Very Rare Omega "ART COLLECTION 1987"/ Designed by Camille Graeser /Ceramic / Unique

Rare and highly collectable Omega “Art Collection” watch – with Camille Graeser case-back medallion and period Omega box.

This is not just a watch, but a small piece of 1980s design history. In the mid-1980s Omega launched the Art Collection, an avant-garde series that brought together Swiss watchmaking and contemporary art. Ultra-minimal, monochrome dials were combined with colourful case-back medallions designed by leading artists of Concrete and abstract art. Among them were Max Bill, Richard Paul Lohse, Camille Graeser, Al Held, Kenneth Noland, Arnaldo Pomodoro and Emilio Tadini.

The idea was simple but brilliant: on the wrist you see a very pure, elegant Omega; when you take it off, the back reveals a miniature “gallery” – a signed work of art, protected under glass and framed by the steel bezel. These watches were produced in small runs and aimed at both art lovers and collectors of modern design, which is why good examples are now surprisingly hard to find.

This watch

Model: Omega Art Collection, ref. 196.0430 / 596.0430 (inside case-back)

Artist medallion: Camille Graeser – geometric, multi-colour composition with printed signature, numbered E 659/999 around the rim, with “Art Collection” and “ 1987 Omega S.A.” engraving.

Movement: high-grade Omega quartz calibre 1435, 6 jewels, Swiss-made. A very slim, reliable movement that allows the case to remain extremely flat while keeping precise time.

Case: stainless steel (“Fond Acier Inoxydable”), round and ultra-thin, with a screwed retaining ring that holds the art medallion on the back.

Dial: deep black minimalist dial with white hands and a discreet date at 6 o’clock – the typical, very clean “Art” design where the front is almost empty and all the colour is hidden on the back.

Strap & box: black leather strap and a long, slim Omega-signed box, perfectly matching the design language of the collection.

Collectability & condition

The medallion on this example reproduces a work by Camille Graeser (1892–1980), one of the key figures of Swiss Concrete art. His strict geometry and vivid colour fields work beautifully with the circular frame of the case-back – it feels more like a small museum object than a normal watch. The medallion is crisp and bright, with the numbering and signature clearly visible.

The movement is clean and running on a fresh battery at the time of listing. The black dial and hands present very well; the ultra-slim case shows only honest wear consistent with age but remains sharp and attractive. Inner case-back and movement are correctly signed Omega with the appropriate reference and calibre markings.

Why this piece is special

Genuine member of the Omega Art Collection, one of the most daring design projects of the brand in the 1980s.

Features a limited, numbered Camille Graeser medallion – a watch that is simultaneously a precision instrument and a collectible art object.

Slim, minimalist 1980s design that still looks contemporary today.

Swiss-made Omega quartz calibre 1435 with 6 jewels for precise, trouble-free everyday use.

Comes with an Omega box, ideal for a serious collector or as a gift.

For collectors of Omega, modern art or radical 1980s design, this watch is a very attractive opportunity: a wearable piece of art that you will almost never see on another wrist.

STRAP: original Omega strap -wrist size is max 17 cm - 6,69 inch

DIAMETER: 32mm / 1.25 inch

STRAP: original Omega black leathe strap

WATER-TIGHTNESS: Splash Water Resistant (handwashing ok, not showering)

BOX: original Omega box