
The Omega Planet Ocean 600M has a lot of content, accompanied by exceptionally good looks. Its METAS certification includes COSC chronometer certification and betters it, as well as anti-magnetism to fields of up to 15,000 gauss, and waterproofness tested to 600 metres depth. The watch has a helium escape valve, screw-down crown, unidirectional rotating bezel, and a transparent caseback to reveal the mechanical movement. At the same time, it looks stunning, with black ceramic dial and strap with orange details.
The only debatable question is the date window at 3 o’clock: if the watch had the numeral 3 to balance the dial, in my opinion it would be perfect. Apparently the date window is a pressing request from dealers in some markets.
Unidirectional rotating bezel
The rotating bezel is a complex piece of engineering. The orange segment marking the first fifteen minutes is in orange rubber. The rest of the bezel is in black ceramic, with markings in Omega’s proprietary Liquidmetal technique, in which a hard metal alloy is inset into the ceramic to create a perfectly smooth, scratch-resistant surface. The dot in the triangle at the top has a SuperLuminova coating.
Case and movement
The case is 43.5 mm in diameter, 16.04 mm thick, in stainless steel. So it’s large, but the lugs are gracefully curved and it sits comfortably on the wrist. It has a structure rubber strap with fabric-type texture and an orange rubber lining. I think that it has a diver extension system so that it can be worn over a diving suit (this is not clear from the technical information provided).
The watch is powered by the Calibre 8900 movement, which runs at 25,200 vibrations per hour, 3.5 Hertz. It has a power reserve of 60 hours. Its anti-magnetic properties are provided by the materials used for certain parts of the watch, such as the balance spring in silicon.
Reference and price
The Omega Planet Ocean 600M, reference 215.32.44.21.01.001, costs €5,800 (inclusive of VAT). It will be available from August 2016. Four-year guarantee.