Omega unveils Aqua Terra 30mm watch with Tems and NewJeans’ Danielle in Kyoto: the small watch shines in the brand’s My Little Secret campaign, which also stars Ashley Graham and Marisa Abela
The first-ever Omega Aqua Terra watch in a 30mm case was four years in the making, and the Swiss watchmaker just celebrated the unveiling with a star-studded event in the Japanese city of Kyoto. For the launch, campaign stars including Danielle Marsh from K-pop group NewJeans, model Ashley Graham, and actresses Marisa Abela and Ariana DeBose descended on the Shogunzuka Seiryuden, a stunning wooden structure on the hills overlooking the ancient Japanese capital.
Named “My Little Secret”, the campaign also stars singer-songwriter Tems and Sunday Rose, the daughter of Keith Urban and Omega ambassador and Academy Award winner Nicole Kidman.
The 12 timepieces in the collection are feminine and elegant. Their diminutive size and dainty design, however, belie a sophisticated movement that’s “powerful, precise and stable”, to quote Omega.
The movement of the Omega Aqua Terra 30mm. Photo: Handout
The brand’s watchmakers had to come up with a completely new calibre that could fit the small case of the watch. This new master chronometer calibre – the smallest, lightest and thinnest ever developed by Omega – makes its debut in this new iteration of the Aqua Terra, a model first introduced 23 years ago.
“I wanted [a timepiece] that is not only small in size but also has the whole technology and refinement of an Omega watch,” said Omega CEO Raynald Aeschlimann in a chat with journalists before the event, adding that it’s likely that this new movement will be used in other watches in the future.
Nigerian singer-songwriter Tems stars in Omega’s Aqua Terra 30mm campaign. Photo: Handout
Omega has been making ladies’ watches since as far back as 1902. But what is the purpose of a ladies’ watch nowadays – when women often wear men’s watches, and men are not afraid to experiment with smaller, diamond-embellished dials?
Ashley Graham wearing the Omega Aqua Terra 30mm with a blue dial. Photo: Handout
“When I started, there was a clear correlation between the size and [the gender of the client], but now it’s about personality, about a mood,” says Aeschlimann. “On the other hand, the size nevertheless represents something, and a small size is a celebration of femininity.”
At the same time, he adds, actor and Omega ambassador Jonathan Bailey once wore a Constellation Mini in 25mm because it suited one of his red carpet looks. “When you choose a watch, you choose it with your heart; you choose it with emotion,” says Aeschlimann.
