In January of 2025, Omega released their spiciest take on the Aqua Terra with a fume turquoise and black accents in both 38 and 41mm sizing. It’s a watch that breathed new life into the generally conservative Seamaster, proving the design to be more versatile than previously known. This week, Omega is following up on this release with a pair of new Aqua Terra watches that use the same dial, but receive black ceramic bezel pieces and integrated rubber strap units. The new watches push the design further into casual sport watch territory, and for the first time, brings some contrast to the case thanks to a mix of materials.
Like the first Aqua Terra Turquoise releases, these are releasing in both 38 and 41mm sized steel cases. They also use the same turquoise varnish dial with a black gradient effect that will shift a bit depending on the lighting conditions. The dial is vibrant in its own way, but the use of black at the perimeter, coupled with the black hour markers and hands, creates a decidedly unique vibe that’s not commonly achieved with the use of turquoise. The design as a whole takes on a whole new personality when it ditches the horizontal slats that looked a bit too close to what Chrysler was using in the early ‘00s in their automotive design (check out the lines on the hood of the ill-fated Crossfire).
The black ceramic [ZrO2] bezel is a welcome addition, though slightly strange in the context of the rest of the watch. There’s a lot going on here visually, especially when you consider the use of their integrated rubber strap. Where the strap meets the case you’ll find a small metal insert, creating two lines that run directly into the case on either side, almost appearing to directly connect to the black bezel. The strap itself isn’t technically integrated, as that metal piece is nestled into the strap itself, not an extension of the case. Thus, theoretically you should be able to fit other straps and even a bracelet to the watch. This could dramatically shift the personality of the watch, and perhaps even for the better.
The watch is still water resistant to 150 meters, and uses the familiar co-axial master chronometer caliber 8900 that withstands magnetic fields up to 15,000. The date remains placed at six o’clock on the dial, and even gets a black surround to match the hour markers and dial signage. It’s a lot of watch as you’d expect, and this might be the first Aqua Terra to attract enthusiasts that have never really bothered with the line for one reason or another.
Surprisingly, these two watches on rubber straps are priced $300 more than the Aqua Terra Turquoise watches on steel bracelets, coming in at $7,300 in both size options. Omega has a broad selection of their own straps that can be purchased with it, though I’d recommend saving yourself a few bucks and visiting Craft & Buckle instead. A grey NATO would work perfectly here if you ask me. Omega