HUMANITARIAN INITIATIVE
To raise funds to support the NGO’s campaigns in developing countries, a duo of watches has been made available to collectors who wish to make a commitment to a great cause.
Since 2011, Omega has been supporting the non-governmental organization Orbis created in 1982. This NGO plays a role in the fight against visual impairment and avoidable blindness with programs which focus on the prevention and treatment of eye diseases. To support it in its effort, the Swatch Group brand regularly rolls out limited editions and donates part of the sales proceeds to, amongst other things, help give wings to a Flying Eye Hospital on-board which eye surgery is performed. End 2020, two Trésor Orbis watches were unveiled to help this philanthropic cause. This duo boasts the same sunray-brushed blue dial with a gradient effect where a pair of hour and minute hands hovers over the white gold indexes. At 6 o’clock, a teddy bear is a wink to the American NGO’s mascot which is offered to children after each operation. The two pieces are differentiated by their bezel. The first is polished whilst the second stands out with its stone-setting.
Both timepieces are driven by the 8511 caliber which nestles in a 40 mm-diameter steel case. This hand-wound movement, equipped with two barrels, delivers a power reserve of 60 hours. In addition to its chronometric precision certified by the COSC, it is resistant to magnetic fields greater than 15,000 gauss. The sapphire-crystal caseback invites to admire the watch finishes and its red gold balance bridge.
These two Trésor Orbis are worn on a blue alligator strap clasped by an ardillon buckle.
Price: EUR6,400 (polished bezel) – EUR11,600 (stone-set bezel) omegawatches.com
By Dan Diaconu