Musée Omega / Omega Museum

I have been a fan of Omega for many years and have several vintage and modern pieces from their catalog. During a recent visit to Switzerland my wife and I drove to the Swatch HQ in Basel where this Omega museum is located. The exhibit covers a large floor space and there are several areas that have exhibits that are dedicated to specific product lines as well as sections that showcase a lot of their history and historic pieces. This is not a guided tour and you are left to wonder around at your own pace. During our visit we were the only people in the entire space until towards the end of our visit when another couple showed up. While the exhibits and the museum as a whole was fairly comprehensive, I felt it was a bit sterile for some reason. I did not feel any of the "romance" considering the history. Not sure why but I simply did not connect with it emotionally like I had expected to. Even though I consider myself a big fan of Omega. This is why I gave 4 stars. I am still glad I was able to visit. They do have a boutique on the premises if you want to purchase a new piece to add to your collection and to commemorate the visit.

This was a day trip from our flat in SW Germany. A spur of the moment "Why Don't We Go To ...." sort of thing that we often find ourselves doing. Being an avid Omega timepiece owner, an haute horlogerie enthusiast, and being only a four-hour drive away, it was time for me to make the pilgrimage. Which, as it turns out, was life-changing for me. The parking is on-site and free of charge, and the overall experience is one of opulence and utter luxury. The modern architecture of the museum showcases the technological wonder of these instruments as well as the history of the Omega organization. Taking us back in time to the first models and then delivering exceptional examples of each caliber/movement through the decades of innovation and design evolution was remarkable. Honestly, I am surprised - if not shocked - that entrance is free of charge. Highlights for me were, of course, the historical lineage, but just seeing the Jack Kennedy Omega Slimline alone was a very special moment. Not to mention the beautiful displays of women's timepieces through the years, Elvis Presley's Tiffany & Co. Constellation, the James Bond collection (they even had 007's Royal Navy uniform!), and the astounding ocean & space exploration models. Again, very impressed. Just a fantastic experience and a MUST for any watch enthusiast whether they be Omega owners or not. There is a reason Omega is one of the finest watchmakers in the world and I enthusiastically recommend a visit. Kudos!

To be honest: I was expecting more from the Omega museum. It was a nice - and free - experience. But it also happened to be a little aged and uninspired. If you are around anyways: go for it. If you think about going here just for the experience: Consider twice! First, you are listening to a 360-degree-movie of 9 minutes with some cheesy statements about time. At the end of that movie came what would have interested me most: How a mechanical watch is constructed. 3D-elements snap into each other. Luckily, I know, what those are for. But this wasn’t explained at all. Then: Doors open. You are at a like 30 meter long bracelet with a lot of exhibits of Omega watched from the beginning to today. You almost always stare in glass boxes and occasionally put your audioguide to your ear to listen to some additional information. The only welcomed deviation from that pattern is the “James Bond” section where snippets of the movies are shown where Bond was wearing one or the other Seamaster: the model you see in real next to it. That feels like more connected than all the other glass box exhibitions. The “Mille Gauss” is also a nice exception from the pattern where they move a magnet over a movement with ferromagnetic chips moving with the magnetic field all around. … Dear Omega: Get more creative in your exhibition and highlight the outstanding features of your watches in a more impressive way - more interactive. More eye-catching! I really like your watches and had some good - private - reasons to come here. So, please impress your fans and proud owners! ;-) … more!

New museum. F you come only small number of people less than 5 persons, you can come directly. But if it’s more than 10, it’s better send them email or call them to reserve it. Normally the staff will give info to be started from Planet Swatch then continue to Omega. Quite interesting museum in planet swatch. You can follow the color with some theme. They have around 600 model of swatch from time to time. In Omega museum, you and your partner or friend can try “sprinter track” and you can take the promo at receptions at the end you are finished.