Rob Nudds identifies his Top Five Toughest Omega Watches for us.
5. Omega Seamaster Diver 300 M
One of the Diver 300 M pieces had to make the list, so why not the memorable “No Time To Die” edition that saw Daniel Craig bow out of his star turn as James Bond in style?
The fabric strap is, in my opinion, more handsome and tougher than the interesting but awkward titanium mesh bracelet, which is better in theory than it is in practice (sizing and the way it lays against the wrist were irksome to me, whereas the military strap is not only beautifully patterned with complementary stripes, but also extremely comfortable for long periods on the wrist).
Omega Seamaster Diver 300 M 210.92.42.20.01.001 - Credit Omega
4. Omega Speedmaster X-33 Marstimer 318.90.45.79.01.003
I was 100% convinced I wasn’t going to feature a Speedy on this list. Too weak. Too fiddly. The water resistance is rubbish. Hesalite “might” be great for Space, but on Terra firma, give me sapphire any day of the week.
And then I remembered the multi-function quartz X-33 Marstimer, dressed in full titanium and my 100% dwindled to zero less time that it would take to start, stop, and rest this adventure-ready chronograph, capable of withstanding the harshest environments down here and up there.
Omega Speedmaster X-33 Marstimer 318.90.45.79.01.003 - Credit Omega
3. Seamaster Planet Ocean 6000 M 215.30.46.21.03.002
This watch is a tough cookie. A 6,000 m water resistance is no laughing matter, but the sly UV-spot printing on the dial, teasing Rolex over Omega’s underwater prowess, is at least able to curl the lips at their corners.
To be frank, I like the fact the 215.30.46.21.03.002 exists and I like the fact Omega went with the secret message on the dial (only visible under UV light), even though it isn’t to my personal taste. What I mean by that is that I enjoy the beef. I feed off the rivalry between Omega and Rolex. It’s funny, it’s good for business, and it gives us context to releases and the strategies underpinning them.
Would I wear the Seamaster Planet Ocean 6000 M 215.30.46.21.03.002? Only if it were a gift. But would I be happy to have it on my wrist during a barroom brawl with the Submariner Slickers? You bet I would.
Seamaster Planet Ocean 6000 M 215.30.46.21.03.002 - Credit Omega
2. Omega Seamaster PloProf 1200 M 227.90.55.21.01.001
There are flaws to this generation of the Omega PloProf but even the weirdly light-weight titanium case, the questionable display case back, and some ambitious but ultimately anaemic colourways can ruin this underappreciated classic.
There is nothing like the PloProf and that’s half of its charm. The other half comes from the fact it is absolutely built for purpose and doesn’t give a damn about symmetry as a result. It will survive anything. There are few watches I’d more confidently chuck out of a helicopter and expect to survive, even if it landed in the ocean and sank all the way to the bottom. With more than a kilometre of water resistance to its name, there aren’t many other references in the industry that can compare with 227.90.55.21.01.001.
Omega Seamaster PloProf 1200 M 227.90.55.21.01.001 - Credit Omega
That is except for…
1. Omega Seamaster PloProf 1200 M 227.32.55.21.03.001
You might think it unnecessary to divide the five extant PloProf models into two camps, but it really is necessary. Reference 227.32.55.21.03.001 has so many different physical characteristics, that the massive gulf between the two generations cannot be ignored.
Firstly, reference 227.32.55.21.03.001 (the new one) is steel. The titanium era of the Omega PloProf (which I very much hope is over now), was hard for me to deal with personally. The PloProf was installed as my grail early on in my watchmaking career and I idolised the pre-titanium generation. I never believed I’d have the means to own one but now that I do, I still don’t. Why is that?
It’s because Omega never got the combination of elements with the PloProf just right. This iteration, the 227.32.55.21.03.001, is the closest yet in many ways, but it still leaves me wanting in terms of colourway and bracelet. With those two additions in these new/old dimensions, this mono-block version of the world’s ugliest-but-most-awesome wristwatch will reached the promised land (and my wrist).
This “75th anniversary special” is a peach in its own right, however. The blue colourway is gorgeous in itself. The degradé sunburst of the dial draws you in. You really feel as if you’re staring into deep water. The light blue lume (and especially the colour-matched text) brings an undeniable tranquillity to proceedings that the “standard” PloProf colourway for which I pine cannot come close to matching.
It’s also built like a tank and weighty enough to act as a weapon in case you’re ever attacked by a Great White while doing the weekly grocery run. It’s not a watch for everyone, for sure, but for anyone that “gets” what the PloProf is and what it’s about, it’s everything.
Omega Seamaster PloProf 1200 M 227.32.55.21.03.001 - Credit Omega
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