Omega – Marine Chronometre 1973 Ref. 198.0082 Beta 21 Watch – Cal. 1516

The Omega Marine Chronometer was the first quartz wristwatch ever to be awarded certified marine chronometer status.

It earned this through the Cal. 1516 Megaquartz, not the Beta 21 consortium movement that Omega and nineteen other Swiss manufacturers shared, but Omega’s own in-house development, built with the Battelle Institute in Geneva under the internal codename “Elephant.”

The Cal. 1516 vibrates at 2,400,000 times per second, nearly 300 times faster than the Beta 21’s 8,192 Hz, achieving an accuracy of one second per month.

When the Neuchâtel Observatory certified the result, it then changed its own rules: only timepieces with dials measuring at least 60 mm could receive the marine chronometer designation from Neuchâtel. The Omega, with its 24 mm dial, could not be certified again under the new standard so it subsequently had its watches certified at the Besançon Observatory instead.

The steel case with 18kt gold bezel insert measures 32.5 × 44 mm. The case is in excellent condition. The caseback is correctly signed and numbered, case and movement share the same serial number. The crown is original. The mineral glass is in perfect condition.

The black dial with printed baton indices, centre seconds, date aperture at 6, and “Megaquartz f 2,4 MHz” inscription is in excellent condition.

The watch is fitted with its original Omega steel bracelet ref. 199/202, in excellent condition, with an overall length of 20 cm. A new battery has been fitted.

This watch has been serviced in-house and is in good working order. It is delivered with our six-month guarantee and our originality certificate.

Worldwide shipping is available and inquiries are welcome.