The iconic Swiss watchmaker OMEGA is now providing an official Certificate of Authenticity for its vintage timepieces. This new initiative is OMEGA’s first step toward better transparency in the vintage market, and will provide definitive validation from the company’s experts in Switzerland.
 

Raynald Aeschlimann, President and CEO of OMEGA, says, “Our ambition is to create more trust for OMEGA watches within the vintage and pre-owned sector and help to grow confidence for people who are new to the buying market. For the owners of the watches, it's a way to add some official assurance when selling, and also add some value to their timepieces.” The Certificate of Authenticity will be given to an “authentic” OMEGA timepiece that is older than 30 years. To gain the certification, owners can either present their vintage timepiece directly at OMEGA’s HQ in Switzerland, or to a participating OMEGA Boutique in their country. At a cost of 800 CHF, the watch will then be sent to the OMEGA Heritage Team, who have access to extensive historical production records and servicing policies. During their examination process, they will inspect the current state of the timepiece and then decide if it qualifies for a Certificate of Authenticity.
 

The new certificate from OMEGA differs from the “Extract from the Archives”, which is also available to customers. While the “Extract from of the Archives” provides a customer with information about when their watch was produced, the Certificate of Authenticity provides extended information about the authenticity of the watch in its current condition at the time of the certification expertise.

OMEGA’s HQ location in Bienne, Switzerland will act as the primary collection-point for customers wishing to submit their timepieces for the Certificate of Authenticity. However, an additional network of participating OMEGA Boutiques is also taking part with trained boutique technicians who can deliver to Switzerland on the customer’s behalf.

The global list of boutiques is expected to grow in the near future, but for now, the 12 locations include:

USA
Costa Mesa, South Coast Plaza Mall
New York, Fifth Avenue

Europe
Biel OMEGA HQ, Rue Jakob-Stämpfli 96
Geneva, Rue du Rhône 31
Zurich, Bahnhofstrasse 48
London, 12 Old Bond Street
Milan, Via Montenapoleone 9
Paris, 362-364 Rue Saint-Honoré
Munich, Maximilianstrasse 16

Asia
Hong Kong Causeway Bay, 38 Russell Street
Singapore, The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands
Shanghai, Bund 19, No.23, East Nanjing Road