Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean watches

In 2005, Omega added a professional diving watch to their catalog: the Seamaster Planet Ocean 600M. As its name implies, this timepiece is water-resistant to 600 m (60 bar, 1,969 ft). Since 2022, the brand from Biel, Switzerland, has a model in their collection called the Planet Ocean Ultra Deep, that can withstand depths of 6,000 m (600 bar, 19,690 ft). Another of the Planet Ocean's pro features is its helium escape valve – an essential component for saturation diving. Furthermore, Omega equips this watch with a unidirectional bezel and bright, luminous hands and indices.

Despite its professional specifications, the Planet Ocean is far from your average tool watch. Its design is equal parts sporty and elegant. The case with a screw-down helium escape valve at 10 o'clock is modeled after the Seamaster Professional 300M, while the hands and indices come from the original Seamaster from the 1950s. The hour markers are trapezoidal, and the hour and minute hands have large arrow tips. The dial also features Arabic numerals at 6, 9, and 12 o'clock.

Omega offers several different versions of the Planet Ocean. The gold and two-tone editions are especially elegant, and some even boast diamonds and other precious gems. If you'd prefer something with a sportier look, you should consider one of the stainless steel, titanium, or ceramic models. In addition to various materials, you can choose between several case sizes ranging from 37.5 to 45.5 mm. Thus, the Planet Ocean is a fantastic option for any wrist, large or small.

The manufacturer outfits these timepieces exclusively with automatic calibers. Older models come with modified ETA movements. However, those produced in the last few years all have in-house calibers with co-axial escapements and Master Chronometer certification. Omega offers three-hand editions, chronographs, and watches with a GMT function.

The Planet Ocean collection is vast and covers a huge price range. Older models from the early 2000s mark the entry point to this series. You can recognize these timepieces by their black or orange aluminum bezel inlays and stainless steel screw-down case backs. They also have black dials with the inscription "Co-Axial Chronometer" above the depth rating at 6 o'clock. This inscription is a reference to the caliber 2500, an ETA 2892-A2 that Omega has outfitted with their proprietary co-axial escapement.

Expect to pay around 3,700 USD for a three-hand timepiece with a bright orange aluminum bezel like the ref. 2208.50.00. Those looking for a black bezel should check out the 2200.50.00, which sells for about 4,100 USD.

Planet Ocean With an In-House Movement and Ceramic Bezel

Since the Planet Ocean's debut in 2005, Omega has revamped this timepiece's technical specs twice. In 2011, the watch was the first in the line to be fitted with the in-house caliber 8500. Since 2014, all Omega diving watches are powered by the caliber 8900, which has a Master Chronometer certification from METAS, the Swiss Federal Office of Metrology. That means the movement is precise, shock-resistant, and anti-magnetic up to 15,000 gauss.

Omega also introduced new color combinations and replaced the aluminum bezel inlay with ceramic, available in black, blue, brown, green, or orange. The black edition also comes in a variant on which the first 15 minutes of the diving scale are laid out in orange rubber. The dial is available in black, blue, brown, gray, or white.

Stainless steel models in new or like-new condition cost between 5,300 and 5,600 USD, depending on the color. Prices for editions with a titanium case start at around 6,500 USD. If you'd prefer a Planet Ocean in Sedna gold, prices vary with the size of the case, ranging from 19,100 to 21,000 USD. A smaller model in gold, like the ref. 232.63.38.20.04.001, will cost you approximately 8,200 USD.

At the upper end of the price spectrum, you'll find the ref. 215.58.44.21.07.001, which has a case made of 18-karat white gold and a baguette-cut diamond and sapphire-encrusted bezel. Limited to just 88 pieces, this edition of the Planet Ocean is very rare on Chrono24 and has an MSRP of 108,800 USD.

GMT Watches and Chronographs

The Planet Ocean collection includes chronographs and watches with a GMT function. The latter differs from the standard model by having an additional hand and a bidirectional bezel with a 24-hour scale. Omega offers this timepiece in stainless steel, titanium, or platinum. The most affordable option here is the stainless steel edition with the Co-Axial caliber 8605, which changes hands for as little as 5,200 USD. A titanium variant with the same movement costs just 5,700 USD. If you'd prefer a stainless steel watch with the modern Master Chronometer caliber 8906 (ref. 215.30.44.22.01.001, for example), this watch will set you back about 6,600 USD. Prices for a platinum Planet Ocean GMT (ref. 232.98.44.22.01.001) soar to a dizzying 66,100 USD.

The chronographs in the line feature a classic bicompax subdial layout at 3 and 9 o'clock. The subdial at 3 works as a combined counter for chronograph minutes and hours, while the subdial at 9 is a small seconds. The 6 o'clock position is reserved for the date.

The 45.5-mm Planet Ocean chronograph is available in stainless steel, titanium, or Sedna gold, or in two-tone combinations of gold and stainless steel. Omega also offers these models with diamond bezels. Similar to the GMT watches in this collection, the chronographs come equipped with either the slightly older caliber 9300 or the modern Master Chronometer caliber 9900.

Depending on the materials and technical specs, a Planet Ocean Chronograph in stainless steel will cost you between 5,500 and 7,200 USD. For the same edition with a diamond bezel, expect to shell out about 8,400 USD. Prices for the same timepiece in titanium range from 6,600 to 8,600 USD. Two-tone models are made of stainless steel and Omega's own Sedna gold alloy and change hands for approximately 14,400 USD. The price point for a Planet Ocean in Sedna gold sits at around 25,000 USD.

Black and Blue Ceramic Watches

For several years now, the Planet Ocean has been available with a ceramic case. Deep Black models come in black ceramic, and the Big Blue is nothing if not aptly named. The 39.5-mm three-hand models are a good entry point to this series in terms of price, and a watch like the ref. 215.92.40.20.01.001 sells for about 8,300 USD on Chrono24. You can get this watch with a diamond bezel as well, but plan to spend approximately 17,200 USD for it.

Omega made sure the ceramic watches in the Planet Ocean collection also come with a GMT function, enabling wearers to keep track of the time in a second time zone. A Planet Ocean Big Blue GMT in mint condition costs about 9,600 USD, while prices for a Deep Black GMT hover around the 9,500 USD mark. The edition with a rose gold bezel, crown, and hands sells for about 13,300 USD. The Omega catalog also includes variants of the Deep Black and Big Blue models with bejeweled bezels and crowns that cost between 180,000 and 210,000 USD.

Fans of sailing will enjoy the edition designed for the Emirates Team New Zealand (ETNZ). The main difference between it and the collection's other models lies in the color of its bezel. The first ten minutes of the ETNZ version features New Zealand's national colors: blue and red. The case back is also different. Instead of sapphire crystal, it is made of ceramic and engraved with the ETNZ logo. Prices for these timepieces come in around 9,400 USD.

The Deep Black is also available with a stopwatch function. Orange accents on the bezel, push-pieces, and rubber strap give this chronograph a fresh look. Set aside around 9,600 USD for a Deep Black chronograph.

Planet Ocean Ultra Deep: Water-Resistant to 6,000 m

In 2022, Omega introduced a new addition to the Planet Ocean collection: the Planet Ocean Ultra Deep 6000M. This timepiece measures 45.5 mm across and 18.2 mm high, and is water-resistant to depths of 6,000 m (600 bar, 19,685 ft) – that's a good 2,100 m (6,889 ft) more than the Sea-Dweller Deepsea from Rolex. The Ultra Deep's design and technology are based on the experimental Ultra Deep Professional, which in 2019 survived a dive to 10,934 m (35,873 ft) attached to the hull of the submersible Victor Vescovo and returned completely undamaged.

The watch is available in titanium or the brand's own corrosion-resistant steel alloy, O-Megasteel. Depending on the edition, the MSRP for this timepiece is between 11,700 and 12,800 USD.

The Planet Ocean collection includes a few special editions. Watches like the Planet Ocean Skyfall and the Planet Ocean Quantum of Solace are dedicated to fictional secret agent and long-time Omega wearer James Bond and, of course, the eponymous blockbuster films. These timepieces are technically identical to the other models in the Planet Ocean collection, which enables their special Bond-inspired design features to shine. The dial of the Planet Ocean Quantum of Solace (ref. 222.30.46.20.01.001), for example, bears the texture of the grip on Bond's Walther PPK, and the sapphire crystal has been inscribed with the title of the film. You can find this watch on Chrono24 for around 5,500 USD.

On the Planet Ocean Skyfall (ref. 232.30.42.21.01.004), the hour marker at the 7 o'clock position takes the form of the famous 007 logo, replete with pistol silhouette, and the dial has a grid-like texture. Limited to just 5,007 pieces, this watch sells for approximately 7,200 USD.

For years, Omega has been the official timekeeper at a number of major sporting events, including the Olympic Games, and the brand from Biel has regularly released special models celebrating such events. The Planet Ocean Olympic Games Chronograph, the Planet Ocean Pyeongchang 2018, and the Planet Ocean Sochi Olympics are just a few examples. The latest Planet Ocean Olympic edition was released in 2020 and dedicated to the Summer Olympics in Tokyo. This 39.5-mm stainless steel watch features a white dial, white bezel, and white leather strap, while the 20 marker on the bezel and the circular end of the lollipop seconds hand are red – a nod to the host nation's flag. Depending on the particular Olympic model, plan to spend between 4,900 and 7,000 USD.

Omega has also dedicated a watch to Olympic record-holder Michael Phelps. This 45.5-mm chronograph features a white dial with blue hands and indices. A few orange accents liven up the design. The bezel features the same color scheme. Here, blue ceramic is paired with white numerals and an orange rubber insert for the first 15 minutes. The rubber strap is also blue and orange. Phelps' name and initials appear on the sapphire crystal case back. Omega limited this watch to a run of 280 pieces, and today it sells for around 12,900 USD.