Set sail with confidence and style to points unknown with this classic Omega Aqua Terra stainless steel men's automatic chronometer watch, part of Omega's Seamaster line. As comfortable negotiating deals in the boardroom as it is navigating the breaking seas, this highly accurate timepiece features Omega's latest break-through, the Co-Axial escapement. Developed in conjunction with master watchmaker George Daniels, it's based on double co-axial escape wheel, a lever with three pallet stones and impulse stone on the balance roller, together with a free sprung-balance. The Co-Axial escapement system reduces sliding friction compared with the lever escapement and thus ensures greater accuracy over time. This watch also features the Omega 2500 caliber automatic movement, which has been certified as a chronometer by the COSC (Swiss Official Chronometer Control). Only 3 percent of watches produced in Switzerland are "chronometer-certified." To achieve this highly coveted certification, the movements are subjected to numerous tests over a period of 15 consecutive days and nights, in five positions and at three different temperatures.
It features a slightly raised, highly polished bezel that frames a white dial background with dagger-shaped golden hands (with seconds hand) and stick dial markers in silver tone, small minute indexes, and date display at 3 o'clock. The large, round watch measures 45mm wide (1.77 inches) and 11mm thick (0.43 inches). Other features include a triple-link stainless steel bracelet band, scratch-resistant and glare-proofed domed sapphire crystal, and water resistance to 150 meters (500 feet)--suitable for swimming, snorkeling, and light recreational diving.
Automatic Watch Movement
An automatic watch is self-winding, and its movement has a reserve that must be at least partially filled prior to being worn. This is done by shaking and winding the timepiece manually. In order for an automatic timepiece to keep a reserve, it must be worn daily for 8 hours of active wear. This watch as a 44-hour power reserve.
The Omega Story
The Omega watch story begins in 1848, when founder Louis Brandt began hand assembling key-wound precision pocket watches from parts supplied by local craftsmen in his principality La Chaux-de-Fonds, in the northwest corner of Switzerland. However, the Omega name didn't appear until 1894, after Louis Brandt had passed away and his watchmaking traditions were taken over by his sons, Louis-Paul and Cesar Brandt. Omega watches have long been associated with glamorous screen and sports stars--the Omega Seamaster is famous for being the watch of choice for James Bond--with current ambassadors including Pierce Brosnan, Nicole Kidman, tennis player Anna Kournikova, and swimmers Michael Phelps and Ian Thorpe.
But Omega is more than just a fashionable watch. In 1965, the Omega Speedmaster chronograph was "flight-qualified by NASA for all manned space missions" as the only wristwatch to have withstood all of the U.S. space agency's severe tests, including passing grades for extreme shocks, vibrations, and temperatures ranging from -18 to +93 degrees Celsius. The greatest moment in the Speedmaster's history was undoubtedly 20 July 1969 at 02:56 GMT, when it recorded man's first steps on the Moon's surface as part of the Apollo 11 mission. Today, Omega is known for its rigorous testing of new movements, cases, and bands. Each new Omega movement is tested on the wrist in existing Omega models, while various laboratory tests are conducted to determine temperature-resistance, shock-resistance and vibration-resistance.
