The Encore
Thursday, 8 - Thursday, 15 October 2026

Christian Etienne - Ref. 30 "Omega Project", No 2

Lot Details

What You Should Know: A fascinating meeting of vintage and contemporary watchmaking, Christian Etienne’s Ref. 30 “Omega Project” places a restored historic Omega movement inside a modern 39mm stainless steel case. At its heart is an Omega calibre 266 from 1956, belonging to the celebrated 30T2 family, whose robust architecture and precision helped establish Omega’s reputation for chronometry during the mid-20th century. Selected from Etienne’s personal collection of vintage movements, the calibre was restored and refinished by hand before being given a new life. Numbered 002, it was delivered in 2022. In their own words: "I have always been drawn to vintage mechanical movements, their architecture and the stories they tell about horological history. Throughout my career, I have restored many examples from this family of calibres, whose design dates back to the 1940s, and I have always appreciated their simplicity, robustness and reliability — qualities that also made chronometer-grade executions possible. My approach is a form of horological upcycling: preserving this mechanical heritage and giving it a new life within a contemporary creation inspired by the neo-vintage aesthetic. Each dial variation is limited to a maximum of ten examples, and some pieces have been personalised in close dialogue with their owners. Each watch therefore has its own character within a production that is, by its very nature, highly limited.” - Christian Etienne, independent watchmaker