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Great post Martyn. Lovely watch but my small wrists could not cope with this one.
I may be a bit biased re orange (ps your pics are fantastic)
To some this is a marmite watch. It is one I had not really considered until I was passing through N. Terminal Gatwick a couple of weeks ago and said to the wife we should have a look in the Omega boutique. They had the usual DSOTM, GSOTM, Seamaster, DeVille - nothing special. Then I saw the (new) GMT ceramic with white/black. But the orange Chrono caught my wife's eye. So they both came out of the display for a quick look. I was actually surprised to find the Chrono fitted rather well after a couple of goes getting the silicon strap (on deployant) adjusted to my wrist. The white / black GMT just left me cold and didn't click with me. But the Chrono was the chosen one.
First impressions: Very well made and excellent attention to detail. The feel of the Chronograph needs to be experienced to be appreciated. The buttons just totally snap into place. I have tried the original Speedmaster and though tried and tested there is no comparison - I am sure I will burned for heresy but this is a much improved chronograph. There is no play and the second hand snaps back perfectly to 12 on reset.
I really like the 9900 movement which has a mini-12h clock at 3 o'clock with minute and hour hands - the minute being lumed and orange accented. The smaller hour hand hides behind until the chronograph is engaged. So this will track up to 12hrs elapsed for the chronograph. The 9 o'clock side it the second hand. There is a book value 70hour power reserve which will improve over all precision.
Aesthetically - the watch face is well balanced with all stick indices white lumed on black with metal (silver?) surround which catch the light along with the hands to make this a highly legible watch under all lighting conditions. Hour and minute hands are 'broad-arrow' tipped all lumed - with the minute hand just a slight different lume colour to show elapsed time from the lumed bezel pipe under dark conditions.
Practically - this watch has its pedigree as a diver: 600m wrt - pushers that can be operated underwater - unidirectional dive bezel with first 15m invaded orange silicon to match the other accents - 12 is the only arabic numeric on the watch face (no lumed). The silicon strap is black and orange sandwich with orange stitching - great for water use or being near the pool-side.
The case is finished with some polished and other brushed angles. The case back is sapphire showing the movement and has scalloped edges different from it's immediate predecessor. And the case profile is such that the lugs do not over hang but instead fit my wrist well even if it is a 'high' case. I find the height is offset by the wider case.
Measurements:
19.1mm - highest point - the domed sapphire crsytal face to (flat) case back -tapering to 17.7mm to the inside bezel (next to crystal)
45.5mm - diameter (not including pushers or crown)
51.5 mm - lug - lug width
Here are some detail pictures:
And a pool side shot:
Thanks for reading.
Martyn
Last edited by MartynJC (UK); 14th February 2019 at 14:44.
Great post Martyn. Lovely watch but my small wrists could not cope with this one.
I may be a bit biased re orange (ps your pics are fantastic)
Last edited by MFB Scotland; 29th January 2017 at 21:22.
The ceramic doesn't look as blingy in your pics and looks a very crisp watch overall. Only thing putting me off is the large size.
Nice review and pictures of this wonderful watch, thanks!
I so wanted to grab this watch. I think it's a peach, but after trying it on a few times, was just too darn big for me
Lovely sporty elegance to it. Nice impluse buy 👍
Love the orange, personally. Good review and nice pics. Cheers.
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liking that watch looks the business
I have asked the missus for one of these for my 40th, giving her 3 years to start saving...which is fair I think considering Im a good guy LOL
Very nice mate, thanks for the review and close ups, its defo on my list.
Very cool! They'll soon run out of numbers to describe their ever upgraded movements. ;)
I really like the omegas with the flash of orange. I don't know what it is about it, maybe just adds that modern twist to things.
Enjoy folks
i like them too, but sort of agree with others as down the line i think the orange will wear off and become less popular
Orange isn't go to go out of fashion, just look at the phone company - oops!
I love a bit of orange on my Omegas, anod around half of mine have some orange on them, from hands to bezels.
The only thing that I find a little unsettling is the increase in prices from co-axial to master-chronometer.
It really has even the move that Omega has used to vastly increase their product prices. Just following the evolution of chronometer through the various, co-axial, to 8000 series and 9000 series movements is quite an eye opener.
Im taking nothing away from the watches, apart from my personal preference for something a little thinner, which I really hope Omega sort out in the future - maybe some new SMP300's at sensible thickness are due, or long over due if you want a modern 2254.
The column wheel movement in the new chronographs are nice improvement in my opinion too.
It's just a matter of time...
Nice review.
I was in Derby last weekend and spotted one on display while mooching about...I love these so I went in to try it out. Holding it it looked great but on my wrist I was wasn't feeling it. I can't put my finger on why...On display or on screen I was drooling but on the wrist I lost the love.
I was wearing my PO Orange Seamaster so it's not the colour. :)
Anyway..Lovely watch. Hope you enjoy it.
+1. There's much to like in the catalogue, and they're so much better than for example Breitling at doing sensitive reissues of old designs, but too many of them are just too thick.Originally Posted by Omegamanic
Great review. Love the watch.
Nice review as always Martyn, as an owner of the Liquid Metal PO 9300 Chrono it was interesting to compare, I did laugh at the beginning when you said they had a DSOTM and a GSOTM but nothing special though..... I guess to me my GSOTM is also quite a special piece too. :)
Thanks for the review and for the excellent, detailed images.
The dimensions indicate that this is a beast of a watch !
The 19m of height will put some off but it looks stunning to me and not much bigger than the Sumo that is my usual daily wearer.
That said, for the last week I have been wearing the IWC marks XII and XV; the XII is starting to feel a bit too small and the XV absolutely spot-on with its 38 mm or so case. Might start wearing this a bit more !
Anyway, thanks again for your thoughts on this stunning watch.
Regards
Gary
Couldn’t agree more with the review, sometimes (often in my case!) you don’t realise how nice something is until it goes, glad to have it back on the wrist.....
If you ever get bored Steve, I am sure we could sort something out. It’s one I regret selling.
Great watch, one I would really consider if I didn’t have my own 8500 PO tank of a watch.
Funny enough Martyn I bought it back from Paul (Cat7) who said the same thing - so I’ll be in touch with both of you if I decide to let it go.
19.1mm height ???????????????
It only feels like 18.1mm on the wrist. It is chunky and I’ve bashed mine around a fair bit but I’m never that worried.
It's a stunning watch and wears extremely comfortably despite its size.
I was very pleased to be its custodian for a period of time and very much hope to have it back on my wrist at some point in the future. Enjoy it Steve, it looks fantastic.
Great choice Martyn.
Great watch and pics! Really like these but like some others my wrists are just a tad too dainty!
Cheers
Rory
Very cool looking watch love the orange bezel one of the fav omegas
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Great to have one of these back on my wrist again and a big thanks to Steve once again for buckling and agreeing to sell it to me. I'm a sucker for a Planet Ocean....
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Good score! Well done. Steve seems to get through these like pints on a night out! (Sorry Steve - maybe it’s the same watch in boomerang mode?) I must get my ‘dark night’ version out on return home!
Great to have one of these back on my wrist again and a big thanks to Steve once again for buckling and agreeing to sell it to me. I'm a sucker for a Planet Ocean....
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Last edited by MartynJC (UK); 14th January 2020 at 21:15.
In fairness to Steve, I was very persistent
It is a fine watch for sure and no doubt I’ll get that one back some day! In the meantime I have this and my Omega Ploprof 1200m to fill the Omega void, enjoy......
That is a stunner. As always a great write up and some very nice photo's.
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