Ringing it

The author finds Omega's Olympics watches only partly impressive

What does time have to do with the Olympics? Just about everything. For a sporting event where each second counts, premium watch maker Omega has been counting those seconds since 1932. In keeping with tradition, Omega has launched three limited edition watches for the 2016 Rio Olympics.

For all the pride the Olympic rings stand for, their colours, when transfigured onto a watch, can result in a juvenile appearance. The Seamaster Diver 300M suffers from that phenomenon. The dial, though inspired by the wave patterns of Copacabana's pebbled pathways, is undone by the colourful rendition of the Olympic rings.

Another casualty of this is the Rio Bullhead, with a sporty blue leather strap. But it plays the sporty part well and can make quite a fashion statement at, say, an Indian Premier League match once the Olympics are over.

The true winner in this series is the Speedmaster Mark II, a watch that keeps it classy and simple. The gold and silver on the dial and the strap and the black base of the dial are what bring out Omega's traditional design excellence.

SPEEDMASTER MARK II
RIO 2016 LIMITED EDITION
This is inspired by the 1969 Speedmaster Mark II, with gold, silver and bronze rings to symbolise the medals in the Olympics. This is also Omega's first watch that allows the wearer to see the tachymetre in the dark.
Where: Omega boutiques
Price: Rs 3.59 lakh

  SEAMASTER BULLHEAD
RIO 2016 LIMITED EDITION
Originally nicknamed for its unique shape, the Bullhead features a white dial and a leather strap that links directly to the Rio 2016 logo.
Where: Omega boutiques
Price: Rs 5.32 lakh

SEAMASTER DIVER 300M
RIO 2016 LIMITED EDITION
With just 3016 pieces all over the world, this watch features a uni-directional rotating diving bezel in black made from black polished ceramic.
Where: Omega boutiques
Price: Rs 2.68 lakh