Rolex vs. OMEGA: How to Make the Right Decision

Side-by-Side Comparison between OMEGA vs Rolex

Rolex or OMEGA: chances are if you talk to any watch enthusiast, they have a strong opinion on both brands. They’re two of the most famous watch manufacturers in the world, and both are industry leaders. Since you can’t go wrong with either brand, how do you choose? Both watch companies have seen their fair share of iconic moments throughout their histories. Rolex was the first to swim the English Channel with Mercedes Gleitze and ascend Mt. Everest with Sir Edmund Hillary. OMEGA has explored the depths of the ocean with Jacques Cousteau and discovered uncharted territory on the moon expeditions with NASA. So, what separates these two powerhouse brands? Here, we look at a side-by-side comparison between OMEGA vs. Rolex.

List of Key Similarities and Differences between OMEGA vs Rolex

Key Similarities

• Both brands have been the official watch of James Bond.
• Both brands serve as official timekeepers for various sporting events.
• Both brands have worked to establish quality standards beyond COSC certification. 

Key Differences

• Price: In both the new and pre-owned market, Rolex watches tend to be more expensive than OMEGA watches. 
• Movements: Rolex no longer produces watches with quartz movements and exclusively uses mechanical movements, but OMEGA produces watches with both quartz and mechanical movements.

Water Resistance: OMEGA’s Seamaster Planet Ocean Ultra Deep Professional set a new record for water resistance in 2019, reaching a depth of 10,928 meters and beating Rolex’s previous record of 10,916 meters with the Deepsea Special back in 1960.

Brief History of OMEGA

OMEGA’s beginnings reach as far back as 1848, when twenty-three-year-old Louis Brandt started an assembly workshop in his family’s villa. His sons took over the business upon his death, and then in 1892, the company developed the first minute-repeating wristwatch. They later settled on the name OMEGA after the creation of the 19-line OMEGA caliber in the late 1800s. 

By the time Hans Wilsdorf founded Rolex in 1905, OMEGA had begun laying the groundwork for one of their most important roles in our culture: official timekeeper. It started with a handful of sporting events around Switzerland. Ultimately, it led to their partnership with the Olympic Games in 1932.

The twentieth century brought about continued growth for OMEGA. In 1948, the brand celebrated its monumental 100th anniversary. With this milestone came the introduction of one of OMEGA’s most iconic models: the Seamaster. The introductory Reference 2913 served as a functional and elegant tool. OMEGA designed the model for active individuals who may be diving in the morning and dressing up in the afternoon. The Seamaster has made diving history many times over with References like the 2531.80.00 and 212.30.41.20.03.011. It also serves as a research and development model for the brand’s testing of alternative case materials and treatments. Eventually, it would go on to replace Rolex as the official watch of James Bond in the 1990s. Over the years, OMEGA would go on to expand the line with variations on the original. These include the Seamaster Professional in 1957, Seamaster Aqua Terra in 2003, and Seamaster Planet Ocean in 2005.

In the 1960s, OMEGA expanded their work beyond sports with a partnership that would solidify their place in history. NASA chose the Speedmaster as the official watch of the space program, and the Speedmaster Professional was born. Eventually the Reference 105.012 took the most famous journey of all – to the moon.

In the new millennium, OMEGA has continued to build on their work with the Olympic Games, NASA, and Bond franchise. Additionally, they’ve expanded their work in the field of sports and established themselves as an industry leader in quality standards. In 2011, they became the official timekeeper of the PGA of America. Three years later, they collaborated with the Swiss Federal Institute for Metrology (METAS) to establish a new quality standard.

Brief History of Rolex

For many, Rolex is the king of all watches, and its name is synonymous with precision. Hans Wilsdorf founded Rolex in 1905 with his brother-in-law Alfred Davis. Solidifying its place in history, Rolex created the first wristwatch to receive the Swiss Certificate of Chronometric Precision in 1910. In 1931, they pioneered and patented the perpetual movement, which is now the foundation of modern automatic watches.

In Rolex’s early years, the brand focused on developing groundbreaking technologies. In 1945, they developed the first self-winding wristwatch to display the date on the dial, the Datejust. In 1953, they created the first dive watch water resistant up to 100 meters, the Submariner. A year later, they produced the first watch to display the time in two time zones, the GMT Master. Then, in 1956, Rolex introduced the first watch to display both the day and date on the dial, the Day-Date. 

After establishing a strong reputation for design and ingenuity in the watch industry, Rolex went on to establish their name in other industries. In 1962, Rolex became the official watch of James Bond. Their work with the iconic film franchise would extend another three decades until OMEGA replaced them in the 1990s. 

Another one of their most significant partnerships came in 1978. That year, they became the official timekeeper at Wimbledon. More recently, Rolex has solidified partnerships as the official timekeeper of the Australian Open in 2008, U.S. Open in 2018, and finally the French Open in 2019. This makes them the official sponsor of all four Grand Slam tournaments. 

Over the years, Rolex has also been present at some of the most significant moments in golf, yachting, motor sports, and equestrian races. In addition, they’ve worked with prominent organizations like National Geographic to support underwater and mountain exploration. Last but certainly not least, Rolex instituted their Superlative Chronometer Certification in 2015. In addition to COSC certification, each Rolex watch receives this green seal after supplementary testing.

Popular OMEGA Watches

OMEGA’s Seamaster and Speedmaster family of watches may be the most instantly recognizable within the brand’s catalog. However, there are two other popular OMEGA watches worth looking at. The first is the OMEGA Constellation, initially launched in 1952. The brand drew inspiration for the model from the design of the Geneva Observatory, giving the collection its celestial name. Fifteen years later in 1967, OMEGA introduced the De Ville line. The De Ville began as an extension of another popular OMEGA watch: the Seamaster. However, over the years the collection developed its own distinct personality, winning several design awards. 

Popular Rolex Watches

Over the years, an expansive catalog of popular Rolex watches has developed. Prior to the Datejust, they released the Oyster Perpetual in 1926, Cellini in 1928, and Bubbleback in 1933. The same year as the Datejust, Rolex also released the Air-King as part of the Air Series. Today, the Air-King is the only remaining model from this collection. In 1953, Rolex debuted the Submariner and Explorer, which was one of the first watches to reach Everest’s peak. Rolex went on to introduce the Milgauss in 1956 and the Daytona in 1963. 

After the launch of the Daytona, it would be nearly another 30 years before they’d debut an entirely new model. Instead, Rolex spent many years updating some of their most popular watches. They began in 1967 with the Sea-Dweller, which built upon the design of the Submariner but added stronger capabilities. Next, they added the Explorer II in 1971 and the GMT Master II in 1983. Finally, in 1992, they unveiled their first totally new collection in 29 years: the Yacht-Master. Eventually, they would go on to replace the Sea-Dweller with the Deepsea in 2008. Then, they added the Datejust II in 2009 and Yacht-Master II in 2010. Most recently, they introduced the Sky Dweller to their catalog in 2012. 

Deep Dive of Key Similarities and Differences between OMEGA vs Rolex

There are a number of key similarities between OMEGA and Rolex. Rolex was the first official watch of James Bond, beginning in the 1960s. Then, OMEGA took over the franchise in the 1990s and continues to be the signature timepiece of 007 today. OMEGA has a longstanding history as the official timekeeper of the Olympic Games and, more recently, as the PGA America. Similarly, Rolex has a longstanding history serving as the official timekeeper within the sport of tennis as well as golf, yachting, motor sport, and equestrian races. Outside of sports and pop culture, both OMEGA and Rolex have made significant contributions to the watch industry. In 2014, OMEGA partnered with METAS to establish a new quality standard beyond COSC certification. They designed this procedure to emulate real-world wearing conditions, including resistance to water, shock, temperature changes, and magnetic fields. Likewise, Rolex developed their Superlative Chronometer Certification in 2015. In addition to COSC certification, each Rolex watch receives this green seal after supplementary testing.

There are also a number of important key differences between OMEGA and Rolex. The first is price. When it comes to entry-level watches for each brand, look at the OMEGA Seamaster Diver 300 and Rolex Oyster Perpetual. An OMEGA Seamaster Diver 300 currently starts at $2300 brand-new and around $1300 and pre-owned. Alternatively, a Rolex Oyster Perpetual currently starts at $4850 brand-new and around $2095 pre-owned. The second key difference between OMEGA and Rolex are their movements. For a brief period, Rolex gave into the quartz craze and produced watches with quartz movements. However, the Rolex quartz era officially ended in 2001. Today, they only produce watches with mechanical movements. On the other hand, quartz movements have long been a part of OMEGA’s catalog and continue to be today. Last but not least, OMEGA and Rolex have long competed when it comes to water resistance. For decades, Rolex dominated OMEGA. However, just recently in 2019, OMEGA surpassed Rolex’s record by a mere twelve meters. 

How to Choose Between OMEGA vs. Rolex

At the end of the day, when choosing between Rolex and OMEGA, it comes down to personal preference. Both brands are pioneers of precision and accuracy. They produce models for sea, land, and air, and their watches can easily go from adventure to boardroom. No matter which you choose – Rolex or OMEGA – you won’t be disappointed.