Here in San Francisco, Omega watches has just announced a new limited edition watch to celebrate their continued relationship with the Emirates Team New Zealand (ETNZ) for the 2013 edition of the America’s Cup boat race. We are here on-scene at the ETNZ local HQ days before the preliminary Louis Vuitton Cup races that will lead up to the America’s Cup in September 2013. The wild thing about this America’s Cup is just how insane it is – price wise. Oracle leader Larry Ellison has been the biggest US proponent of the race and has made it so expensive only three teams will compete this time around. At least one expert has estimated that Ellison poured about $250 million into Team Oracle for the upcoming boat race.
With an entry level price to produce a racing yacht of over 100 millions dollars, it is a feat for the ultra-wealthy. Countries and corporations work together to produce the team and boat for the nations that participate. Omega is among the supporting companies that helps the extremely tall catamarans race each other as they glide over the water trying to beat each other out. The new boat can apparently reach speeds of 50 knots. New Zealand is a long standing underdog who has some well-deserved victories under their belt. This year they also get a new Omega watch. Limited to 2,013 watches, the new timepiece is also a fantastic mid-ranged Omega chronograph.
Produced as part of the 44mm wide Omega Seamaster 300M case collection, the steel watch is fantastically sized with its classic Seamaster looks that brought the famous family into the modern era. A blue three-hand Omega Seamaster 300M was the James Bond watch for a while. Several years ago Omega decided that this watch would also serve as their boating chronograph (regatta timer). Omega designed the minutes sub dial counter to easily count out the important minutes before a race. Those classic Omega Seamaster-style hands read true against the matte black dial, as the chronograph sub dials are slightly recessed. Red and black are the dominant colors of the watch, coincidently being not only strong Omega colors, but also the colors of the ETNZ team boats.
On the rear of the case is an engraving of the ETNZ team logo and a mark that the watch is to help celebrate the 34th anniversary of the games. Omega has been an American’s Cup team sponsor since the mid 1990s. How do the Swiss at Omega get along with the Kiwis on the team? Rather well it seems. You can tell that ETNZ genuinely appreciates Omega’s support and long-term dedication. Omega CEO speaks with pride and awe when discussing the achievements of the team’s engineers as well as the scale of the ships and the hard work of the sailors.
