Although the Aqua Terra is a newer Seamaster collection from OMEGA—having made its debut in 2003—the model is actually inspired by the earliest Seamaster models. When OMEGA first launched the Seamaster in 1948 to mark the brand’s 100th anniversary, it was essentially a dress watch that could withstand some contact with water. And while the Seamaster line eventually evolved into a more robust dive watch, today’s Aqua Terra models hark back to that inaugural line.
A distinguishing characteristic of many of the Seamaster Aqua Terra models is the “teak concept” pattern—vertical lines running across the dial reminiscent of wooden decks found on luxury yachts and expensive boats. This elegant nod to nautical life is enforced by the watches’ water resistance of 150 meters (500 feet). Other distinctive design elements of the Aqua Terra are the arrow-tipped minute hand, in addition to the tapered hour markers.
The Seamaster Aqua Terra timepieces feature round cases in an assortment of sizes and materials. A variety of different complications are available within the Seamaster Aqua Terra line from date to annual calendar to GMT and others. Additionally, both automatic mechanical movements and quartz calibers exist within the collection. Each Aqua Terra with an automatic movement has a clear caseback for a view of the inner workings of the watch.
The OMEGA Master Chronometer automatic movements drive the newer Aqua Terra models. These mechanical movements are significant for having passed eight rigorous tests set out by the Swiss Federal Institute of Metrology (METAS) including resistance to magnetic fields. In fact, the Seamaster Aqua Terra > 15,000 gauss—launched at Baselworld 2016—is the world’s first mechanical watch resistant to 15,000 gauss (gauss is the unit used to measure magnetic density).
The Aqua Terra collection is home to some exciting limited edition and commemorative models. For instance, OMEGA introduced the limited edition Aqua Terra James Bond with the release of SPECTRE, where the usual “teak concept” lines are replaced with the Bond family coat of arms. The Ryder Cup Aqua Terra is another limited edition made especially for golfers, which features a dial modeled after the texture of a golf ball.
The Seamaster Aqua Terra GoodPlanet timepiece demonstrates OMEGA’s commitment to the GoodPlanet Foundation—a charity that works to raise awareness about environmental issues—as a portion of each sale is donated to the foundation.
As the official Timekeeper of the Olympics, OMEGA has created several watches in honor of The Games. The most recent one is the Aqua Terra PyeongChang 2018 ahead of the Winter Olympics to be held in South Korea in 2018.
A luxury dress watch that also boasts sporty chic appeal, the elegance of the OMEGA Seamaster Aqua Terra is hard to resist. Cindy Crawford, Eddie Redmayne, and Daniel Craig are just a few of the celebrities that wear the Seamaster Aqua Terra—and a watch that’s good enough for James Bond is certainly good enough for us.
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