Dream Watch: the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean

We live on a blue planet.  2/3 of our planet's surface is covered by water.  It's only natural that humans yearn to explore the sea.  We swim.  We sail.  We dive.  We need watches that will stand up to the rigors of the sea.  Many Omega Watches are engineered for the sea.  According to Omega, the Swiss firm created the first watch ever designed expressly for divers back in 1932.  Today, that heritage continues with a watch called the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean.

Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean By Naklig (προσωπική εργασία) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

The Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean is water resistant to 600 meters (2000 feet) and has professional dive features such as a helium escape valve and a screw in crown.  It also has a scratch resistant sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment.  Despite the big features at 43.5 millimeter diameter case is well within the normal range of watch sizes. It's big enough to be bold, but not silly big.

Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean

As a mechanical watch, the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean is a wonder.  It has an innovative co-axial automatic movement that is double-barreled to allow for winding in both directions.  The fast winding of the co-axial movement is combined with a 60 hour power reserve for a watch that keeps on going.  To see the beauty on the inside, a transparent caseback is provided.  The Omega Planet Ocean is an amazing watch for our amazing planet.

Homage Watches anyone?

The Omega Seamaster vs. Structure Diver-Style Watch

Have you ever noticed that the inexpensive quartz watches you see in Sears, Target, Kohl's and Walmart often look like iconic watch designs?  Here's a comparison of the venerable Omega Seamaster Planet Oceanand a diver-style Structure watch from Sears.

Omega Seamaster:  By Naklig (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

They're not exactly the same, but the bezel detail looks similar.  The numerals and use of dots rather than batons to mark hours is the big difference.  The Structure is simply a fashion watch, but I thought it looked cool.  I won't be SCUBA diving any time soon!

Bell & Ross vs. Structure and Mossimo Instrument Watches

 I've long admired the boxy instrument panel look of Bell & Ross watches like this BR01-94.  It is a creative look to be sure, but at the same time this watch has a very masculine and business-like demeanor.

Bell & Ross photo by Rama, Creative Commons CeCIL license, on Wikimedia Commons

Unfortunately, a fantastic timepiece like this is out of my budget.  But, the instrument panel look is captured well by Structure in this humble $30 quartz timepiece.

Target also got in on the act with their Mossimo line of inexpensive watches.  This one is an ana-digital.

Diesel Watches vs. Merona

The Diesel brand has brought a big, bold, look to the world of watches.  I often see that look imitated by watches at Target.  For example, the Merona watch below mimics the look of popular Diesel watches.

I'm amazed at how closely some of the no-name brands mimic the icons. As of 2025, I have these thoughts on the plethora of homage watches. Even though the no-name brands follow close behind, it looks like the name-brand watches really do set the agenda for style.

[Links in this story were updated in June 2025.]