Omega’s latest Aqua Terra is a competent women’s watch with a brand-new calibre that is both compact and proficient. Equipped with the new cal. 8750/8751, the Aqua Terra 150M 30 mm launches with a healthy mix of metal variations and dials across 12 models that will surely expand in time.

Initial Thoughts

Despite scarce coverage in watch media, watches made for, and marketed to women are very important to the industry. And, women have rewarded brands that put in the effort with enormous success. The Lady-Datejust, for instance, is often rumored to be Rolex’s highest volume model.

While Omega offered an Aqua Terra 30 mm in the past, the Constellation has arguably the brand’s champion in the segment for the last few years. The new Aqua Terra 30 mm might look similar to its predecessor, but it stands out for the new cal. 8750/8751 that is a Master Chronometer-certified movement.

Building a movement that can consistently meet Master Chronometer standards, while being small and thin, is an achievement on its own. All else being equal, larger movements perform better than smaller ones; the difference is significant enough that the ISO 3159 chronometer standard that form the COSC testing standards has less stringent requirements for movements 20 mm and under.

Options

Omega’s watches are often, and fairly, criticized for being unnecessarily thick, but that isn’t the case here, thanks in part to the new caliber. All steel and two-tone models are 10.6 mm tall (10.7 mm for gold cases) without sacrificing the 150 m water resistance and date found the larger Aqua Terras.

All versions of the new Aqua Terra 30 mm are fitted to three link bracelets with a butterfly clasp and 2 mm of tool-less quick adjust. Omega confusingly describes the bracelets as “integrated” but they are not and are exchangeable for any normal 14 mm wide strap.

The lineup comprises five steel models, three yellow gold, three two-tone, and one rose gold. The gem-set models, and rose gold two-tone have diamonds hour markers, while lume-filled boat-shaped indices furnish the rest.

Each dial is unique to its metal, except for the mother-of-pearl dial, which is shared between yellow gold and two-tone models.

Movement

Omega’s repertoire has included a small, high-spec automatic movement since 2008. Performance wise, the new cal. 8750/8751 is a lateral move as the antecedent cal. 8700 also meets Master Chronometer standards, but the new caliber is 1.3 mm thinner at 3.98 mm, which is significant.

The reduced height comes at the cost of two hours off the power reserve, but 48 hours is perfectly acceptable given the constrained size, and not far shy of the much-larger cal. 8800’s 55 hours.

The cal. 8750/8751 uses the latest version of Omega’s Co-Axial escapement, but a key factor in its accuracy is the free-sprung balance with four white gold regulating screws on a silicon balance spring.

The steel model is equipped with the cal. 8750, while the Moonshine (yellow) and Sedna (rose) gold versions are upgraded with 18k rose gold rotors and balance bridges known as are the cal. 8751. This increases the height of the movement marginally (to 4.08) mm but looks great on the rose gold model, though is somewhat jarring against the yellow gold cases since the movement parts do not match the case.

Key facts and price

Omega Seasmaster Aqua Terra 150M 30 mm
Ref. 220.10.30.20.01.001 (Steel, Black)
Ref. 220.10.30.20.03.001 (Steel, Blue)
Ref. 220.10.30.20.02.001 (Steel, Silver)
Ref. 220.10.30.20.10.002 (Steel, Lavender)
Ref. 220.15.30.20.56.001 (Steel, Grey)
Ref. 220.20.30.20.02.001 (Steel and Moonshine gold mm, Silver)
Ref. 220.20.30.20.63.001 (Steel and Sedna gold, Brown)
Ref. 220.25.30.20.55.001 (Steel and Moonshine gold, White)
Ref. 220.50.30.20.09.001 (Sedna gold, Linen)
Ref. 220.50.30.20.08.001 (Moonshine gold, Yellow)
Ref. 220.55.30.20.60.001 (Moonshine gold, Green)
Ref. 220.55.30.20.55.001 (Moonshine gold, White)

Diameter: 30 mm
Height: 10.6 mm (steel); 10.7 mm (gold)
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 150 m

Movement: Cal. 8750 (steel); Cal. 8751 (gold)
Features: Hours, minutes, seconds, and date
Frequency: 25,200 beats per hour (3.5 Hz)
Winding: Automatic
Power reserve: 48 hours

Strap: Steel bracelet

Limited edition: No
Availability: At Omega boutiques and retailers
Price: Starting from US$6,600 in steel; US$11,000 in steel and Moonshine gold; US$18,700 in steel and Moonshine gold with diamonds; US$41,000 in Moonshine gold with diamonds and mother-of-pearl-dial

For more, visit omegawatches.com.