Omega Official Timekeeper of Abu Dhabi Golf Championship 2008

'Being the Official Timekeeper of the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship brings us great satisfaction at Omega,' said President of Omega Mr. Stephen Urquhart.

'This championship sponsorship further strengthens our relationship with the world of golf worldwide, while offering us the chance to continue supporting golf in the Middle East,' he added.

Omega's involvement in international golf is reflected through its association with various tournaments, tours, and with top players such as Ernie Els and Sergio Garcia.

'The worlds of golf and prestigious watchmaking are inextricably linked, as both rely on extreme dedication, precision and a commitment to improving performance,' said Mr. Urquhart. 'These shared values are also part of the reason why Omega has long been a supporter of international golf,' he added.

Last year Omega became the title sponsor of the Omega Mission Hills World Cup, the oldest and most prestigious global golf team event in the world. Omega is also the title sponsor of the China Tour and the Official Timekeeper of the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship and the Dubai Desert Classic. For over a decade, Omega has been synonymous with the European Masters in Crans-Montana, Switzerland. Today the Omega European Masters is among the top sporting events on the Swiss Calendar, as each year celebrates a bigger success than the previous one, attracting more professional players of the world's golfing leaders.

For the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship 2008, Omega will present its Constellation Double Eagle Chronograph. The humble wrist chronograph remains a sought-after timepiece, in spite of the advent of the computer and the electronic age. Chronographs still represent the pinnacle of many of today's mechanical watch collections, furthermore adding a discreet sporty touch to their chronometer counterparts. The chronograph's enduring popularity stems from the fact that it is one of the 'complications' that add to the appeal of a mechanical wristwatch, so called because of the additional design work, components and technical prowess required in their implementation.

The Omega calibre 3313 movement used in the new Double Eagle chronograph is itself a complication among chronographs: not only is it fitted with Omega's unique and revolutionary Co-Axial Escapement, which reduces friction in the movement and offers better long-term accuracy, it also has a column-wheel chronograph mechanism. The column-wheel chronograph ensures precision operation of the chronograph functions, with a vertical coupling ensuring zero delay in the start, stop and reset functions. Few such chronographs are available on the market today, since only a handful of prestige watchmakers are capable of producing this highly sophisticated mechanism. As a prestige movement, it naturally boasts top specifications, with official COSC chronometer certification and a self-winding mechanism that gives the watch a power reserve of 55 hours.

The completely redesigned case used for the Constellation Double Eagle has been enlarged by 3mm to 41mm to accommodate the chronograph movement. It maintains the typical Constellation features, with the four distinguishing polished 18 ct red gold 'claws' that clamp the bezel to the case contrasting elegantly with the satin brushed 18 ct red gold case. The black lacquered 18 ct red gold bezel bears Roman numerals - another distinctive feature of the Constellation line. The asymmetric design of the claws presents a more modern interpretation of the Constellation look and at the same time protects the time-setting crown.

The Constellation Double Eagle Chronograph has a sporty dial in matt black with contrasting silvered chronograph counters and a separate silvered tachymeter scale around the outside of the hour circle. The high quality of the watch is reflected in an attention to detail that includes facetted 18 ct red gold hour markers, facetted and truncated 18 ct red gold Dauphine hands an applied Omega symbol and name in 18 ct red gold. A date window at 6 o'clock completes the high-end Omega chronograph look, which is protected by a domed, scratch-resistant sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment on both sides. The screw-in transparent sapphire crystal case back reveals the Co-Axial movement with its intricate rhodium-plated finish of circular graining, Geneva wave decor and gold-plated engravings and a blue-steel screw as the centrepiece of this mechanical and aesthetic marvel. The ultimate sporty touch is provided by an integrated rubber strap with a satin brushed 18 ct red gold foldover clasp which bears the Omega logo in polished finish.

True to the sporty origins of the chronograph, the Double Eagle remains a robust watch for all seasons, with its screw-in case helping to guarantee water resistance to 100 metres (330 feet) - more than enough for everyday use. It is perfect for those looking for a contemporary watch using the latest technology which nevertheless has a subtle sporting edge to it.