A watch isn’t just for telling time—it’s also a statement of good style. A small device on the wrist can exude tremendous fashion appeal. This impact reached new heights in 1995 when Cindy Crawford and the Biel-based watchmaker Omega formed a partnership that continues to this day. During her visit to Omega’s headquarters, the supermodel looked back on her 30-year history with the brand and revealed, among other things, what watches and lipstick have in common.
Sometimes a glance at the watch reveals: I’d rather be somewhere else. No sooner had the women’s wristwatch been introduced than checking the time on it was already considered a social faux pas. It was whispered during the 1940s—and to some extent into the 1960s—that anyone who did so was evidently bored during cocktail parties, amid jellied eggs and the martini monologues of cigar-smoking men. Such gentlemen proudly wore their timepieces on their wrists as a symbol of technical expertise. The dials for women, on the other hand, were buried beneath jewelry: so-called “secret watches” looked, at first and second glance, like a bracelet overloaded with bling. Only by lifting a flap—as discreetly as possible, of course—was it possible to tell the time. Today, these models can be found in collections such as the Omega Museum in Biel. For in the decades that followed, women, too, increasingly wore watches with visible hands, thereby subtly expressing: “I, too, have important appointments later on.” And one of these appointments in the mid-1990s permanently changed the way the world viewed watches.
CHOICES
In the 20th century, Omega watches ventured where no human had ever gone before. In 1969, the “Speedmaster Professional” flew to the moon with the Apollo 11 crew. Thirteen years later, Jacques Mayol dove 101 meters into the ocean without scuba gear, but wearing a “Seamaster 120 Big Blue.” Worn on the wrists of daredevils like Mayol and astronaut Buzz Aldrin, the models from the company—founded in 1848—were admired for their durability, technical sophistication, and sheer, unshakable precision. But it took a woman’s touch to transform Omega not just into a watch for en voyage, but a watch en vogue. In 1995, the brand appointed Cindy Crawford as its first global brand ambassador. The “My Choice” campaign launched to accompany this appointment placed a female audience at the center of a watch brand’s international image for the first time. It was no longer about concealing the timepiece on a woman’s wrist with glittering camouflage, but rather about understanding and showcasing it as part of her own personality. Sometimes a watch brand must not only measure time but also strike the perfect balance. With the selection of Cindy Crawford in 1995, it succeeded in doing just that. When the collaboration began, the American was one of the most sought-after supermodels in the world. It was both a high point and a turning point in her career: “It was the time when I started making my own decisions. I’d worked with MTV, posed for Playboy—I’d done things that weren’t necessarily the recipe for a successful modeling career. I started taking more risks and taking more control over my own career and my own decisions,” recalls Cindy Crawford during a tour of Omega’s headquarters. One of those decisions was that this partnership wasn’t just another fleeting modeling gig, but a collaboration designed to last for years. But what is the secret to such a long-lasting partnership? “What Omega particularly appreciates about me is that I’m very punctual,” Crawford laughs. But shared values—such as a commitment to history, tradition, and classic timelessness—have also sustained the connection over all these years.
CHALLENGES
Thanks to her dedication, the brand’s watches came to be seen not just as a technical item but also as a fashion accessory, according to Crawford. She actively contributed her perspective from the fashion industry: “The design team asked me, ‘What would you want in a watch?’” In the years that followed, models like the “Constellation” became smaller, more elegant, and even more comfortable to wear. What does Cindy Crawford recommend today when choosing a watch for herself? “A watch is like lipstick. It’s the finishing touch that completes the look.” The most important thing is: “It’s about how I want to feel when I’m wearing it. Then I automatically project that feeling. So I ask myself: How do I feel with this watch? Does it make me feel elegant? Does it make me feel cool? People are very sensitive to energy, so in my opinion, what you radiate is the most important thing. Even if you’re wearing a very outlandish or strange outfit, but you do it with confidence, people think, ‘Wow, that’s cool—maybe I should wear something like that too.’ But if you wear it without really embodying it, people can tell.”
“Even with the most beautiful person—if they’re insecure, that stands out more than the appearance of their face or body.”
You can’t tell the quality of a watch just by looking at its surface. What makes the real difference is how it ticks on the inside. Over the years, Cindy Crawford has learned the same lesson about the essence of true beauty: “When you talk about a flower or a sunset, no one argues about whether they’re beautiful or not. With people, it’s a bit trickier. Because if you say that this is beautiful, it might mean that that isn’t beautiful. I’ve found that what I find most beautiful in every person is authenticity and self-confidence. Even with the most beautiful person—if they’re insecure, you notice that more than the appearance of their face or body.”
CHANGES
Just like a hectic runway show, time never stands still. And just like a perfectly organized quick change backstage, it brings constant change. How much has the fashion world changed in recent years? “Through my daughter [Kaia Gerber, Ed.], I experience firsthand how the industry has changed—and also what has stayed the same. Even some of the photographers Kaia works with are the same ones I used to shoot with. A lot hasn’t changed. The biggest difference today is that we didn’t have social media back then. That’s both a blessing and a curse. The great thing about social media is that everyone has the opportunity to tell people, ‘Who am I?’ You can have your own voice. The downside of social media is that it lacks a certain aura of mystery. I’m grateful that my whole life wasn’t on social media when I was 18 or 20. Because what you might have thought was cool at 18 makes you think, when you look back on it at 30, ‘Oh my God, why did I post that?’” Not having social media allows some youthful indiscretions to remain hidden. Too much social media, on the other hand, can pull the rug out from under you: “Many young people are under enormous pressure to generate likes or clicks. And they judge themselves based on these metrics.” And even if you can’t turn back time, you can often take these changes in stride with a sense of humor: “Every young person these days is a model—at least in their own life—because they all know their best angles; in front of the camera, they project a certain persona. I remember when my own kids started modeling. People said, ‘You want your kids to model!?’ And I said: ‘Well, first of all, I don’t care whether they model or not. For me, it was a great experience. I traveled around the world and met so many creative and talented people.’ And then I said, ‘My kids are already modeling. My daughter is constantly glued to her cell phone.’”
OPPORTUNITIES
When the little timepiece on the wrist is working properly, the seconds, hours, and years march on unchanged within it. Yet its wearers perceive time differently as it marches on. Cindy Crawford, too, has now reached a stage in her life where she approaches things differently than she used to: “One of the beautiful things about getting older is that you appreciate your time even more. That’s why I’m very mindful about who I spend my time with and make a point of nurturing my relationships. When you’re young, you think, ‘Oh, next year, next week, next month.’ As you get older, you no longer take that time for granted. When I think, ‘Oh, I should call someone,’ I do it and don’t put it off. If I think, “Oh, I’d like to meet this person for dinner,” then I try to make it happen.”
“Every young person these days is a model, because they all know how to show themselves in the best light.”
There was a time when it was acceptable for a woman to wear a watch only if her true nature was hidden beneath all the glitz and glamour. The only expectation placed on the Secret Watch—and thus on its wearer—was to please. That notion belongs in a museum—and yet, to this day, it still has to be constantly refuted. Especially for women, there’s still an expectation to step out of the spotlight once they reach a certain age. “Our culture is so fixated on youth, and the pressure is immense. I grew up with it and have been photographed my entire adult life,” Cindy says. But that’s no reason to hide behind high gates: “Sometimes I’m tempted to say, ‘You know what, maybe I should just step back. It was great while it lasted.’ But then I think: What message am I sending to other women my age? That we have to disappear at 60? I don’t want to be part of that message.”
CONSTELLATION OBSERVATORY COLLECTION
In 1995, Cindy Crawford named the Omega “Constellation” “My Choice.” Three decades later, that choice still stands the test of time. The new “Constellation Observatory” model is the first two-hand watch whose precision has been verified by the Laboratoire de Précision using an innovative acoustic system. Over the course of 25 days, the movement’s accuracy is tested under various conditions before the “Master Chronometer” certification is issued by the Swiss METAS Cert Institute. The collection consists of nine models, available in Moonshine Gold and O Megasteel, among other finishes. omega.com
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You can find the Constellation Observatory Collection here.
Photos: © Omega
