Alright, so, I’ve been eyeing this OMEGA Seamaster Planet Ocean 600M Co-Axial Master Chronometer GMT 45.5mm watch for a while now. It’s a beast of a timepiece, and I finally decided to pull the trigger and see what all the fuss was about.
First off, I started by doing some digging online. I mean, who buys a watch like this without doing a little research, right? I learned this thing is a tribute to OMEGA’s history of making dive watches. Apparently, it’s got a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal, which is great because I’m pretty clumsy. Also found out it’s water-resistant up to 600 meters. That’s like, way deeper than I’ll ever go, but it’s cool to know it can handle that kind of pressure.
Then I went into details about the price. The retail price is around R 273 000, but I know that some of the Planet Ocean models can be found for as low as $700. It’s a big range, so I had to be careful. But this specific GMT model is on the higher end, for sure.
Next, I started looking at the movement. This watch has the OMEGA Master Chronometer calibre 9900 inside. I don’t know much about watch movements, but it sounds fancy. You can see it through the back of the watch, which is a nice touch. I also read that it has a helium escape valve. Again, not something I’ll probably ever use, but it adds to the whole “professional dive watch” vibe. I wanted to make sure this wasn’t some cheap knock-off, so I researched how to spot a fake OMEGA. I heard that authentic ones don’t tick, and the second hand stops completely when you pull out the crown. I’ll have to remember to check for that.
I learned that the dial is made of Grade 5 titanium and has these blackened hands with Super-LumiNova. That means it glows in the dark, which is pretty useful. Also, it comes on a black and grey rubber strap. I think it looks pretty sharp.
After all that research, I finally went ahead and got the watch. First impression? It’s big. Like, really big. 45.5mm is no joke. But it feels solid and well-made. I checked the movement, and just as I’d read, there’s no ticking sound. And when I pulled the crown, the second hand stopped dead in its tracks. Good sign so far!
- It’s definitely a statement piece. People notice it, and I’ve gotten a few compliments.
- The GMT function is actually pretty handy. I have some family overseas, so it’s nice to be able to see the time in their zone at a glance.
- The rubber strap is comfortable, even after wearing it all day.
- It keeps time really well. I haven’t had to adjust it since I got it.
Here are some of the things I’ve noticed after wearing it for a while:
So, there you have it. My journey with the OMEGA Seamaster Planet Ocean 600M Co-Axial Master Chronometer GMT 45.5mm. It was a bit of an investment, but so far, I’m really happy with it. It’s a tough, good-looking watch that’s also got some cool features.