By Jovan Krstevski
I lost count of the new Seamaster Planet Ocean watches released by Omega for Baselworld 2016 but the good news is that the Aqua Terra is quite easy to remember because this is what goes to boring people like me. When I say boring I mean that this is a dress watch for special occasions and casual lifestyle so yeah it fits me just fine. The Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra watch gets two versions this year. I also hate to break it to you that these dress watches somehow don’t come with the METAS Certified Master Chronometer-rated movement however, we will probably see an Aqua Terra watches release with the said METAS inline with Omega’s long term goals.
Even if there is no METAS for now, I am still excited since the new Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra GoodPlanet edition will come in a 38.5 mm version and for a dress watch this is simply superb. I also like the larger 43 mm GMT model which looks more sporty and very functional for travelers. If you look closer though, the changes you will see will be seen on the movement and the case which are hardly noticeable so I will just give a usual run down of these watches in my usual way.
The Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra GoodPlanet comes with a powerful grade 5 titanium 38.5 mm case. The design looks amazing and very professional from lugs to the crown to the neat bezel. The crown looks very centered almost like it has a subtle presence, this is the feeling known amongst classic Omega watches. When it comes to its grass roots themed dial I mean nautical of course, the Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra GoodPlanet sports applied blue indexes whose cleanliness is very appreciated for easier time reading. The white lacquered dial looks so simple yet when paired with the facetted blue hands simply brings forth a Dauphine-like smoothness. What I don’t like though is the domed sapphire crystal that shows the movement through the case back. I think a flatter feel is better but then that is just my preference. The engraved and varnished blue GoodPlanet Foundation at the caseback reminds every wearer that this is a special edition watch so that is kind of sweet to wear.
The sportier and larger Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra GoodPlanet GMT model comes with a 43 mm wide grade 5 titanium case. It features the same dial design plus the GMT hand with an applied red aluminum tip. It preserves the cleanliness though since the Arabic numerals are easy on the eyes for their legibility. Now I thank Omega for not having to add another pusher because it really looks clean just like its smaller sibling.
When it comes to power houses, the Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra GoodPlanet runs on a Master Co-Axial 8500. This is rather dated but of course well tested and it features 26 jewels and runs at 25,200 vph (3.5Hz) offering about 60 hours of power reserve. It also sports antimagnetic properties with a resistance of 15,000 gauss including water resistance of up to 150 m. Now there is no METAS yet but sure enough, this is a very stable movement. On the other hand, the larger Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra GoodPlanet GMT model gets powered by the Omega Master Co-Axial Calibre 8605 movement featuring 38 jewels and runs at 24,200 vph (3.5Hz) with a 60 hour power reserve.
These dress watches comes with matching nautical themed blue straps and with a price point of 7,000 CHF and 9,000 CHF for the GMT. For more info, please visit omegawatches.com
JOVAN KRSTEVSKI – FOUNDER, PROPRIETOR & EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Jovan Krstevski has been collecting watches every since his father bought him an Omega Seamaster back when he was just a teenager. He launched Watchgeek back in 2011, which is now known as WristReview and is one of the most widely read watch blogs on the Web. He quotes ’WristReview is a site to help people find, explore, discover and enjoy wristwatches.’ Besides WristReview, he also writes for a number of publications. Read his articles here
