Omega, as a sponsor of the PGA, is rather excited about the upcoming golfing event. Golf is a serious sport for many people and whether or not you are into the game, you can’t deny the power it has over many people’s lives. For years, the world’s biggest watch brands such as Rolex, Omega, and TAG Heuer have all had serious relationships with golf.
Why am I mentioning golf when discussing the new Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra collection that was founded on dive watch principles? Well, the Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra has become its de facto dressy sports watch and the model they choose to associate with their golf ambassadors such as Rory McIlroy. In Omega’s latest TV commercial, they focus on Rory playing golf… in what looks like a quasi-desert landscape. On his wrist is the new “golf version” of the Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Master Co-Axial with a green seconds hand and and metal bracelet. This version of the Aqua Terra Master Co-Axial is also available with a very nice looking Barenia brown leather strap.
What is Master Co-Axial? If you haven’t been keeping up with all the new Omega news Master Co-Axial is the brand’s new name for their in-house made movements that combine a Co-Axial escapement with a huge amount of anti-magnetic resistance. Starting in 2014 Omega has begun to include special parts into their in-house movements that are not magnetic. This means that without any special shielding Master Co-Axial movements can resist magnetism up to 15,000 Gauss.
In fact, Omega debuted this technology last year in the Aqua Terra collection with the Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra >15,000 Gauss watch (review here). For 2014, the technology was given the proper name of “Master Co-Axial.” That means the movements include both Omega’s Co-Axial escapements as well as the “Master” anti-magnetic parts. The movement names didn’t even change, and in the Aqua Terra collection the calibre 8500 and 8520 movements are now Master Co-Axial.
Omega plans to make all of their watches with in-house made movements “Master Co-Axial” by 2017. The debut watch with the technology was the Omega Seamaster 300 (hands-on). So now that you know all about Master Co-Axial, you can appreciate that these Seamaster Aqua Terra watches now include them. I am not sure if all Aqua Terra models will have Master Co-Axial, or just these debut models.
There are two sizes of the Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra with the Master Co-Axial 8500 movements and they are either 41.5mm or 38.5mm wide. As you can see, there are a combination of case materials such as steel, 18k rose gold, and two-tone models. I am not clear on all the specific Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra versions with Master Co-Axial available, but my hunch is that starting this summer in 2014, more and more Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra models will have the new anti-magnetic movements inside of them.
For those who aren’t familiar with the beautiful 8500 family movements, they are automatics with 60 hour power reserves that operate at 4Hz. They contain silicon balance wheels and in addition to the time, offer the date. Each of the 8500 movements in the Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra family of watches is COSC Chronometer certified.
For Omega one of the most important models in this 2014 collection is the Aqua Terra “Golf Edition,” which I refer to above. With a green minute scale around the periphery of the dial and a green seconds hand, this timepiece is Omega’s default official watch for the PGA Tour golf tournament. Actually, there is another version of the Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Golf Edition not shown here that is for the 2014 Ryder Cup and has a silver dial with blue, red, and gold accents. You can see more about the Omega Aqua Terra Master Co-Axial Golf Edition watches here from Omega.
