Sat 26 Mar 2011
My most recent Omega, and Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra with the in-house Omega designed Co-axial 8500 movement. This watch features the very cool Teck Grey Dial. This dial is looks amazing with a very 3D presentation and really pops out when you see it in person. I’ve tried to capture it in my photos, but it doesn’t do the dial justice.
Here’s a close up of the dial, showing the beautiful applied indices and date window frame. The quartz version does not have the date frame. The middle area that has the verticle cuts in it is raised, with the chapter ring lower than the rest of the dial. This gives the watch dial a lot of depth and character while still being very understated.
I opted for the stainless steel bracelet but I also have the Deployant and Black Crocodile strap for dress occasions. The stainless steel bracelet is great and features screwed in links, which Omega does not have in many of their bracelets. A nice touch that is a welcome addition for a guy like me who grew up with Breitling.
There she is.. what a beauty. The 8500 movement is such a nice movement to look at with the twin barrels and spiral jeweling. Here are the specs:
Series Double barrel design
60 hour power reserve
Dual directional winding automatic
Free sprung balance
Full balance bridge
39 jewels
202 parts
COSC certification
Very nice specs, and a hell of a looker. I love my 8500. It also adjusts date interestingly by moving the hour hand in 1 hour increments similar to a Rolex GMT Master II. This allows you to change date relatively easily but also allows changing timezones very easily as well. A great compromise in my opinion.
April 5th, 2011 at 6:49 am
Hi there,
Nice looking watch. Im thinking of getting the seamaster aqua terra in the next month or so but undecided between the steal bracelet and the black crocodile strap. Im assuming you ordered the crocodile strap separately from you dealer? How easy was this? and if so do you mind me asking how much it cost?
thanks david
April 5th, 2011 at 8:38 am
I bought the Crocodile online afterwards. Its easy enough to get the Croc from the dealer… just ask them. They sometimes have it in stock. Don’t remember the pricing.. but with the deployant I believe it is around $400-500.
April 6th, 2011 at 4:46 pm
Thanks for the reply
Cheers
April 14th, 2011 at 1:54 pm
First, let me say that I enjoy this site and the reviews supplied on it. This is one of the first sites I go to for watch reviews because I think they are pretty well done. However, I think you sleep on Omega a little bit.
While I understand that this is a Breitling forum, the offerings from Omega are top notch but don’t seem to register on here. Perhaps it boils down to personal taste, but Omega offers incredible movements in some of the best time pieces in the world. While Breitling offers a few awesome watches (Navi, Chrono are two of the best watches produced) and some other pretty good ones, on the whole you’re buying quartz (ahem, SuperquartzTM) surrounded by a big hunk of metal and A LOT of marketing.
Don’t want to start a brand war or anything, just sayin: where is the love?
Brad
April 14th, 2011 at 5:54 pm
Glad you are an Omega Enthusiast, I am really enjoying my AT 8500. I actually wore it today.
Not sure why you think I dislike Omega? Or maybe “sleep” means something that I’m not familiar with. I am happy with the Omega watches I’ve bought, and I review them just as I do any other Breitling so I don’t follow your beef with my review, especially when it was entirely positive. Additionally, your saying that Breitling are on the whole Quartz or SuperQuartz is entirely incorrect since most of their watches are Automatics. Omega produces quartz watches as well, so does that make them “on the whole, quartz watches surrounded by a small hunk of metal and A RIDICULOUS amount of marketing”? Because trust me, Omega spends WAY more than Breitling on Marketing.
I really do like Omega watches just fine and so I do not know where you are coming from with this….
April 7th, 2015 at 7:38 am
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