At the Summer Olympics 2024 in Paris, Swiss watchmaker Omega’s presence could hardly be ignored. Its bright red wordmark and Greek symbol were nearly as pervasive in the city as the iconic Olympic rings, the flame motif and the blue-red-green-purple Paris 2024 theme. Omega watches were also spottable in abundance.

Omega is no mere “sporting event sponsor.” Its involvement in the Olympics goes far beyond marketing — though a powerful marketing statement, it is. The brand’s role and history as the Olympics’ Official Timekeeper is well documented. So are the many special edition watches it produces for each edition of the Games, as well as the brand ambassadors and athletes that sometimes actually wear Omega (and other) watches while competing. If you’re a watch fan, you might have been hearing all about Omega and the Olympics for years, as I have, but seeing the Games in person and Omega Timing in action brought this relationship into perspective.

From when a Swiss watchmaker arrived in Los Angeles in 1932 bearing 30 hand-held split-second chronographs through technological developments over the decades since, Omega has been instrumental (so to speak) in determining the medals and moments of athletic history-making. Brand ambassador or not, if I were an Olympic athlete, that alone would be a compelling reason for Omega to be my own personal wristwear of choice — not to mention the other qualities that make it one of the most iconic and successful luxury watchmakers, period.

Fellow watch journalists and myself sat nearly splash-distance from the pool as the French swimmer Leon Marchand won a gold medal. The hometown crowd was ecstatic. As he greeted spectators just a few feet in front of us following the ceremony, an Omega Speedmaster Chronoscope peeked out from under his cuff. He hadn’t been wearing it while swimming, of course, and I only noticed it after reviewing my photographs.

What I did notice as we watched multiple swimming events that day, however, was the Omega logo at the starting platform, on the scoreboards and other places which spoke to the job Omega was actually performing there aside from looking good on our wrists. Omega technology was in more places than we could even see, such as the underwater touchpads as well as cameras and even software. Seeing it all unfold before us drove home how intimately and extensively Omega is involved in the Games.

Epic, Omega-Heavy Watch Spotting

From the stands at competitions to events in between we also got to mingle with journalists, brand representatives, watch collectors and many interesting people from around the world. I took every chance to speak with them and snap a picture of their watches when possible. A broad range of Omega’s personality, style and history was on display, from modern and sporty models to vintage and fancy, blinged-out watches.

A couple of my fellow journalists each sported small vintage Omegas passed down through their fathers and grandfathers — rusted hands, patinated dials and all. The popular Speedmaster and Seamaster Diver collections were represented in various colors and iterations. De Villes? Constellations? PloProfs? MoonSwatches? Aqua Terras? You bet. They were all among the medley of Omega wristwear that helped give the experience a fulcrum and focus beyond the event that had the wider world transfixed. It also offered conversation-starters.

Victor Vescovo’s Planet Ocean Chronograph

A notable member of our entourage was the adventurer/explorer Victor Vescovo. Chatting with him, he took off the titanium Planet Ocean Chronograph he was wearing so I could feel how light it was as he spoke about it and his various intrepid escapades. As he held it out, his battered hands were in character for someone who had been up every one of the world’s seven tallest mountains, to the deepest point in the ocean, to both of the earth’s poles and even to space. This is the watch that he’s worn for many of those adventures, and he said he’s taken it on every dive since he bought it in his hometown of Dallas, Texas, in 2016 — including to his record-breaking 10,927 meters underwater.

It was indeed surprisingly light considering its chunky-looking 45.5mm case, and Vescovo enjoyed noting that it was made of the same material as the Limiting Factor submersible that he helped design, build and pilot to the bottom of the Mariana Trench in 2019. He said that at the time of development of that craft and preparation for the expedition, he didn’t own a dive watch but “needed” one and wanted an “analog” “chronometer” that could be relied upon if electronic instruments failed. A historic watch, Vescovo’s attachment to it was apparent, and he even seems to view it as lucky.

Omega Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon at the Olympics

People also inquired about my wristwear — though, in short sleeves for the summer heat, many could identify the Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon (“DSotM”) at a glance. As I reflected on the Olympics and how it broadly fits into Omega’s personality as a brand, the DSotM was a perfect watch to tie it all together.

The Dark Side of the Moon is a full collection of its own within the Speedmaster family, but the model I wore was the very first version that introduced the line back in 2013. It also introduced a new era of Omega watches with full-ceramic cases and was part of heralding the broader Swatch Group and industry love affair with the material. It’s in all black ceramic from its case to its dial and even smaller components such as the crown, pushers and the textile strap’s buckle.

It was my first chance to spend significant time with a Dark Side of the Moon watch, and it defied some of my expectations. Despite its large-sounding 44.25mm diameter, I chose it among around a dozen options that Omega offered as loaners to supplement the overall experience. I mainly did so because I thought it would be fun to photograph, and it was.

It surprised me in a couple of ways — firstly in that it seemed not too different on the wrist from a 42mm watch like the Speedmaster Moonwatch. That might be due in part to the lightweight nature of ceramic as well as that dark colors tend to minimize visual presence. Though monochromatic, save for strategically integrated shocks of red, it wasn’t quite as mean-looking as I’d anticipated, either. The glossy dial and bezel always offered some visual interest and a bit of sheen that said “luxury,” as well as remaining highly legible. The rock-solid movement that fills the caseback window shimmers in a similar way and promises some of the best performance in its category.

The Olympic Games being a generally cheerful and colorful affair, the brooding Dark Side of the Moon might not seem at first like the most obvious choice for getting into the spirit of it all. There’s also an intensity and seriositude to the Games, however. As I sat in the stands, watching the competitors, occasionally gazing at my watch and even activating the chronograph at the start of an event just for the hell of it — I felt that it fit with the air of severity and precision that it takes to be an olympic athlete.

Learn more about Omega and the Olympics here