Omega Megaquartz 'Mercedes'

Quartz gets a bad rap, it’s true.  For many a watch collector, a battery-powered movement appears as somewhat ‘soulless,’ lacking the certain je ne sais quois of a mechanical caliber that uses nothing but springs, gears, and potential energy turned kinetic to power a timepiece. However, quartz technology — infinitely more accurate than mechanical — can be perfectly fascinating in its own right. Omega had been experimenting with quartz-powered timekeeping since the early 20th century, but it was only in the early 1970s that this technology took hold in wristwatches. The company’s Megaquartz movements were some of the most accurate in all of Swiss watchmaking, and certain of these movements retain that distinction today. This particular Megaquartz, a Reference 196.0038 is all the more interesting for its dial, which appears to indicate that it was an awards watch. Housed in a 37mm, gold-plated case with an acrylic crystal, it features a signed crown, a handsome brushed silver ‘Mercedes Benz’-signed Tritium dial with applied indices, a matching handset, a day-date display, and the red Omega ‘Megaquartz’ logo at 12:00. Powered by an Omega Calibre 1310 Megaquartz movement, it comes paired to a gold-plated mesh bracelet with a safety clasp. Of course, we love our mechanical watches at Analog:Shift — especially the vintage kind. But if you’re going to go ‘quartz,’ we say that this Mercedes-themed Omega is the way you should lean. Check it out today!