Omega has always been a good brand. Excellent, in fact. Omega watches are quality items, packed with know-how and heritage, and they’ve worn a comfortable groove as the go-to alternative choice to Rolex. But that’s unfair, right? Omega’s heritage rivals Rolex’s easily, and the watches from the two manufacturers can go head-to-head all day every day. So why does Omega play second fiddle to the five-pointed crown? The management at Omega must have asked itself the same question, because the last few years have been the Biel factory’s most bountiful in recent times.
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The stripes on the Aqua Terra’s dial are inspired by the teak decks of luxury yachts
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The pick of the bunch this year is the Aqua Terra Master Co-Axial. The Speedmaster Mark II is tempting, you bet it is, and the Seamaster 300 didn’t make the choice any easier, but the Aqua Terra is more than just a watch: it’s a line in the sand, a battle cry across the no-mans land between the Omega factory and the Rolex factory that bellows, ‘We’re coming to take that crown!’
Disagree? Think the Aqua Terra Master Co-Axial is the least interesting of the bunch? Let’s explain. The new Aqua Terra has a few choice tweaks over the outgoing model that earn its right as champion: the name has changed slightly, which is reflected on the dial; the metal frame around the date window has gone; oh, and it gets the incredible anti-magnetic movement from the Aqua Terra >15,000 Gauss.
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The anti-magnetic movement from the Aqua Terra >15,000 Gauss features here, too
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| The calibre 8500 now has its key moving parts made from non-magnetic materials |
With Rolex RRPs wafting up on the economic thermals of the Far East, now is Omega’s best chance to seize the throne and fully regain the reputation it once had. With watches like the Aqua Terra Master Co-Axial on the front line, it could happen sooner than you think.
[Note: This is an updated post of a Guest Article published earlier on our website by Gary Robery from Watchfinder.co.uk]