Sport and timing
Official timekeepers: Omega, TAG Heuer, Rolex, Tissot and Seiko and the story of sports partnerships
· 6 min read
In short
- Omega first served as the official timekeeper of the Olympic Games in 1932, and Paris 2024 marked its 31st Olympic appearance in that role.
- Formula 1's timekeepers have included TAG Heuer from 1992 to 2003, Siemens, LG, Rolex from 2013 to 2024, and TAG Heuer again from 2025. Tissot is the timekeeper of MotoGP and the Tour de France, while Longines serves as the FIS timekeeper in alpine skiing.
- The name on the clock and the technology taking the measurements are two different things: these partnerships often include the development of timekeeping equipment.
When viewers watch a broadcast and see a watchmaker's logo in the corner of the screen, they are looking at the official timekeeper. These partnerships have a long history and one fascinating feature: the brand often does more than pay for advertising, also developing the technology that actually records the times.
Omega and the Olympic Games
In 1932, a single Omega watchmaker arrived in Los Angeles with 30 stopwatches accurate to one tenth of a second and timed the Olympic Games. It was the beginning of a story that continues today: at Paris 2024, Omega served as official timekeeper for the 31st time. Major innovations include the swimming touchpads that Omega introduced in 1967 and that were used at the Olympics in 1968. See Swimming: touchpads and thousandths of a second.
Seiko and Tokyo 1964
Seiko was the official timekeeper of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. It deployed an electronic system that, according to the company, linked the starting pistol to a quartz timer and photo finish, allowing results to be recorded to the hundredth of a second.
Formula 1: TAG Heuer, Rolex and the return
TAG Heuer served as Formula 1's official timekeeper from 1992 to 2003, followed by Siemens, LG and Rolex from 2013 to 2024. TAG Heuer returned for the 2025 season. It belongs to the LVMH group, which took over the role from Rolex. According to media reports, the agreement runs for a decade. The article How timing works in Formula 1 explains how timing inside the car works.
Tissot, Longines and others
Tissot is the timekeeper of MotoGP and the Tour de France, which we cover in Tour de France: how time is measured. Longines has been the official FIS timekeeper for alpine skiing since 2006. All these brands belong to an industry that grew out of watchmaking and became part of sport.
Why this also matters to event organizers
A partnership with a timekeeper gives an event credibility. Even at a smaller event, competitors appreciate knowing who is timing it and how. Results should be published, verifiable and accompanied by contact details for the organizer. The article TAQIO: race timing on your phone shows how results are published.
A history longer than sponsorship
Before watchmakers took over, people measured time with handheld stopwatches. We summarized the development from stopwatches to chips in Breakthrough moments in the history of timekeeping.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the official timekeeper of the Olympic Games?
Omega first held the role in 1932. At Paris 2024, it performed this duty for the 31st time across all 329 events in 32 sports.
Who is the official timekeeper of Formula 1?
Since the 2025 season, it has been TAG Heuer, replacing Rolex, which held the role from 2013 to 2024. TAG Heuer had previously served as official timekeeper from 1992 to 2003.
How did Omega's Olympic story begin?
In 1932, a single Omega watchmaker traveled to Los Angeles with 30 stopwatches accurate to one tenth of a second and timed the Olympic Games.
What did Seiko do at Tokyo 1964?
It served as the official Olympic timekeeper and deployed an electronic system that, according to the company, linked the starting pistol to a quartz timer and photo finish, providing accuracy to one hundredth of a second.