 kHz, 8 jewels (1985)
• Omega 1441 (ETA 255.561) - 32 kHz, 6 jewels (1987)
• Omega 1438 (ETA 255.461) - Omega Seamaster Professional Quartz, 32 kHz, 6 jewels (1988)
• Omega 1424 (ETA 256.461) Omega Seamaster Ladies Quartz, 32 kHz, 9 jewels (1990)
• Omega 1456 (ETA 976.001) - 32 kHz, 6 jewels (1994)
• Omega 1538 (ETA 255.461) - Omega Seamaster Professional Quartz, 32 kHz, 6 jewels (1994)
• Omega 1530 (ETA 255.411) - 32 kHz (1994)
• Omega 1532 (ETA 255.111) - Omega Constellation 95 Quartz, 32 kHz, 6 jewels (1994)
• Omega 1479 (ETA 210.011) - 32 kHz, 8 jewels (1994)
• Omega 1376 (ETA 280.002) - 32 kHz, 5 jewels (1995)
• Omega 1471 (ETA 282.001) - 32 kHz, 5 jewels (1995)
• Omega 1440 (ETA 255.441) - 32 kHz, 6 jewels (1996)
• Omega 1400 (ETA 205.111) - ETA "Autoquartz"/Omega Omatic, Rhodium Plated, 32 kHz, 17 jewels (1996)
• Omega 1680 (ETA 252.511) - 32 kHz, 11 jewels (1997)
• Omega 4061 – Quartz movement with long life – 48 months (lacks more info)
• Omega 4561 – 9 jewels (lacks release year)
• Omega 4564 – 8 jewels (2013)

Aside from the listed quartz movements, there is also Omega 1270 (Piguet 1270) - Meca-Quartz produced in 1997 by Frederic Piguet SA (F. Piguet), nowadays known as Manufacture Blancpain.

As for the electronic movements, Omega’s fling with the electronic age was not particularly long and lasted during the 70s.

Omega electronic calibers produced by ETA:

• Omega 1250 (ETA-ESA 9162) - Omega Seamaster Electronic F300MHz, Omega Constellation F300Hz, Omega Constellation F2.4MHz, Omega De Ville Chronometer 300Hz, 12 jewels (1970)
• Omega 1255 (ETA-ESA 9164) - Omega Seamaster Electronic F300MHz, Omega Constellation F300Hz, Omega Constellation F2.4MHz, 17 jewels (1973)
• Omega 1260 (ETA-ESA 9164) – 300Hz, 12 jewels (1972)
• Omega 1255 (ETA-ESA 9162/9164) – Omega Speedsonic F300 Hz, 17 jewels (1974)
• Omega 1620 - Speedmaster Professional Quartz (1977)
• Omega 1660 – Prototypes: TI 386.0815 in titanium and the TA 386.0815 in titanium and gold (1982)

When it comes to in-house movements, Omega was always keen to explore, hence there’s a large list of calibers produced exclusively by the brand over the years. Here’s a quick list and we promise to elaborate on the brightest stars in the future.

Omega 30 mm in-house calibers

• Omega 265 – 18000 bph, 15 jewels (1949)
• Omega 269 - 18000 bph, 17 jewels (1949)
• Omega 283 - Omega Century, 18000 bph, 17 jewels (1949)
• Omega 266 - 18000 bph, 17 jewels (1950)
• Omega 284 - 18000 bph, 17 jewels (1955)
• Omega 286 - 18000 bph, 17 jewels (1961) First-Generation Bumper Automatic
• Omega 330 - 30.1 mm, sub-seconds, bumper automatic, 19800 bph, 17 jewels (1943)
• Omega 331 - Antimagnetic chronometer (1947) and its update Omega 332, 19800 bph, 17 jewels (1949)
• Omega 333 - Excenter regulator, 19800 bph, 17 jewels (1950)
• Omega 340 - 28.1 mm, sub-seconds, bumper automatic, chronometer, 19800 bph, 17 jewels (1943)
• Omega 341 - JUB edition, 19800 bph, 17 jewels (1947)
• Omega 342 - Update, first Omega Seamaster caliber, identical to Omega 28.10 RA PC but concealed buffer springs, 19800 bph, 17 jewels (1949)
• Omega 344 – Update, 19800 bph, 17 jewels (1953)
• Omega 343 - Chronometer, excenter regulator, 19800 bph, 17 jewels (1950)
• Omega 350 - 28.1 mm, sweep seconds, bumper automatic, 19800 bph, 17 jewels (1950)
• Omega 351 – Update, 19800 bph, 17 jewels (1949)
• Omega 354 - Update, identical to Omega 342 but added swan neck regulator, chronometer, 19800 bph, 17 jewels (1953)
• Omega 352 - Chronometer, excenter regulator, 19800 bph, 17 jewels (1950)
• Omega 353 – Date, 19800 bph, 17 jewels (1951)
• Omega 355 – Update, 19800 bph, 17 jewels (1953)

Second-Generation Automatic

• Omega 450 – Ladies, 19800 bph, 17 jewels (1955)
• Omega 455 – Ladies, 19800 bph, 17 jewels (1955)
• Omega 470 - 25 mm, full rotor, first Omega with bi-directional winding, 19800 bph, 17 jewels (1955)
• Omega 471 - First full-rotor automatic 19800 bph, 19 or 20 jewels (1955)
• Omega 490 - 28 mm, sub-seconds, first Omega with bi-directional winding, 19800 bph, 17 jewels (1956)
• Omega 491 - 19800 bph, 19 jewels (1956)
• Omega 500 - 28 mm, sweep seconds, 19800 bph, 17 jewels (1956)
• Omega 502 – Date, 19800 bph, 17 jewels (1956)
• Omega 501 - Identical to Omega 471 but added swan neck regulator, Omega Globemaster, 19800 bph, 19/20 jewels (1956)
• Omega 503 – Date, 19800 bph, 19/20 jewels (1955/1956)
• Omega 504 – Chronometer, 19800 bph, 24 jewels date (1957)
• Omega 505 - 19800 bph, 24 jewels (1957)

Third-Generation Automatic

• Omega 550 - 28 mm, 19800 bph, 17 jewels (1959)
• Omega 560 – Date, 19800 bph, 17 jewels (1959)
• Omega 551 - Chronometer and the date version, 19800 bph,17 jewels (1959)
• Omega 561 - 19800 bph, 24 jewels (1959)
• Omega 552 - Omega Railmaster, 19800 bph, 24 jewels (1959)
• Omega 562 - Date, 19800 bph, 24 jewels (1959)
• Omega 610 and Omega 611 - Manual winding, date, 19800 bph, 17 jewels (1959)
• Omega 570 - 19800 bph, 17 jewels (1959)
• Omega 571 - 19800 bph, 24 jewels (1959)
• Omega 590 (17 jewels), Omega 591 (20 jewels), Omega 592 (25 jewels) and Omega 593 (17 jewels) – all four on 19800 bph (1960)
• Omega 600 and Omega 601 - Manual winding, 19800 bph, 17 jewels (1960)
• Omega 680 - Date, 19800 bph, 17 jewels (1963)
• Omega 681 - Date, 19800 bph, 24 jewels (1963)
• Omega 660 (17 jewels), Omega 661 (24 jewels), Omega 670 (17 jewels) and Omega 671 (24 jewels) – all operating at 19800 bph (1963)
• Omega 564 – Date, chronometer, 19800 bph, 24 jewels (1966)
• Omega 565 – Date, 19800 bph, 24 jewels (1966)
• Omega 563 – Date, 19800 bph, 17 jewels (1966)
• Omega 613 - Manual winding, chronometer, date, 19800 bph (1966)
• Omega 710 and Omega 711 - 19800 bph (1966)
• Omega 712 – Chronometer, 19800 bph (1967)
• Omega 750 - Day/date, 19800 bph (1967)
• Omega 752 - Day/date, 19800 bph, 24 jewels (1967)
• Omega 751 - Day/date chronometer, 19800 bph, 24 jewels (1967)
• Omega 602 - Manual winding, 19800 bph (lacks year)
• Omega 672 – Chronometer, 19800 bph (1968)
• Omega 682 – Chronometer, 19800 bph (1968)
• Omega 683 (21600bph, 17 jewels), Omega 684 (21600bph, 24 jewels) and Omega 685 (Date, 21600bph, 24 jewels) (1971)

Fourth-Generation Automatic

• Omega 1000 - Hacking, thin, 28800 bph, 17 jewels (1969)
• Omega 1001 – Chronometer, 28800 bph, 20 jewels (1969)
• Omega 1002 – Automatic, sweep second, date, hacking, 28800 bph, 20 jewels (1969)
• Omega 1010 - Hacking, thin, improved, 28800 bph and Omega 1020 - Day/date, 28800 bph, 17 jewels (1972)
• Omega 1011 – Chronometer. 28800 bph, Omega 1021 - Day/date, chronometer, 28800 bph, 23 jewels
• Omega 1012 - 28800 bph and Omega 1022 - Day/date, 28800 bph, 23 jewels (1972)
• Omega 1030 - Manual winding, date, 28800 bph, 17 jewels (1973)
• Omega 1035 - Manual winding, 28800 bph, 17 jewels (1974)

As you can see, we’ve listed a large number of models but we’re far from over. Our next article’s topic will be what is called “modern Omega movements” as their list is also quite large to digest. After that, we’ll try to elaborate on those especially attractive to watch lovers.