The turquoise dial of the Seamaster Aqua Terra, released by Omega in January 2025, is available. Having had the opportunity to wear it, I'll be reviewing it. This watch not only excels in the dial design that many watchmakers are focusing on, but also represents a cutting-edge approach to genderless watches.
Photographs & Text by Chieko Tsuruoka (Chronos-Japan)
[Article published on January 21, 2025]
Omega's latest Seamaster Aqua Terra features a turquoise dial
A new model will be added to Omega's Seamaster Aqua Terra in January 2025. This unique new model features a dial with a gradation from turquoise to black.
Two types are available: a 41mm case and a 38mm case. I was able to wear the latter, 38mm, model this time, so I will review it in this article.
Automatic winding (Cal. 8800). 25,200 vph. Power reserve approximately 55 hours. Stainless steel case (diameter 38 mm, thickness 12.3 mm). Water resistant to 150 m. Price: 1,023,000 yen (tax included).
A masterpiece with a gradient dial following "Summer Blue"!
In recent years, the watch industry has seen remarkable advances in exterior technology. This is particularly evident in the color of the dial. By using color not only in solid colors like black, white, and blue, but also in neutral and gradient colors, and by adding a variety of colors to delicate decorations, companies are literally creating ``diverse'' dials.
Omega has been able to reach a wide range of users by offering a wide variety of variations within the same collection, so it is no wonder that they are able to stand out from the competition in the current "dial competition." Recently, I published an article about Omega's ladies' watches (Our PR staff have carefully selected recommendations from Omega's popular ladies' models. This is the one watch we want every watch-loving woman to buy!), as mentioned in the article, I was very impressed when a public relations representative said, "At Omega, even if it's the same blue, the tones are not the same, so we call the dial colors differently."
There's no way that the turquoise dial that Omega has come up with could be bad. In fact, I was excited when I saw the press release, and when I saw the actual watch, I was even more captivated by the design (although Omega's promotional images don't seem to be that different from the actual watch, seeing the actual watch as a whole really conveys its quality).
What makes this dial special is not just the turquoise color, but the gradation that gradually fades to black. This lacquer gradation is natural and the surface is completely flat and distortion-free, demonstrating Omega's dial-making prowess.
Some readers may already be familiar with Omega's ingenious use of gradation in the "Summer Blue" edition, released in 2023 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the birth of the Seamaster. The Summer Blue edition was also beautifully crafted, and this model can be considered a masterpiece following that edition. Incidentally, the Summer Blue edition's dial expressed the depth of the ocean, which is derived from the watch's water resistance. The turquoise color is also said to have been inspired by the sea.
The dial of this watch is polished, but not too shiny, and does not have the sunray finish commonly seen on the Seamaster Aqua Terra, giving it a subdued impression. This impression is also contributed to by the gray PVD indices and hands, and the black calendar disc. Incidentally, this gray is quite dark, and when I saw the pictures and the actual watch, I thought it was black.
The three-dimensional, sufficiently large hands and indexes are easy to read, and I never found them difficult to read even under strong light sources.
The cutting edge of genderless watches
Previously, I reviewed the "Seamaster Aqua Terra Shade" (The joy of owning a "good watch." A review of the Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Shade 38mmThis "Shade" shares many exterior features with the review model, including the same 38mm case diameter. The bracelet is also thinner than the wide one previously seen on the Seamaster Aqua Terra, with a series of round links.
Therefore, I expected that the case diameter of this watch would be a little large for me as a woman with a 14.7cm wrist, and that it would be quite thick and heavy, but it would still be extremely comfortable to wear. And once again, I hardly felt any stress while wearing it.
Even with all eight links removed, the watch weighs just 120g, which felt heavy at first, but I quickly got used to it. Generally, cases that are larger than my wrist width and thicker tend to be less comfortable to wear than smaller, thinner watches. However, this watch, and indeed most Omega watches, are short in length (this one is 44.9mm), and even if the head is heavy, the bracelet is also heavy, so it's balanced, making it comfortable to wear. This kind of design, which takes comfort into consideration, really makes me think, "Omega is amazing, after all." I also previously wore the 41mm Seamaster Diver 300M Paris 2024. I should note that this model, which is quite large for me, was comfortable to wear.
The small links make it easy to adjust to the exact size of your wrist, which also contributes to the excellent fit. Another key point is that there are quite a few links that can be removed from the bracelet. I had eight links removed when I put it on, but there are still eight more to go, so it will likely accommodate users with very thin wrists.
What surprised me about this size was that the buckle had a micro-adjustment feature: a patented comfort release adjustment mechanism.
At first glance, it looks like a normal buckle. However, the open plate is actually equipped with a sliding comfort release mechanism, which allows for fine adjustments without tools. While the fine adjustment mechanism is useful for loosening the bracelet slightly when it becomes too tight due to swelling of the wrist, it also makes the buckle thicker. However, Omega has included this mechanism without significantly changing the thickness or appearance. It can be said that the practicality of wearing an Omega watch has been further enhanced.
This watch is designed to cater to users with a wide range of wrist sizes, and I think it is at the forefront of the "genderless wristwatch."
In the watch market, which is dominated by male users, small quartz watches used to dominate women's models. Women who preferred larger mechanical watches may have struggled with the limited options. The opposite is also true; some men may have had the experience of wanting a watch with a smaller case size but being limited to women's models. However, in recent years, it seems that a genderless wave is coming to the world of watches. More and more brands are offering a wider variety of case sizes within the same collection and adopting designs that are easy to use for both men and women.
In this climate, Omega is not just making its watches smaller and increasing the variety, but is also manufacturing watches that are designed to be comfortable for both men and women. Omega does not specifically advertise its watches as "unisex," so it is unclear whether this is their intention, but the brand's products are undoubtedly watches that both men and women can easily choose, and I feel that they are one step ahead in the genderless trend.
I knew it, but it's still amazing!
We reviewed the Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra with a turquoise dial, released in January 2025.
I've had the privilege of wearing an Omega Seamaster several times and have seen many of their other products. Therefore, I understand that the brand's watches are of a high level of perfection. However, even knowing this, I couldn't help but exclaim, "It's amazing!" with the original and elegant dial of this watch.
At the same time, while I was aware of Omega's strategy of responding to the needs of a wide range of users by offering a wide variety of models, this film also made me realize that their approach of pursuing a fit that is not greatly affected by wrist width, even for models in standard men's sizes, is at the forefront of the genderless trend in the watch industry in recent years.
"Recommended for both men and women." This is a somewhat hackneyed expression, but it's actually quite difficult to describe. The Seamaster Aqua Terra is perfectly suited to this.
