Omega takes the next leap forward in modern timekeeping in the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympic Games as Official Timekeeper
The summer of sporting action is set to ignite this Friday, 26 July at the Olympic Games Paris 2024. All eyes are on the 329 Olympic events across 32 sports, where every sportsperson gives their very best. Because precision in time is so crucial here, the role of Official Timekeeper is held to the highest of standards. This would be Omega’s 31st time fulfilling this role since 1932, and the Swiss brand is bringing their top game to Paris with the most advanced technology it has ever delivered.
92 years ago, Omega sent one watchmaker from Bienne to the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles, with 30 high-precision stopwatches that were accurate to the nearest 1/10th of a second. Subsequently, in the 1936 Olympic Winter Games in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Omega overcame the challenge to provide reliable timekeeping at snowy events such as speed skating and alpine skiing.
As Omega constantly evolved and developed the technology to ensure precision and reliability, the 1948 Games saw the arrival of Omega’s first photofinish camera and photoelectric cells in the electronic era. Then came the semi-automated timers and now-iconic touchpads in swimming events in 1956 and 1968. The modern era saw the stopwatch replaced by quartz-driven Quantum Timers that can split time by a millionth of a second, introduced in 2012, and motion sensor and positioning systems in 2018.
The quest to raise the standards of precision and performance in timekeeping is an ongoing one. Come 2024, the margins have never been clearer. Paris 2024 will be the first time that the Scan‘O’Vision ULTIMATE will be seen at the Olympic Games. Producing a composite photo of every athlete crossing the line, it will determine the official results in athletics as well as track cycling. The Scan‘O’Vision ULTIMATE is the next generation of Omega’s essential photofinish technology. Enhanced with the highest resolution of any photofinish camera on the market, it can capture up to 40,000 digital images per second on the finish line of races – 4 times that of its predecessor, the Scan‘O’Vision MYRIA. This means that judges can decide the result faster and separate close finishes with maximum clarity, while dedicated colour sensors enable cleaner images without pixel interference.
That’s not all. Computer Vision Technology will make it possible to track athletes and other objects throughout the sporting events at Paris 2024 to provide interesting and useful sets of metrics. Using a combination of single or multi-camera systems, each feeding Artificial Intelligence models specifically trained for each sport, the live data tells the comprehensive story of how an event was won or lost, and the critical moments that led to the final result. This allows in-depth sporting analysis without having physical tags attached to the athletes. It also means enhanced viewing experiences for TV audiences – we are now seeing the Olympic Games in every detail.
To commemorate the event, Omega is also launching exceptional timepieces that echo the spirit of precision timing. Last year, we saw the Seamaster Diver 300M “Paris 2024” Special Edition, and now the Speedmaster Chronoscope in the gold, black, and white colourway of Paris 2024. The watch runs on the Co-Axial Master Chronometer Calibre 9908 / 9909, certified by METAS at the Swiss industry’s highest standard of precision, performance, and magnetic resistance.
At 43mm, the commemorative timepiece sports a silvery white opaline dial, printed with three dark grey timing scales in a 1940’s “snail” design. A tachymeter scale, pulsometer scale, and telemeter scale, put a wide range of measurements on the wrist. The blackened subdials with PVD Moonshine™ Gold treated hands are paired with Arabic numerals in 18K Moonshine™ Gold and leaf-shaped hands. Turn the watch around, and you will see the stamped medallion crafted with a frosted base and a mirror-polished Paris 2024 logo, along with the stamped words, ”Paris 2024“ and the Olympic Rings.
There are two versions to behold: a stainless steel version with an anodized aluminium bezel, paired with a metal bracelet or perforated leather strap, and an 18K Moonshine™ Gold version with a ceramic bezel, worn with either a metal bracelet or standard leather strap.
Images courtesy of Omega, artwork by Curatedition. All rights reserved.
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