Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Ultra Light – 55g Only and Designed Especially for Sport (Updated with Price)
The weight is over... Omega innovates with an ultra-light, uncompromising version of the Aqua Terra designed for golf and sports in general.
It seems that Omega never ceases to innovate and impress. After presenting the Seamaster Planet Ocean Ultra Deep Professional, the watch that made the world’s deepest dive to the very bottom of the Mariana Trench (with a water-resistance of 15,000m), the brand now presents another piece of high-tech engineering with a focus, this time, on lightness, comfort and resistance. Meet the 55g-only Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Ultra Light, a new concept-looking (but soon to be commercialized) timepiece designed especially for sport.
Purpose-built for sportsmen
The Seamaster Aqua Terra Ultra Light is a true purpose-built watch, made without compromise with maximum comfort and resistance during sports activities in mind. This watch is the result of a collaboration with Rory McIlroy, the brand’s ambassador, who helped the product development team to create a watch perfectly suited to the needs of athletes. “I’m proud to have played a role in the development of Omega’s new lightweight sports watch. I know what an athlete needs in a watch and through collaboration with Omega, we were able to modify the timepiece. The new “Ultra Light” is an absolute pleasure to wear, whatever sport you play,” says McIlroy.
The idea with the Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Ultra Light, as you might have guessed by its name, was to focus on weight, in order to bring utmost comfort while practising sport. Comfort is a matter of ergonomy, of course, but also a matter of weight. The lighter the watch, the less intrusive it will be – it thus can become part of the standard equipment of an athlete, something ergonomic, comfortable and forgettable.
Lightweight titanium habillage
The case of this Seamaster Aqua Terra Ultra Light, while staying true to the classical design of the collection – same overall shape, with lyre lugs and flat bezel – has been crafted in a new, innovative material. Omega is using (for the case, caseback and crown) a specific alloy called Gamma Titanium – a first for the brand. This material, used in the aeronautical industry due to its very resistant properties, is harder and lighter than conventional titanium. Omega is also using titanium for the dial of its Seamaster Aqua Terra Ultra Light and has been reducing the amount of material to a bare minimum, to further lighten the weight of the watch without affecting its visual impact.
The result is a watch that, when worn on the sporty, lightweight fabric strap, weighs only 55 grams. For comparison, the Richard Mille RM27-02 Nadal weights 19 grams (watch head only) and the Montblanc TimeWalker Pythagore Ultra-Light, a concept watch, is said to be 15 grams (again, watch head only). Still, we’re talking here about a €700K watch (RM) or a watch that never has been produced (Montblanc). The Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Ultra Light is much more realistic, as it will soon be available in stores.
The watch is worn as standard on an integrated rubber strap (similar in shape to the rest of the Aqua Terra collection) with red, green or blue details. These optional colours are also applied to the dial, resulting in 3 different versions of this watch (220.92.41.21.06.001 for the red – 220.92.41.21.06.002 for the blue – 220.92.41.21.06.003 for the green). Other than that, the dial sticks to the signature horizontal grooves and the classic hands/markers of the collection. A lightweight fabric strap with velcro is also included.
A special feature of this Seamaster Aqua Terra Ultra Light is its crown, which you can see is deeply recessed into the curved case band. It has a push-in “telescopic” architecture, meaning that it can be stowed inside the case when not in use. It is better protected when the wearer is in full action.
Calibre 8928 Titanium
The work done to lighten the watch isn’t only focused on the case/dial/strap. The movement has also been improved. If the base is familiar – the same base calibre as the Omega De Ville Trésor – the new Master Chronometer calibre 8928 features titanium bridges and main plate, which means that, in addition to the reduced weight, there’s less friction between the components and it gives the movement this special dark grey colour.
This hand-wound movement retains all the brand’s innovations, meaning its 15,000-gauss magnetic resistance, its co-axial escapement, the twin-barrel architecture for a 72h power reserve, its Master Chronometer certification and a full 5-year warranty.
Availability and Price
The 3 versions of the Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Ultra Light are not to be considered concept watches but proper commercial products. They will be available in stores December 2019 and won’t be limited editions. The retail price will be EUR 45,800.
More details at www.omegawatches.com.
4 responses
I mean it’s cool, but… 45 what?
Alternatively, you could buy the Rado ultralight which I think might be lighter, is made of ceramic and is what…12% of the price?
Anyway, this is all academic, since a mechanical movement is not appropriate for hard sports.
What is a hard sport? Tennis? Golf? Who wears a watch while playing football or fighting in UFC?
If I want a “light watch” for “hard sport” I would take a Swatch….