Water-Resistant to an Astonishing 6,000m

Omega’s latest dive timepiece explores new depths.

WHAT IT IS

The average dive watch has a water resistance of 300m, which is already way deeper in the water than recreational scuba divers will ever go. Last month, Omega debuted a new timepiece that makes others look like they’re just for the kids’ pool: The Seamaster Planet Ocean Ultra Deep can go 6,000m deep. This watch builds on the innovations of the earlier Ultra Deep prototypes—three of which accompanied explorer Victor Vescovo on his 2019 expedition to the bottom of the Mariana Trench, the deepest oceanic trench on Earth, in the Pacific Ocean. Vescovo’s submersible reached a depth of 10,935m— the deepest any human or watch has ever gone.

HOW IT WORKS

The new seven-piece collection includes one model made of sandblasted grade 5 titanium and six with the brand’s new steel alloy, rather amusingly called O-Megasteel. With a diameter of 45.5mm and a thickness of 18.12mm, the Ultra Deep’s case is asymmetrical with “Manta” lugs fully integrated into the casebody, and left open to allow for some flex at extreme depths. Inspired by deep-sea submersibles' load-bearing viewport construction, it features a sapphire crystal dome fabricated in a process called EFG (edge-defined, film-fed growth). As a result, the crystal is free of imperfections that could cause it to shatter under high pressure. As for the six steel models, the new O-Megasteel alloy is stronger and shinier with a whiter hue and more corrosion resistant than regular stainless steel.

HOW IT LOOKS

At 45.5mm across and 18.12mm in height, this is not a small watch, but it’s hardly the biggest either—and how many of those larger timepieces can withstand being dropped 6,000m into the sea? Our favourite is the titanium model, with its cool, matte sandblasted finish. In this one, the same grade 5 titanium is also used for the unidirectional bezel, caseback and crown. The bezel insert is made from brushed black ceramic with a Liquidmetal diving scale. However, a limitation of the titanium model is that it comes only with a Nato strap; metal bracelets or rubber straps are available only for the steel variants.