The president and CEO of Omega is continuing the Swiss manufacture's tradition in producing highly prized women's watches
Right before the official opening of Omega's Her Time exhibition in Bangkok, Raynald Aeschlimann reveals that he had always wanted an exhibition like this that celebrates women and Omega's remarkably rich history in producing watches for the gender. "It's a permanent quest at Omega. The exhibition not only highlights the watches but also takes you on a trip into the feminine world," he says,
While one's first impression of Omega may be James Bond's Seamaster or the Speedmaster in all its masculine appeal, Omega has always had a significant traction with the ladies. From the start, it was making beautifully decorated pocket watches for them. In 1902, it released its first women's wristwatch. Displaying a serious commitment to meet the evolving needs of women, it pioneered numerous design and technical innovations.
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In 1955, it launched an entire line for women, the Ladymatic featuring the world's smallest chronometer-certified automatic calibre then. Its debut was heralded in an ad with this tagline: "A personal message to the man who owns a Seamaster. Now she can own a watch as fabulous as yours." Since renamed De Ville Ladymatic, one of the first automatic watches for women continues to bewitch with its remarkable combination of form and function, the latter courtesy of the groundbreaking co-axial movement today.
Reflecting on Omega's history in feminine watchmaking, Aeschlimann notes: "We've always been following the development of women's watches. Our name is linked to our movement, which may be considered masculine, but it's also very much linked to our ambassador Cindy Crawford and the Constellation watches. So popular is the Constellation, which was created for women, that we started making them for men!"
Which was a complete flip from the practice of downsizing men's watches for women. "Women have the best of both worlds," says Aeschlimann with a hint of envy. "They have their own watches but they can also wear a men's watch. They have so much more more to play with."
