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Month: January 2018

  • Disarmed Forces: Testing the Omega Replica Seamaster 300

    In this article, we test the retro-styled Omega Replica Seamaster 300, equipped to fend off powerful magnetic fields. Scroll down to read more, and to see original photography of the watch by Nik Schölzel.

    With the introduction of its new antimagnetic technology in 2013, Omega set a new standard in the fight against the effects of magnetic fields on a watch movement. The concept debuted in the Seamaster Aqua Terra >15,000 Gauss. At the launch, Omega announced its intention to incorporate the technology into all watches equipped with co-axial escapements. Our test watch, the Seamaster 300, which was introduced last year, is among those models.

    On the outside, the Seamaster 300 is a near replica of a 1957 model, with the same beige, wedge-shaped indexes, numeral font, hand style and bezel design. The slightly curved case is also true to the original. The words on the dial – “Master Co-Axial Chronometer” – are new, however, and they define the technology inside. “Chronometer” means the watch has been certified by the inde- pendent COSC chronometer-testing authority, attesting to its precision and performance. “Co-Axial” refers to the co-axial escapement of the manufacture movement. “Master” refers to Omega’s meeting the challenges posed by magnetic fields to a degree never before seen in a serially manufactured watch. (Omega has announced that later this year it will start using a new certification system for its antimagnetic watches, replacing COSC certification.

    Magnetic fields are routinely encountered in daily life whenever we are in the vicinity of loudspeakers, headphones, induction stoves, electric motors or cell- phones. Magnets are used to attach pro- tective covers to iPads and other electronic devices, and should you require an MRI, don’t wear your watch. MRI scanners generate the strongest magnetic fields, with intensities of about 15,000 gauss, and occasionally as high as 30,000 gauss (“gauss” is the unit of measure used to denote the density of magnetic fields, named for the German physicist Carl Friedrich Gauss). These magnetic fields are the enemy of accurate timekeeping. Watchmakers often report that time- pieces they have received for repair must be demagnetized before they can be set to keep time again accurately.

    The conventional method of protect- ing watches from magnetic fields involves covering the movement with an inner case made of soft iron. This approach, however, rules out the inclusion of a date window or a display back, and it only protects the watch from magnetic fields up to 1,000 gauss. Omega Replica Speedmaster claims its new movements can cope with magnetic fields of 15 times that intensity, to 15,000 gauss. Even stronger fields are conceivable, says Omega, but so far there is no way to test a watch under such intense magnetism.

    Instead of enclosing the movement in a magnetic-resistant inner case, Omega uses antimagnetic materials to build the movement itself. All moving components, including the balance wheel, balance spring, pallets and escape wheel are made of materials that resist the force of magnetic fields. The balance spring is made of silicon, which is true of all Omega manufacture calibers made since 2008. The balance wheel is titanium, with gold screws. Bridges and wheels are made of conventional brass, a copper-based alloy that does not react to magnetism. Staffs and pivots are made of Nivagauss, an antimagnetic alloy developed by Nivarox, one of Replica Omega Classic‘s sister companies in the Swatch Group. The steel plates that were formerly used in the co-axial escapement have been replaced by antimagnetic plates, and the springs for the shock absorbers are also made from materials that are resistant to magnetic fields.

  • Fratello Friday’s Top 5 Omega Replica Seamaster Watches

    Following up on the recent release of the latest James Bond watch —  like many previous ones, an Omega Seamaster — we revisit this “Fratello Friday” article in which I offer my personal all-time “Top 5″ list of Replica Omega Constellation Watches. 

    Omega introduced the Seamaster collection (which originally were much more like dress watches than sport watches) in 1948. In 1957, Omega introduced the first real divers’-watch Seamaster, the CK2913. This first Seamaster 300 was in the same sporty vein as the Speedmaster (CK2915) and Railmaster (CK2914). The dressier Seamaster models were re-branded as Seamaster DeVille, and eventually the DeVille would became an Omega watch family of its own.

    In addition to the various versions of the Seamaster 300, another iconic Seamaster watch from the past is the Omega Seamaster PloProf 600m — a watch built for professional diving and which also has a little COMEX history behind it. The original PloProf was developed with help of COMEX and Jacques Cousteau — before both chose to work with Rolex, of course.

    The current Omega Replica Speedmaster family has expanded to include the 300M Diver collection, the Planet Ocean collection, the Aqua Terra collection, and the re-edition of the PloProf, the last now boasting a water resistance of 1,200 meters.

    1. Omega Seamaster XVI, ca. 1956

    Although way too small for me to wear, this beautiful rose-gold Seamaster XVI was manufactured to commemorate the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne. There is also a rarer version, with a Chinese lacquered logo on the dial, but I like this one a bit more. It has self-winding movement (Caliber 471) with a copper-gold finish.

    2. Omega Seamaster PloProf, ca.1971

    Something completely different than Number 1 on this list, perhaps even its opposite. This monster was – as already mentioned in the introduction – designed with some help from the French diving company COMEX and introduced in 1971. The wearer turns the rotating divers’ bezel by pressing the red button. The case has a monobloc construction, so the movement would need to be removed on the front side, via the crystal. It has a copper-colored Omega Caliber 1000, a self-winding movement. More information can be found here.

    3. Omega Seamaster 300 CK2913, ca. 1957

    The mother of all Omega divers’ watches, the Seamaster 300 is a watch with an appearance very similar to that era’s famous Speedmaster watch (CK2915), but with a totally different purpose. The Omega Replica Seamaster 300 also featured the same “Broad Arrow” shaped hands as the Speedmaster until it was succeeded by a new reference in 1962. Inside, the copped-colored Caliber 501 movement powers the watch.

    4. Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean GMT GoodPlanet

    With the traditional Seamaster Planet Ocean watches measuring either 42 mm or a whopping 45.5 mm in diameter, I was pleasantly surprised to see this Planet Ocean GMT watch introduced in 43.5-mm case.  The GoodPlanet version is a tribute to Yann Arthus-Bertrand’s GoodPlanet foundation. More on the topic and on the introduction of this GMT GoodPlanet can be read here. This watch contains Omega’s in-house Co-Axial movement, Caliber 8605.

    5. Omega Seamaster Professional 300M Chronograph Diver Titanium

    Perhaps the odd one on this list, but it a personal favorite of mine. Even though I am not particularly a fan of titanium cases nor of ETA/Valjoux 7750-based movements, I appreciate this piece for a few reasons.

    1. It was a favorite watch of a friend who’s since passed away;

    2. It was actually the first watch (in 1993) that enabled divers to use the chronograph pushers underwater;

    3. It has all the necessary features you want on a reliable watch: chronometer-rated movement, solid and reliable chronograph function, date feature, light weight. (Actually, for a titanium watch, it is still relatively heavy due to the chunky dimensions.) More on this watch, and why it is on this list, can be found here.

     

  • How To Recognise A Fake Omega Watches

    At the risk of teaching seasoned how to suck eggs, below is an infographic on how to spot fake Rolex, TAG Heuer and Omega fake watches sale. While there are many knowledgeable watch collectors, there is always a steady stream of enthusiastic but uncertain newbies to the site who may find such advice informative and helpful. 

    As some of the most well-known and desirable time pieces in the mainstream market Rolex, Omega and TAG Heuer watches have, for many years, been the target of fakers looking to make a quick profit on the back of these brands. Where in the past it would have been easy even to an untrained eye to spot a copy, the new generation of copy watchmakers have become ever more sophisticated in the way they produce these pieces meaning that there are often only subtle clues that the watch isn’t a genuine product.

    @omegaonlineshops.com

    Whilst there is still an abundance of very obvious cheap fakes on the market, counterfeit Replica Omega Constellation watches at the high end of the market will often copy the design right down to the internal movement and packaging.

    Although some of these watches are marketed as replicas, there is a darker side to the trade with people paying the full price for a genuine timepiece only to discover later down the line that it’s worth only a fraction of this value.

    This infographic was supplied by watch site watches2u.com and brings together in one visual some of the best expert advice in order to determine the most commonly made mistakes by those looking to copy these brands and luxury watches in general. If you’re looking to buy a luxury Omega replica watches it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with these features and if you have any doubts, consult an authorized dealer who can verify the authenticity of the watch.

  • Rocket Watch: How the Omega Replica Speedmaster Became the Omega Moonwatch

    When the Omega Replica Speedmaster watch was introduced in 1957, no one imagined that it would later accompany a parade of space pioneers to the moon.

    America’s first manned space missions began with Project Mercury, established on Oct. 7, 1958. The astronauts aboard Mercury spacecraft wore their own personal wristwatches. Some of these were Omega Speedmasters.

    In his address to Congress on May 25, 1961, President Kennedy urged the country to land a man on the moon and return him safely to Earth before the end of the decade. In pursuit of this goal, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced a plan in December of that year to extend Project Mercury to develop a two-man spacecraft. This new program was named Gemini.

    Astronaut Walter Schirra was wearing his own Speedmaster when he and his Sigma 7 Mercury spacecraft orbited the Earth six times on Oct. 3, 1962, a flight lasting 9 hours and 15 minutes. NASA decided to make astronauts’ wristwatches part of their equipment for Project Gemini and for the subsequent Apollo program, and thus for the moon landing. The agency commissioned James H. Ragan, a NASA aerospace engineer and flight hardware expert, to write a list of specs, test potential watches and purchase the winning models. The watch would have to be a chronograph, and an official call for candidates was issued. In addition to Omega Replica Ladymatic, other entrants were Longines, Wittnauer and Rolex. All models were tested under zero gravity, extreme pressure variations, bone-jarring vibrations, and temperatures ranging from -18 to +93 degrees Celsius. The watches were also tested by astronauts aboard a Gemini space flight.

    The Speedmaster outperformed all the other watches in both test series. The watch was officially designated as “flight-qualified by NASA for all manned space missions” on March 1, 1965. NASA bought an initial group of 15 to 20 Speedmaster watches from Omega. Unlike almost all other Apollo equipment, the watch was not manufactured for use specifically by NASA or for use in space but was available in retail outlets in the U.S.

    The first Speedmaster models flew into space three weeks later on the wrists of astronauts Virgil “Gus” Grissom and John Young as official equipment aboard Gemini 3. This was the first official trip for the chronograph although it had already flown in space twice on Project Mercury missions.

    The real test for the Speedmaster came on June 3, 1965, during the Gemini 4 mission, when astronaut Edward H. White wore the chronograph over the sleeve of his spacesuit for a spacewalk. The environment in outer space is as harsh as any a watch will encounter anywhere. Near-vacuum conditions and extreme temperatures prevail. The temperature on the side of the ship exposed to the sun climbs to about 100 C and plummets on the other side to approximately –100 C. In anticipation of these rigors,Replica Omega Seamaster developed prototypes with red anodized aluminum cases for protection from extreme temperature variations and dials coated with zinc oxide to provide the highest resistance to solar radiation. But these prototypes turned out to be unnecessary because the Speedmaster withstood the extreme temperatures without any modifications.

  • 4 Omega Replica Dive Watches That Never Made It Into Production

    Along with a comprehensive lineup of past and current Omega Replica Seamaster Watches, we at DiveIntoWatches.com discovered four prototype watches on display at the museum that we felt were worthy of attention. Here they are, along with photos:

    • A “Super Compressor” case prototype from 1969 with a 52-mm diameter and a flexible caseback intended to be used in helium-saturated environments. Probably because the Omega Seamaster 600 from that time was put “through our helium test […] This test showed that the 600 is one hundred times as air- and water-tight as the Apollo spacecraft.” Omega Replica  De Ville did not pursue the concept of a helium release valve further until the 1990s.

    • An Omega Seamaster 1000 prototype with a very unique bezel inlay and an unusual dial/hand combination. The watch was used by COMEX during Janus II (two years before the cooperation with Rolex started), along with some specially marked Seamaster 600 “Ploprof” models, when “they spent eight days on the seabed, while setting up a new world deep-sea diving record.”

    One of two Seamaster 1000 prototypes from 1982 made of titanium.

    • And, last but not least, the rather extreme-looking Replica Omega Constellation Megaquartz Seamaster 1000, with a rather unique evolution of the brand’s traditional orange “Plongeur” minute hand.

  • Appreciation On Replica Omega Yellow Gold Case Globemaster Co-Axial Master Chromometers

    New replica Omega Globemaster Co-Axial Master chromometers are perfect and remarkable, which are classic watches of Omega.

    In addition to high quality, the fake watches also own concise and attractive design. The replica watches adopt 18k yellow gold case with fluted bezel, and the design inspiration of the silvery “Pie Pan” dial originates from the first 1952 Constellation model.

    Replica Omega Globemaster Co-Axial Master Chromometers 39 MM With Yellow Gold CaseOn the dial, the hour markers are shown with stripes, and logo of Constellation star, hands and hour markers are also made in yellow gold with luminous Super – LumiNova coating, which guarantees the legibility in the dark. Besides, the fashionable fake Omega Globemaster watches are matched with brown alligator strap that is sewed by brown silk threads, which can make the wearing soft and comfortable, and the clasp is made of steel with the logo of Omega.

    Fake Omega Globemaster Co-Axial Master Chromometers 39 MM With Yellow Gold CaseWhat’s more, the fake watches are measured 39mm in diameter, and a date aperture is set at 6 o’clock, which is convenient and practical. Moreover, the replica watches are equipped with self-winding movement with co-axial escapement, which are protected by domed scratch-resistant sapphire crystal. Due to the advanced movement, the fake watches are quite precise and steady.

    With the luxury yellow gold case and remarkable performance, the replica Omega watches are high-grade and practical.

  • Omeag Replica Classic Watches, Hands On

    I received the Omega replica watches in the post this morning. Hands on watch photography was formerly the domain of Ernie Romers, and what a great job he made of it. He had a photographer’s eye and no doubt some excellent equipment with which to take lustrous pictures of the fake Swiss Omega watches. 

    I, on the other hand had just my BlackBerry Z10 with a modest pixel count, but hey, don’t knock BlackBerry, Lewis Hamilton won the Canadian Grand Prix with their logo splashed prominently over his car yesterday, while the technical team wore some rather cool looking BlackBerry headphones.

    Back to the Omega watch in hand, or hands on. And if you are not familiar with Omega they are a Swiss brand whose watches are designed to be sporty, durable and individualistic. In fact all their timepieces are produced in Limited Editions of just 99 pieces, so there is built in rarity value with each timepiece.
    Their watches are aimed at adventurous, rugged outdoor types who want a robust, good looking sports watch for “wear it and forget it” daily use. I am guessing that a trip to the local supermarket doesn’t exactly count as the apex of adventure, but I was still able to appreciate the black and yellow Omega, dedicated as it is, to extreme sports. This imposing 44mm round face Replica Omega Classic watches is engineered with scratch-resistant stainless steel black DLC (‘Diamond-Like Carbon’) coated case and sapphire crystal.

    One of the first things you notice as you unpack the black box in which the watch comes is the fact that two straps are included, both high grade silicone; the two tone black and yellow strap on the watch and a pure black one in reserve, so by day you could sport the bright yellow, and by night the more moody black.
    The first thing I noticed about the Omega was the agreeable heft to the watch, yet as soon as you strap it on it feels comfortable. The bright yellow details on the dial give the watch its sporty, appeal. There’s a date window at 3 o’clock at yellow numerals at 12, 3, 6 and 9 on a black dial. The seconds hand echoes the bright yellow theme of the numerals and the strap.

    This three-hander runs on a Ronda quartz movement and is water resistant to 200 meters. The case back gives you the issue number of your limited edition watch, and the bold Omega branding on both sides of the case, including the signed screw-down crown, and of course, the strap buckle, ensures you won’t forget whose replica Omega watches sale you are wearing. RRP in the UK at least is $395, and considering the many quality features and the fact it’s a limited edition, I would say it’s priced about right.

    Limited Edition of 99 Swiss yellow sport watch
    Black Diamond-Like Carbon case, scratch-resistant
    3 hands Swiss Made quartz Ronda movement
    Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating
    Signed Screw-down crown
    Water resistant to 200 Meters
    45 mm case size, 22 mm black DLC buckle
    Two high grade silicone straps included: 1 Two-tone yellow and black silicone strap for wrists between 160mm & 205mm (8″) and 1 One All-black silicone strap, same size

  • 5 Limited-Edition Omega Replica Watches Made for the Olympic Games

    For many years, omega has served as the official timekeeper of the Olympic games. In addition to its timing duties, Omega Replica Classic often releases timepieces celebrating the games and the nations that host them. For last year’s Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, Omega introduced the Omega Sochi Petrograd, which we covered here. Below, we take a look at five other Omega watches (in most cases, exclusive and extremely limited) made specifically for the Olympic games.

    Among Omega’s other new models commemorating the 2014 Sochi games is the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean “Sochi 2014.” The men’s version, shown here, comes in a 45.5 mm stainless steel case. As a tribute to the Russian flag, minutes 1 through 5 are lacquered in blue; minutes 6 through 10 are lacquered in red.

    Among its collection of watches marking the London 2012 Olympics, Omega released the Seamaster 1948 Co-Axial “London 2012″ Limited Edition. In addition to honoring the 2012 games, the watch commemorated the 1948 Olympics, which were held in London the same year that Omega Replica  Speedmaster launched the first Seamaster.

    For the 2010 Vancouver Games, Omega released this limited-edition Seamaster with a bezel in maple-leaf red.

    As part of its collection for the 2008 Beijing games, Omega released the Countdown 0 – Seamaster XXIX Limited Edition. The watch was a Beijing exclusive, available only during the Olympic Games. Only 88 were sold per day during the games.

    Part of the Limited Edition Torino 2006 Olympic Collection, this Omega Replica Seamaster Aqua Terra Column-Wheel Chronograph featured the five Olympic rings as the counterweight on the seconds hand. The watch was a limited edition of 2006 pieces.

  • Replica Omega Seamaster 300 Spectre Limited Edition James Bond Watches Hands-On

    Latest Omega replica watches for sale,cheap Swiss Replica Omega Seamaster

    With Spectre, the latest entry into the James Bond catalog, just over the horizon, Omega replica has launched a rather cool limited edition by way of the Replica Omega Seamaster 300 Spectre Limited Edition James Bond watch. While we covered the initial launch, after spending a few moments with a production model at the Omega boutique in Vancouver, we figured it wouldn’t hurt to share some hands on impressions.

    Replica-Omega-Seamaster-Spectre-Limited-Edition-007-6

    Limited to 7007 units, I’ll be surprised if they don’t move each and every one at a quick pace. While the modifications compared to the standard Omega Seamaster 300 are minimal, they have a considerable effect on the look and feel of the Omega Seamaster 300 Spectre LE.

    The bezel is the functional change for the limited edition, where Omega has opted for a bi-directional 12-hour bezel. While I think the dive bezel of the standard model is more appropriate for a Seamaster, the 12-hour bezel perfectly matches the ethos of Bond, who travels far more than he dives. The ceramic bezel uses a Liquidmetal scale, and its functionality is uncomplicated, simple, and rather powerful, not unlike Bond. Twelve-hour bezels are seeing something of a comeback, and I couldn’t be more supportive of this trend; it’s a useful “complication” that doesn’t add any specific cost or complexity to a sports replica Omega watches.

    Replica-Omega-Seamaster-Spectre-Limited-Edition-007-8

    The other changes are on the dial where the stock spear-tipped seconds hand has been swapped for a lollipop hand that appears nearly white in most light. The Omega Seamaster 300 Spectre Limited Edition also hosts a larger logo, brand, and model indication on the dial and deletes the “12” marker seen on the standard Omega Seamaster 300. While I prefer the original logo and “12” marker, the lollipop seconds hand looks really cool.

    Functionality is the same as the Seamaster 300, with the Replica Omega Seamaster 300 Spectre Limited Edition rocking Replica Omega’s Master Co-Axial 8400, 300m water resistance with a screw down crown, and a domed sapphire crystal with an internal anti-reflective coating.

    Replica-Omega-Seamaster-Spectre-LE-Compare-2In person, the Replica Omega Seamaster 300 Spectre Limited Edition James Bond watch feels a lot like the standard Replica Omega Seamaster 300 save for the included grey and black striped nato strap – the same Daniel Craig is purported to wear in Spectre. The nato works beautifully for the case and dial and the grey tones match up nicely with the warm coloring of the faux-vintage lume on the markers and hands.

    I have a similar grey-black nato on my Replica Omega Seamaster 2254, but aside from function and color, this is little comparison between my $15 strap and the one that comes mounted to the Replica Omega Seamaster 300 Spectre Limited Edition James Bond watch. Much like the premium nato on the Blancpain Bathyscaphe, the Omega nato features high quality Omega rplica brushed and signed hardware. Unlike the Bathyscape nato, the Omega strap is soft and pliable right out of the box, requiring no force to fold the tail back into the keeper.

    Replica-Omega-Seamaster-Spectre-Limited-Edition-007-5

    It is a very nice strap, but then again, with a list price upwards of $150 USD, it has to be really good. If the nato isn’t your jam, the Replica Omega Seamaster 300 Spectre LE comes with a steel bracelet (with a 007 signed clasp) as well as a strap-changing tool and a loupe. The entire kit comes in a large black box secured by a combination lock – no points awarded for guessing the correct three-digit code.

    Like the Seamaster 300, the Replica Omega Seamaster 300 Spectre’s dial changes considerably depending on the available light and viewing angle. In bright direct light, the dial has a texture similar to teflon, with the recessed markers adding a warm sandy tone and additional depth as the rhodium plated polished hands catch and reflect light. In lower light or shadow, the dial appears black and the polished hands appear nearly invisible, leaving only the luminous elements at their center to function for legibility. While the display still functions thanks to the arrow-style hour hand and large minute hand, legibility would likely be better served by a brushed handset or perhaps a dial that doesn’t sit as far recessed into the case.

    Replica-Omega-Seamaster-Spectre-Limited-Edition-007-13

    With the Replica Omega Seamaster 300 Spectre Limited Edition, Omega has taken an excellent high-end Omega replica sport watch and modified it in a way that I feel befits its connection with James Bond. I won’t profess to be a Bond super fan, but I have really enjoyed the recent Daniel Craig iterations and the $7500 USD Replica Omega Seamaster 300 Spectre Limited Edition is nicely tuned to the ethos of James Bond in those films, offering a compelling mix of Omega’s sport watch know-how and a few Bond-inspired tweaks.

  • New version of the Replica Omega Seamaster 300

    The Replica Omega Seamaster 300 is a diving watch that Omega launched in 1957 and reintroduced at Baselworld 2014. This year’s version differs from the 2014 version principally for the soft leather strap with contrasting stitching that gives a new vintage-type look to the piece. The 41mm case is in stainless steel with Sedna gold details (Sedna is the Omega pink gold, alloyed with palladium and copper), and polished black ceramic unidirectional rotating bezel. The hour indices and circular dot on the rotating bezel are inset, and partially filled with vintage-colour SuperLuminova, which shines bright blue in the dark. The replica Omega watches sale has a transparent caseback, and the case is water-resistant to 300 metres.

    Replica Omega Seamaster

    The movement is the self-winding Omega Master Co-Axial calibre 8400, with the anti-magnetic technology that enables the Omega fake watches to operate unaffected by magnetic fields up to 15,000 gauss. It has two mainspring barrels in series, for a power reserve of 60 hours. Bridges and oscillating weight are decorated with an arabesque design of Côtes de Genève. The crown is screw-in.

    This version, in steel and Sedna gold, costs €7,200.

    @Replica Omega Seamaster