In 1982, OMEGA launched a watch which introduced a particularly radical and enduring design concept. The watch was the Constellation Manhattan and its now-famous “Griffes” or claws placed it among the ranks of the world’s most instantly identifiable timepieces. The Griffes were not only striking aesthetically, but were also highly functional in those days: they held the sapphire crystal and gasket firmly against the case, contributing to the watch’s water resistance.