Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Turquoise Ceramic Watch Review

In watchmaking you don’t always have to reinvent the wheel to make a good watch. Sometimes it can be as simple as taking the dial from an existing watch and a bezel from another and putting them together to create something that feels fresh. That’s more or less the exact process that went into creating the new Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Turquoise Ceramic. A simple concept that in the metal, comes together beautifully.

There are two versions of the watch being produced, one at 41mm and the other at 38mm (13.26mm and 12.36mm in thickness respectively). While the current trend for smaller watches and vintage proportions is still going strong, I find myself drawn to the larger proportions of the 41mm edition first. It has more weight to it that feels reassuring on the wrist and while the Aqua Terra has mostly abandoned it pretentions of being a dive watch, the larger model can still convince you that it still has some of that DNA. With its scratch-proof ceramic bezel it’s the most ‘tool’ Aqua Terra I’ve handled in a long while.

That sportier vibe is also supported by the addition of a new integrated rubber strap with turquoise stitching, which is far less bling than even the steel bracelet of the standard model. That standard model being the steel-bezel turquoise fumé edition launched right at the start of the year. The ceramic bezel on the new watch is more or less lifted from the Worldtimer model in 2023. Though there are some subtle differences because the Worldtimer is a larger model at 43mm and the absence of a worldtime scale around the edge of the dial means the bezel feels more integral to the overall look of the display.

That integrated look is emphasised even more by the gentle shifting of colour on the gradient dial. It starts at a pale blue in the centre and getting darker towards the peripheral edge. Fading virtually all the way to black before meeting the flange and bezel. It makes for a really satisfying transition that’s made all the more so by the pointed, black PVD-coated hour markers that guide the eye outwards.

Undoing the rubber strap and taking a look at the exhibition caseback reveals the calibre 8900 in the 41mm model and 8800 in the 38mm. They’re both co-axial master chronometer movements certified by METAS, though the 8900 is slightly higher spec with a 60-hour power reserve compared to its sibling’s 55-hours.

While both are still high quality, it does make it a slightly ‘feels bad’ moment when you see that the pricing is the same for both despite the difference in specs. Specifically, £6,600. Normally I’m not opposed to different sizes having the same price because it doesn’t feel great to be penalised in your wallet for an extra millimetre or two or vice versa and have you watch size dictated by your budget. But when it’s 1/5^th of a day’s power reserve, that’s a difference you’re more likely to notice.

Ultimately, the Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Turquoise Ceramic is just a fusion of existing design elements from within the existing Aqua Terra range, but it’s a combination that works really well. The disparate elements come together to form a cohesive design that feels sporty and bold. Definitely more in the Armand Duplantis vein of Aqua Terra design rather than the delicate and dressy Shades.

More details at Omega.