Omega Aqua Terra

The Seamaster Aqua Terra is Omega's collection of high-end watches that blend refined style and durability. With modern classic looks and a water resistance rating of 150 meters, Omega has designed these models to be sporty luxury watches for men and women that can be worn all day, every day.

The collection consists of a diverse range of watches with plenty of metals, sizes, colorways, and bracelets to choose from. Plus, in addition to the core collection of time and date models, there are also more advanced editions with features like day-date, annual calendar, chronograph, and GMT complications. Additionally, Omega has often used the Aqua Terra line to debut technical innovations, such as the highly antimagnetic "15,000 Gauss" model, the complex "WorldTimer," and the super lightweight "Ultra-Light" model.

Since its initial release in 2002, the Omega Aqua Terra collection has existed in three major generations:

• Generation 1 - 2002 - 2008 - Caliber 2500
• Generation 2 - 2008 - 2017 - Caliber 8500
• Generation 3 - 2017 - Present

150M (Generation 1)

The company debuted the 150M line in 2002 as part of the greater collection, using the Latin words for "water" and "earth" to emphasize the watches' suitability for use at sea or on land. Except for a few quartz models, this generation of the Aqua Terra was equipped with ETA-based Caliber 2500 Co-Axial automatic movements.

The watches feature round cases with smooth bezels, which house clean and simple legible dials with center timekeeping hands at center and a date window at 3 o'clock. Size choices include 36.2mm, 39.2mm, and 42.2mm, and metal options include stainless steel and 18k yellow gold. It is often said that the Aqua Terra was Omega's answer to the Rolex Datejust.

150M (Generation 2)

In 2008, the company unveiled a revamped collection, complete with the then-new in-house Caliber 8500 Co-Axial automatic movement. Aside from the movement, the sizes of the automatic models were modified slightly to offer 38.5mm and 41.5mm cases and the dial featured the now-famed "teak concept" motif with vertical lines intended to mimic the decks of luxury yachts. The bulk of the collection consisted of stainless steel and two-tone steel and red gold models.

Over the next several years, Omega added different versions to the lineup like the Aqua Terra Annual Calendar in 2010, Aqua Terra "Golf" in 2011, the Aqua Terra GMT in 2012, the Aqua Terra Chronograph GMT in 2013, and the Aqua Terra Day-Date in 2013. Also in 2013, Omega released the revolutionary Aqua Terra > 15,000 Gauss, which as its name implies, is resistant to magnetic fields greater than 15,000 gauss or 1.5 tesla-more than any previous watch movement ever achieved. (No doubt this innovative mechanical movement laid the groundwork for the antimagnetic METAS-certified Master Chronometer movements Omega would eventually introduce the next year.)

Following this, a few special-edition models joined the collection. There was the limited-edition Aqua Terra "James Bond" in 2015 in honor of the SPECTRE film released that year, the Aqua Terra GMT "GoodPlanet" in 2016, and the limited edition Aqua Terra" Pyeongchang 2018" launched in 2016 to countdown to the Winter Olympics in South Korea.

150M (Generation 3)

In 2017, the brand released the third and current generation of the collection, not only powered by the company's latest METAS-certified Master movements and but also featuring a refreshed design.

The new watches now come in two new sizes, 38mm or 41mm. Furthermore, for a symmetrical silhouette, the cases no longer have crown guards and the winding crowns are now slightly conical in shape. The teak dials now have the grooves running horizontally rather than vertically, and the date window has moved to 6 o'clock. Also new to the collection is the choice of rubber straps, while the metal bracelets have also been redesigned to be more integrated with the case.

The 41 models run on Master Chronometer Caliber 8900 movements, while the 38 watches run on the Master Chronometer Caliber 8800 - both chronometers certified by METAS and both antimagnetic to 15,000 gauss.

The new women's watches offer a choice between a 38mm or 34mm case sizes and some dials are furnished with diamond indexes while others feature a charming wavy pattern. Underneath the caseback is the Master Chronometer Caliber 8800 movement.

Also in 2017, the company added the GMT WorldTimer model, featuring a 43mm platinum case fitted with a brown leather strap. This was the first time Omega has manufactured a world-timer watch. Limited to just 87 pieces, the dial is home to a handcrafted enamel world map at the center and is capable of indicating 24 different time zones. Two years later, in 2019, the regular-production Aqua Terra GMT WorldTimer models joined the collection, available in stainless steel or 18k Sedna gold.

In 2019, Omega launched the "Ultra Light," created as the ultimate athlete's watch thanks to its lightweight construction and ergonomic design. Built using two types of titanium and aluminum, the Ultra Light weighs a mere 55 grams and its 41mm case is coated with a scratch-resistant ceramic. The watch also features a clever telescopic crown that can be pushed into the case during a match so that it does not get in the way.

With similar designs, functionalities, and propositions as daily luxury watches, how does this model stack up against the Rolex Datejust?

The Datejust has been around since 1945 and is considered an absolute classic in the luxury watch space, while the Aqua Terra only made its debut in 2002 but can also be regarded as a modern classic. To make a fair comparison between the Aqua Terra vs. the Datejust, we've selected some similar models to compare and below are the main differences. All of these are current-production watches from both companies and are fitted with the brands’ newest-generation movements.

While the Diver 300M and the Planet Ocean are the two models most associated with 007, the Aqua Terra has also been featured in a few James Bond movies and the company has also made a special-edition model in the super spy's honor. The line made its Bond debut in Skyfall (2012) in the form of a 38.5mm stainless steel version with a blue dial (ref. 231.10.39.21.03.001) and in SPECTRE (2015) the larger 41.5mm stainless steel model with a blue dial (ref. 231.10.42.21.03.003) made an appearance. The brand also released the limited-edition Spectre", complete with a dial featuring a pattern comprised of the Bond family coat of arms.

Omega has a long roster of celebrity brand ambassadors to its name and a few of them are dedicated as representatives for the Aqua Terra line. For example, Academy Award-winning actor Eddie Redmayne is the face of the men's Aqua Terra watches, while model and television personality Alessandra Ambrosio is the face of the women's line of Aqua Terra timepieces.

The new Aqua Terra "Ultra Light" was developed in collaboration with professional golfer and Omega ambassador, Rory McIlroy, and he can be seen currently sporting the super lightweight watch during tournaments. Fellow golfers and ambassadors, Sergio Garcia and Tommy Fleetwood also wear their Omega Aqua Terra "Ultra Light" watches during games. Prior to this, Omega had already made Aqua Terra watches specifically for its golf ambassadors, including one with a green NATO strap for Sergio Garcia and one with an orange and black NATO strap for Rory McIlroy.

Other Omega ambassadors regularly spotted wearing Aqua Terra watches include George Clooney, Presley Gerber (son of longtime Omega ambassador, Cindy Crawford), Nicole Kidman, and Daniel Craig.

The Omega Seamastyer Aqua Terra is a popular timepiece for a number of collectors. While the model was first introduced in 1948, the Aqua Terra collection was first debuted in 2013. These models are viewed by some as a more elegant choice compared to other variations. Some of the defining characteristics of the collection include the "teak concept" dial. This dial was inspired by the wooden decks found on luxury yachts.