Having become the official timekeeper for the most prestigious event in yachting, Omega is a key partner at the 37th America’s Cup now taking place in Barcelona. The watchmaker has just unveiled the Seamaster Regatta America’s Cup, an analogue-digital sailor’s wristwatch.

Unlike the earlier commemorative Seamaster Diver 300M, the Seamaster Regatta was conceived as a tool. In fact, it is descended from the Speedmaster X-33 of 1998 that was designed for astronauts. Like the X-33, the Seamaster Regatta is equipped with a quartz movement that combines analogue and digital displays in a multi-function package that includes a chronograph, sailing logbook, temperature gauge, accelerometer, and a regatta countdown.

Initial thoughts

The Seamaster Regatta is something of an anomaly in contemporary horology. It is a quartz-digital instrument that’s arguably purpose built for professional, yet carries a luxury watch price tag of over US$7,000, making it almost as expensive as the mechanical Seamaster 300M chronograph with an in-house movement.

And the Seamaster Regatta stands out as one of the rare recent luxury watches that are quartz-digital, since the heyday of such timepieces was in the late 1990s (the comparable Breitling B-1 was launched in 1998 for instance).

By the usual standards that watch enthusiasts use to judge a premium watch, the Seamaster Regatta feels expensive. Yet like the X-33 before it, the Seamaster Regatta appears to be an excellent tool. Moreover, it is executed to a higher level of quality and finish than a basic digital sailing chronograph. It has the same type of titanium case and ceramic bezel insert found on a mechanical Seamaster for instance.

So it’s not a value proposition by conventional watch enthusiast standards, not by a long shot, but it should appeal to the well-heeled yachtsman or woman.

A genuine tool watch

Typical of the X-33 family, the Seamaster Regatta boasts four colour-coded pushers coated with rubber — one in red and three in blue, along with an “ana-digi” display on the dial. Although the Seamaster Regatta is part of the X-33 family, at least in terms of the movement, it is a Seamaster in look and feel.

Made of titanium, the lightweight case has a wide, inwards bevel along each lug in the traditional Seamaster style. It is huge at 46.75 mm in diameter and 15.6 mm in thickness, making it one of the largest Seamaster models ever. Unusually for a Seamaster, it has a water resistance rating of just 50 m, a technical necessity due to the case back that amplifies the alarm.

The bidirectional bezel has a blue ceramic insert with a 60-minute scale

Combining analogue and digital displays, the dial still retains the trademark Seamaster wave pattern on the narrow section outside the LCD screen.

The time is indicated with traditional hour, minute and seconds hands, but the rest of the functions are digital. A clever feature is backlit mode: when activated, the LCD display lights up while hands swivel away from the digital indications to maximise legibility.

Besides the conventional digital functions like chronograph and perpetual calendar, the watch also has a regatta function with a countdown alarm function.

Because of the alarm function, the wave-patterned case back is perforated along its rim to boost the volume of the alarm function.

The back is embossed with the logo of the 37th America’s Cup logo

Key facts and price

Omega Seamaster Regatta America’s Cup
Ref. 216.92.46.79.10.001

Diameter: 46.75 mm
Height: 15.6 mm
Material: Titanium
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 50 m

Movement: Cal. 5701
Functions: Time, alarm, chronograph, date, perpetual calendar, multi time zone, and regatta functions
Winding: Quartz
Battery life: 30 months

Strap: Rubber with titanium folding clasp

Limited edition: No
Availability: Now at Omega boutiques and retailers
Price: US$7,400; or 10,750 Singapore dollars

For more, visit omegawatches.com.