Why We Love It

Introduced in 1947, the Cosmic was Omega’s first watch to combine the time and date with a calendar function displaying the date, day of the week, month and the phase of the moon.

At the time of its release, a triple calendar complication was representative of the height of a watch manufacture’s prowess in wrist-worn timepieces. Nearly every noteworthy brand made them, from Patek Philippe to Rolex. But surviving examples produced by Patek Philippe or Rolex, for example, go for six figures at auction today, whereas the Omega Cosmic is far more accessible.

And -- in our opinion -- absolutely beautiful. The Cosmic’s dial features a classic triple calendar layout, with the day of the week and month below the 12 O’clock, position, moonphase indicator at 6 O’clock and date indictor around the perimeter of the dial. 

This particular example features a steel case and is preserved in remarkable condition with crisp dial printing and shows an exquisite contrast between the gold-foil Arabic numerals and applied indices, with a lovely yellow gold 'feuille' handset to boot.

Absolutely beautiful piece.

The Story 

While sports watches like the Speedmaster and Seamaster might be Omega’s most recognizable models, the brand’s archives are full of elegant, understated watches that prove the brand’s mastery.

In the post-war period, the economy was booming after years of austerity. During that time, tastes in watches shifted to elegant, understated dress watches that the returning GIs could bring with them into the work force. Omega answered the change in trends with this watch, the Omega Cosmic.

Omega touted the slimness of the Cosmic’s case in advertising material, stating that it was “the first calendar watch whose movement was conceived to fit in an ultra-flat case.” For the collector who seeks an elegant dress watch, we can’t recommend the Cosmic enough.