From SwissWatchExpo… Spotlight On: The Omega Seahorse Logo. What
does this symbol mean?
Apart from their most popular designs, watch brands are also easily recognized for their
logos. Rolex has the crown, Patek Philippe has the Calatrava, and Omega has of course,
the Greek symbol Omega.
Aside from its logo, one of the most distinguished trademarks of Omega watches, is the Seahorse
symbol or the Hippocampus.
Engraved on the casebacks of Omega watches, and sometimes appearing on the dial, it’s
a ubiquitous symbol that every watch aficionado is familiar with, whether or not they own
an Omega timepiece.
What’s does this iconic symbol mean? Stay tuned for the story behind the Omega Seahorse
Logo.
The Seahorse symbol traces its origins in the earliest models of the Omega Seamaster,
the first family of watches under the brand.
Launched in 1948, the Seamaster was the lone collection of Omega until they launched the
Constellation, a line of chronometer watches, in 1952; followed by the Lady-Matic in 1955.
To distinguish the collections from each other, Omega assigned each one with their own logos.
The Constellation received The Observer — an insignia of the Geneva Observatory surrounded
by eight stars.
The eight stars stand for Omega’s chronometric achievements at the annual observatory chronometer
tests, held between 1945 and 1952.
Meanwhile, the Lady-Matic was represented by a stylized star, representing the brilliance
of a woman. The Seamaster of course, as the first family of watches, also needed a distinguishing
sign.
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Omega’s engraver Jean-Pierre Borle, was responsible for the Observatory logo. He was
also tasked with coming up with a symbol for the Seamaster.
On a trip to Venice, he noticed the hippocampi on the sides of the gondola, which became
his inspiration for the logo.
In Greek mythology, the hippocampus is a sea monster whose upper body is that of a horse,
and whose lower body is that of a fish. The hippocampi ornaments appear on the gondola
as a symbol of protection for the driver and his passengers.
In 1958, the hippocampi or seahorse became the official symbol of the Seamaster, signifying
the line’s water resistant capabilities.
With its origins coming from the Seamaster line, why do we now see the Seahorse in the
Omega Speedmaster and Railmaster?
In 1957, Omega launched the Trilogy line composed of the Railmaster, Speedmaster, and Seamaster
300. All three watches were under the Seamaster collection at the time, and thus received
the Seahorse symbol on their casebacks.
Aside from initially being Seamaster watches, it was also a means to denote their water
resistance, aside from their chronograph function (for the Speedmaster) and anti-magnetic properties
(for the Railmaster).
Today, the Seahorse logo can be found on select Omega Speedmaster, Seamaster and Railmaster
models with solid case backs. If it’s part of the watch’s design, a well-detailed
engraving of the Seahorse is one of the hallmarks of an original Omega watch.
With iconic timepieces bearing the logo, not only is the Omega Seahorse an important symbol
for the brand, it is also one of the most significant trademarks in all of watchmaking
history.
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