“One small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind”. The words of Neil Armstrong as he stepped onto the lunar surface for the first time still sound as fresh today as they did at the start of a new era in space exploration 50 years ago. At exactly 04:56 Italian time on July 21 1969, Armstrong left his first footprint in the Sea of Tranquillity. On May 7 2019, almost exactly a half-century later, in another sea – the Pacific Ocean – thousands of kilometres away, undersea explorer Victor Vescovo, dove to a depth that no other human had ever reached when his submarine, the DSV Limiting Factor, touched down at the bottom of the Miariana Trench, 10,928 metres below sea level, setting a new world record in the process. Two legendary achievements that demanded enormous human courage and determination for success. Both also testament to incredible technological progress and vision. Omega was part of both. In 1969, Buzz Aldrin wore an Omega Speedmaster as he blasted off, while in 2019 three Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Ultra Deep Professional flanked Vescovo on his dive. As 80% of our oceans remain unexplored, the sea remains an extraordinary test-bench and source of inspiration for the watch world. Hence our idea to celebrate the many stories that illustrate the horological world’s enduring connection to the marine environment in this special
