The Omega De Ville collection is elegant and expansive, offering every watch collector or aficionado a dress timepiece to suit their tastes. However, don’t let the refined designs of these watches fool you, Omega has outfitted the De Ville with some of its best in-house movements featuring Co-Axial escapements and chronometer certification.
Here, we’re going to give you the ultimate overview of the Omega De Ville collection from past to present, taking a look at where this watch got its start and how it has evolved over the years. It may not receive as much attention as the Speedmaster or Seamaster, but we think you’re going to be impressed with what this collection has to offer – from tourbillons to unique designs that you won’t see anywhere else.
The Omega De Ville Collection
Omega De Ville Timeline
– 1960: The Omega De Ville is first introduced as part of the Seamaster collection.
– 1967: Omega launches the De Ville as its own collection.
– 1970s: The Omega De Ville gains international recognition for its design at the Grand Prix Triomphe de l’Excellence Européenne and Baden-Baden Design Awards.
– 1994: Omega introduces the first central tourbillon to the De Ville family
– 1999: The first Co-Axial Omega De Ville.
– 2002: Omega creates the De Ville Co-Axial Chronograph.
– 2007: Omega introduces the new automatic Caliber 8500 movement to the De Ville.
– 2020: Omega releases the De Ville Tourbillon, the first antimagnetic central tourbillon wristwatch.
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Omega De Ville History
First introduced by Omega in 1960 as part of the Seamaster collection, the De Ville was one of the leading dress watches of the time. However, as the market grew for dive watches during the 1950s and 1960s, Omega decided to separate the two very different types of timepieces, making the De Ville its own standalone collection, totally removing the ‘Seamaster’ title from the dial in 1967.
Since the beginning, the Omega De Ville has been known for its refined aesthetics, variety of designs, and superb, Swiss quality. After just 10 years in production, the De Ville collection received the Grand Prize, “Triumph of European Excellence” – awarded by the Committee of European Excellence for embodying the art of living.
Over the next couple of decades, the Omega De Ville would continue to reign popular, and in 1999, Omega decided to up the ante, manufacturing the famous watch with an all-new, powerful Co-Axial movement. Less than a decade later in 2007, Omega went on to manufacture the new 8500 Co-Axial escapement for the De Ville Hour which was beloved by the watch community for its beautiful dial and complex craftsmanship. Today, the Omega De Ville collection consists of a handful of sub-collections like the Ladymatic, Prestige, Tresor, Hour Vision, and Tourbillon.
Vintage Omega De Ville Watches
Simpler, younger, and more varied than the Seamaster, the early, vintage De Ville watches stood out. This was a new venture for Omega on a few fronts – mainly, that the watch was actually designed in sophisticated and cosmopolitan Geneva, not the brand’s headquarters in Bienne. With this new ‘urban elegance,’ the De Ville went on to win 6 six “Golden Roses” at the Baden-Baden design awards in the 1970s.
These early, vintage Omega De Ville watches are characterized by their manually-wound movements and square and rectangular cases. With that in mind, the earliest De Ville watches that were produced while the De Ville was still part of the Seamaster collection all feature round cases that are very similar to the standard Seamaster dress watches of the era.
Omega De Ville Watch Collections
Today, the Omega De Ville line has a slew of different sub-collections under its name. While they all have their own unique and individual traits, what strings them together is their dressy exterior and timeless elegance. Here, we’ll explore what each De Ville collection has to offer so that you can find the right watch for your wrist.
Omega De Ville Ladymatic
First launched in 1955, Omega introduced the Ladymatic to impress its female clientele. About half a century later, Omega revived the line under the De Ville line for an entirely new generation. What defines this watch is its elegant round case, dainty lugs, and a bracelet featuring links with flowing edges, almost like waves that ebb and flow into one another.
Despite being a modern take on the original with a contemporary Co-Axial caliber 8520 or 8521, the new Ladymatic watches still exude feminine grace with diamond pave bezels, and solid gold cases, bezels, and bracelets. Of course, you can also find this watch in durable stainless steel for the stylish woman on the go. As for dials, there is a slew of dressy options too, from a supernova patterned black dial with diamonds to elegant mother-of-pearl options. Finally, the Omega De Ville Ladymatic also offers other bracelet options like leather and even an ultra-luxurious diamond bracelet.
Omega De Ville Prestige
The Omega De Ville Prestige collection is the largest, consisting of the Prestige Gents, Prestige Ladies, Prestige Orbis, Prestige Butterfly, and Prestige Dewdrop. While each of these sub-collections varies a bit, they all feature classic and timeless lines with round cases, simple dials, and slender lugs. These models also have an inherently retro feel due to their simple lines, while still feeling entirely contemporary.
Let’s start with one of the biggest, the Prestige Gents. This is one of the best-selling men’s Omega De Ville collections thanks to its variety of styles and materials. The sizing is a modest 36.8mm or 39.5mm – both great sizes for elegant dress watches that don’t need to be large to be showy. Regarding variety, you can get the Gents watches with a plethora of dials, such as gold, chestnut, silver, blue, and white as well as metal options, like Sedena, yellow, or white gold (along with classic stainless steel). As for straps and bracelets, we love the classic leather bands, but there are also bracelets in either stainless steel or gold to match the cases.
Among the Gents collection, there’s also the Orbis, which is part of Omega’s partnership with Orbis International and its Flying Eye Hospital. These Prestige watches feature teddy bears on the dials, a nod to the cuddly bears Omega provides to the hospital as part of their support. The watch features a 39.5 mm stainless steel case and a sun-brushed and lacquered blue dial with the teddy bear pattern. There are also ladies’ versions – a 32.7mm case with a white teddy bear dial and a 27.4mm Prestige quartz version featuring a blue teddy bear dial and diamond bezel.
The Omega Prestige Ladies range offers a similar selection in the sense that there’s a wide variety of metal options like stainless steel, Sedena, yellow, and white gold. Dials include classic colors like black, white, blue, and silver; however, mother of pearl and diamond hour markers are also available for a sophisticated flare. The Ladies Prestige comes in two sizes, 32.7mm and 36.8mm – both sitting prominently on the wrist with larger-than-average case diameters. Although, for those who do crave something a bit smaller, Omega has swapped out the Co-Axial movements for quartz in the Prestige Quartz 27.4mm and 24.4mm models. As for wrist closure options, you can choose between matching metals bracelets or leather depending on the model.
As part of the Ladies Prestige line, there is also the Butterfly collection which has much more of an overtly feminine touch. As the name suggests, these Omega Prestige watches feature butterflies on the dial. Many of the Butterfly collection watches also feature diamond bezels, although you can also find this in the Ladies collection too. Lastly, there’s the Dewdrop. Despite the name insinuating these watches may be small, the Dewdrop clocks in at 32.7mm. The origin of the name is the beautiful little droplet shapes that make up the unique link bracelet. All of these watches are incredibly elegant and feature shimmering mother of pearl dials, diamond bezels, and solid gold cases.
Omega De Ville Hour Vision
The Omega De Ville range proudly touts its Co-Axial movements across the collection. However, the Hour Vision takes that precision a step further, offering wearers Master Chronometer certification and some models even feature clear sapphire panels on the side of the case to showcase their in-house movements. Pairing refined craftsmanship with industry-leading accuracy, the Omega De Ville Hour Vision is the ultimate symbol of sophistication.
So what does it take to get Master Chronometer certified? It means the Prestige Hour Vision’s Co-Axial Caliber 8901 had to pass eight intensive tests set by the Swiss Federal Institute of Metrology (METAS). To complement the incredible credentials, Omega has outfitted the Hour Vision with striking opaline-silver, brown, bronze, or blue dials with Roman numeral hour markers. The large cases, clocking in at 41mm, are outfitted in durable stainless steel or luxurious Sedena gold.
There are two additional sub-collections to this Hour Vision range: the Annual Calendar and the Chronograph. The Annual Calendar features the month and date at the three o’clock location, whereas the original Hour Vision just features the date. If you turn this watch over, you’ll also see the movement inside thanks to a clear, sapphire case-back. As for the Chronograph, the sub-dial at 9 o’clock features the small seconds, while the one at 3-o’clock features the minute and hour counters. If you look down at 6-o’clock, you’ll see Omega has moved the date window there for improved symmetry of the dial.
Omega De Ville Tresor
In the very early days of the De Ville, before it was its own standalone collection, Omega actually referred to the movement inside the De Ville as ‘Tresor’. Today, the brand has revived the name with the Omega De Ville Tresor sub-collection, which features slender cases and state-of-the-art movements.
An absolute standout, the Tresor collection is unlike any of the other Omega De Ville watches. Still playing on the inherent elegance of this collection, the Tressor goes further to make this watch entirely elegant with large circular cases, some of which are encrusted with diamonds. Within the Omega De Ville Tresor collection are a few different models – the 40mm Power Reserve Master Chronometer, the Master Chronometer Small Seconds, and the Quartz version, which features a unique diamond-paved case.
Like the name suggests, the 40mm Tresor Power Reserve Master Chronometer (with a caliber 8934) features the power reserve on a sub-dial at 12-o’clock, but there’s also another sub-dial at six that displays the small seconds. The Master Chronometer Small Seconds (outfitted with a caliber 8926) clocks in at 40mm too, but only displays the small seconds on a sub-dial at 6-o’clock. Both these watches feature simple dials, including slender hour markers and thin baton hands. Across both collections, there are diamond bezel options and totally handsome dial colors that range from deep and sumptuous ruby red to cool blue, green, and classic white. These watches are also available in stainless steel along with 18k Sedena, yellow, and white gold.
The real showstopper of this collection is the quartz Tresor. While the Omega De Ville line is best-known for its mechanical Co-Axial movements, Omega has gone above and beyond to set its quartz movements apart, ensuring they have a ‘long life’ feature that maximizes the battery usage and includes rhodium plated parts and circular graining. What you’ll immediately notice about the Tresor Quartz is the iconic case that features tapering diamonds that climb from the top left and bottom right lugs towards the center of the case.
All of the dials – which come in a variety of colors and styles like black, ombre burgundy, mother of pearl, and gold (just to name a few) – also feature striking Roman numeral hour markers that are both thin and modern. Most are outfitted in gold, but some are outfitted in diamonds for extra glamour. These watches clock in at 39mm and are available in stainless steel, white, yellow, and Sedena gold – as well as the brand’s exclusive 18K Moonshine gold (which offers a unique pale color compared to traditional 18 karat gold).
Omega De Ville Tourbillon
Finally, there is the Omega De Ville Tourbillon collection. Introduced by the brand in 1994, the Tourbillon series expanded the already renowned De Ville collection into a whole new category of high-end watchmaking.
Today, the Omega De Ville Tourbillon puts the brand’s watchmaking expertise on full display for the world to see, showcasing the Co-Axial movement’s tourbillon directly on the dial. The 44mm models feature the caliber 2638 with a hand-finished tourbillon cage at the center of the dial, while the 38.7mm models feature a clear, sapphire crystal dial to fully showcase their movements (Cal. 2635 or Cal. 2637). The Omega De Ville Tourbillon models are exclusively available in solid 18k gold, either Sedena or Canopus, Omega’s proprietary red and white gold alloys (respectively).
Omega De Ville Frequently Asked Questions
Below are a few of the most common questions about Omega De Ville watches that are likely to come up while researching this historic collection of elegant dress watches.
Is the Omega De Ville a good watch?
The Omega De Ville is an excellent watch and a perfect example of Omega’s creativity and dedication to fine watchmaking. Featuring exquisite designs and advanced Co-Axial movements, the Omega De Ville is one of the world’s leading dress watch collections.
How Much Is an Omega De Ville?
The price of an Omega De Ville can vary greatly depending on the specific model, its materials, and its additional complications. You can purchase some for as little as a few thousand dollars, but retail prices can rise into the tens of thousands for diamond-clad models, and even over six figures for specialized De Ville references with tourbillon movements.
Is the Omega De Ville collectible?
The Omega De Ville is quite collectible. The De Ville range has a rich history with the Omega watch brand that adds a lot of value, as do its precision movements, precious metal alloys, and flawless gemstones that can be found in the various references that make up the collection.
