Having been the Official Timekeeper of the Olympic Games since 1932, is it any surprise that Omega would go all out to celebrate this once-every-four-years global event with pomp and ceremony? Enter the Omega House, an immersive, members-only space located within The Hôtel de Poulpry, Maison des Polytechniciens, just a minute’s drive away from the Paris’ beloved Musée d'Orsay.
Set up as a sanctuary to offer Omega guests respite from the intensity of the games, the pop-up concept invites visitors to trace Omega’s impressive 92-year-long Olympic and Paralympic partnership through numerous spaces that were built for that purpose: Like the Stadium room that allows you a taste of what the athletes experience while competing, or even the Timekeeping space that displays the various technologies used in the Games. There are also interactive elements to be enjoyed throughout the multi-storey space—as Omega ambassadors Cindy Crawford and Kaia Gerber soon discovered.
They share their thoughts on the momentous global event while gracing the opening night of the Omega House.
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Welcome to Paris! What memories do you have of the Olympic Games growing up?
Cindy Crawford: My family loved the Olympics. I grew up in Illinois, and we looked forward to the Summer and the Winter Olympics every time. We would come home and watch it as a family. We knew every medal that the US won. So when I first got invited by OMEGA to go to my first Olympics, I couldn't believe it. Then the second one was Beijing, and I was able to bring my whole family. So this is actually Kaia’s third Olympics.
Kaia Gerber: I feel quite spoiled because my childhood memories of the Olympics are actually being at the Olympics. I think I was seven years old when we went to Beijing. I got to see these incredible athletes firsthand. Seeing Michael Phelps win the gold, those are moments that I was actually physically there for. I have such fond memories of being at the Olympics with OMEGA. It's wonderful to continue doing that and especially to come back together.
Is there any Olympic sport you’d like to try yourself?
KG: I’ve been asking everyone this. I've said, “Which one would you do that you could plausibly be okay at,” and then “which one if it wasn't about your skill level?”
CC: What was your answer though?
KG: If it weren't about my skill level, I would say gymnastics. But I'm just not built for it. That’s very clear to me. But I think gymnastics is just so impressive to watch.
CC: In middle school and high school, I did track and field, so I like doing hurdles. I probably couldn’t get over one today. But, in my mind, I could. I could do the short one (laughs).
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You’ve also seen OMEGA’s timekeeping in action. What do you think it takes to do that job?
CC: I think the same values that OMEGA brings to timekeeping is what OMEGA stands for. It's just excellence and precision. When people invest in a nice watch, they want that, and at the Olympics, measuring a 100th of a second can make the difference between winning and losing. I think it's pretty cool that OMEGA has taken that on as part of their company legacy.
What inspires you most about these Olympic athletes?
KG: I think any job requires discipline. But the level of discipline that these Olympians dedicate years of their life to, and the amount of pressure that they're under, and the way they have to perform under that pressure, I’m just in awe of it. It never ceases to amaze me.
CC: And for so many of these athletes, it's pure passion. Even if there’s maybe not a big payday, they’re putting themselves through that, just because they love it. That to me is really awesome.
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Can you compare that pressure to your own careers?
KG: No way. I don't have a whole country rooting for me. I think representing your country is a different kind of pressure. And I think it’s so incredible that they're able to do these extreme sort of performances when it’s being televised to the whole world.
What’s one thing from Paris that you wish you could take home?
CC: The bread.
KG: Yeah, I was going to say the bread and the croissants.
CC: They’re next level here. And the pain au chocolat.
And finally, which OMEGA watch is your gold medal champion?
CC: My choice, of course, is the Constellation.
KG: Right now I'm wearing the Speedmaster 38 mm, but I think my all-time favourite is the Mini Trésor.