Forums Latest Members

Omega Megaquartz 4'190 Mhz Observatory-certified Chronometer 1980

  1. OmegaFan17 Oct 2, 2016

    Posts
    18
    Likes
    59
    One more special piece in my Omega collection. It was my father's farewell gift after 38 years of service to the brand. Enjoy!

    Chronometre de Marine, Observatoire de Neuchatel, Megaquartz Cal.1525 4,19 Mhz quartz precision movement, has a black matte dial with inner baton hour indication, outer raised ring calibrated for 60 seconds indication, screwed bezel, screw button to fix the front plate to the case, plug supplying 1 Hz impulses, metal outer case, set within a hinged two-tier mahogany and brass deck box, case, dial and movement signed 170 mm wide. The Megaquartz model was developed following a request from the French Navy in 1978 looking to purchase a quartz ship chronometer as a reliable time source independent of satellites and radio signals. The aim was a timepiece with a precision better than a 1 second deviation a month. A total of 36 watch and clock manufacturers applied but Omega was chosen after a year of testing the Megaquartz under difficult circumstances at sea. This high precision instrument (less than one second of deviation per month) successfully passed the most rigorous scientific tests at the Neuchâtel Observatory: temperature variations, thermal shocks, magnetic fields and others and after 47 hours of examination earned the official title "Quartz Marine Chronometer". Launched into the market in 1980 as the "Omega Megaquartz Marine Chronometer", it is thought that less than 1000 pieces were made out of which the majority was delivered to the French Navy. Swiss Government also used the Megaquartz as official gift and examples were given to King Carl Gustav of Sweden, French President Mitterrand and King Hussein of Jordan. The city of Geneva presented it to Presidents Reagan and Gorbachev during the America-Russian summit in 1985.

    Scan 32.jpeg
     
  2. Deafboy His Holiness Puer Surdus Oct 2, 2016

    Posts
    2,167
    Likes
    6,115
    Very nice timepiece. Being a physicist and involved in high-tech engineering, I admire the quest for accurate timekeeping. Your father must have been very proud to receive it.

    Should get a nice strap for it. ::bleh::
     
    OmegaFan17 likes this.
  3. ncstate1201 Nov 20, 2016

    Posts
    263
    Likes
    194
    Very cool and an underrated find.