Hot Coffee Corner Watch Talk: Chill Out And Take An Ultra-Deep Dip With Omega
“If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen” is a quote first heard in 1942 by the 33rd President of the United States, Harry S. Truman. If you ask me, the oft-used words also apply, in the most literal sense, to office coffee corners in summer. Luckily, we have quite a bit of water around the Fratello HQ. The former cigarette factory that we call home is situated at Binck Harbor, an inland port, so we can have our hot coffee corner watch talk near the coolness of the water. Unfortunately, taking a refreshing ultra-deep dip in the harbor is out of the question for all kinds of practical and hygienic reasons. But there’s no reason not to wear the massive Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 6000M Ultra Deep while having a cup of java on the quay.
The deep-sea monster that is the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 6000M Ultra Deep 215.92.46.21.01.001 surfaced for the first time in March of this year. And last week, it sailed into our office at Binck Harbor or Binckhaven, as it’s called in Dutch. The watch is a descendant of a prototype dive watch that is 15,000m water-resistant and actually went down to a record-breaking depth of 10,928m. The 45.5mm Grade 5 titanium case of the Seamaster Planet Ocean 6000M Ultra Deep, however, can “only” dive 6km deep. Well, actually, it can go down quite a bit deeper as there’s a 25% safety margin. That means that the Ultra Deep is tested to a depth of 7.5km — that’s 750 bars of pressure in the Omega lab. The watch also has an ISO 6425 certification that is incorporated within the METAS tests. Yes, it’s a Master Chronometer for a master diver.
Hot coffee corner watch talk — Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 6000M Ultra Deep
If I fall into Binck Harbor, there won’t be a man overboard, that much is clear. The Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 6000M Ultra Deep, which features a black ceramic unidirectional rotating bezel with a diving scale in Liquidmetal, is a nec plus ultra diver that’s afraid of nothing. With a case measuring 45.5mm wide, 18.12mm thick, and 56mm from lug to lug, perhaps it strikes fear into others instead. Additionally, a 5.2mm-thick sapphire crystal and a weight of 124g mean that this is a veritable “wrist monster”. The shape and sinister dark gray color of the asymmetrical case plus the unusual built-in Manta lugs provide the watch a brutal look in the most instrumental way.
What a tool!
The Seamaster Planet Ocean 6000M Ultra Deep may well be a tool watch first and foremost, but that doesn’t mean the €13,000 timepiece is not sophisticated. For €13K, you get a matte black Grade 5 titanium dial with 18K white gold hands and indices. Of course, these are all well-lumed with Super-LumiNova. The built-in lugs dictate a NATO strap, so that’s what you get. It’s sustainable because it’s made from recycled fishing nets, but unfortunately, it’s a strap that I’m not too fond of. It does feel soft and high-end, and the black part is just fine, but the stripe in blue — that’s cyan, a bright, lively greenish-blue — doesn’t match the elements on the dial and doesn’t do it for me. In my opinion, plain black or a very dark gray tone would’ve been better. The blue on the dial doesn’t need support from the strap to stand out.
How does it wear?
Well, my 18.5cm wrist is certainly no match for this Ultra Deep. The watch is way too big for me. On my wrist, it looks like a parody of a dive watch, and that doesn’t do the Ultra Deep justice. I think I can only pull off this XXL Seamaster Planet Ocean if I wear it over my wetsuit. Problem is, I’m not a diver, so I never wear a wetsuit. Maybe our in-house divers Gerard and Nacho should take the watch for a deep dip just to see how this pro instrument wears and behaves underwater.
Oh, one last note. Are you missing something? I mean, did you spot the helium valve? You won’t because, thanks to four patents, the case is helium-resistant and doesn’t need it. Now you just need to ask yourself if you need the Seamaster Planet Ocean 6000M Ultra Deep.
More information on technical specs and availability can also be found on the official Omega website.
The Unimatic Modello Uno ref. U1S-FAI is green for a cause
Style and instrumentality are not mutually exclusive. Milan-based Unimatic is a good example of a brand that knows exactly how to mix and match looks and functionality. The new Modello Uno U1S-FAI does just that, plus something more. The watch is a limited edition of 200 pieces that supports FAI — Fondo per l’Ambiente Italiano (the National Trust for Italy). FAI is a non-profit foundation that aims to protect and enhance Italy’s historical, artistic, and landscape heritage.
The Modello Uno U1S-FAI is an Italian-made dive watch and a 200-piece limited edition. It’s powered by a trusty automatic Sellita SW200-1 movement, but let’s talk about its more unusual appearance. Some aesthetics are more unusual than others. There’s nothing odd about the galvanic black dial with geometric indexes in white Super-LumiNova C1. The same goes for the prominent, legible hands. The wide, minimalist, 120-click unidirectional bezel is another matter. It’s the absence of traditional/functional minute markings and the forest/FAI green color in combination with the straightforward dial and fully brushed case that paints an artistically industrial picture.
Two straps and a membership
Speaking of the brushed case, it is 316L stainless steel, and the mid-case itself is 40mm wide. When you include the bezel, however, the watch measures 41.5mm across. Furthermore, it has a lug-to-lug of 49mm and a thickness of 11.6mm. Unimatic tests each Modello Uno U1S-FAI individually, ensuring its 300m water resistance. The watch comes with a black two-piece calfskin strap and also an FAI-green NATO strap with an FAI-orange nylon keeper. Something else you get with the watch is an FAI membership card. This card not only offers free entry to FAI properties in Italy but also, surprisingly, access to properties of the National Trust of England and Wales, Jersey, Scotland, and Australia.
The price for the Unimatic Modello Uno ref. U1S-FAI with two straps plus an FAI membership is €1,050 before taxes. Have a look at Unimatic’s official website for all the details.
The MeisterSinger Primatic reveals its power
The new 41.5mm steel Primatic is every bit a MeisterSinger. Meaning, there’s a single large needle-shaped hand that shows the time on a five-minute scale. Aside from the date at 3 o’clock, there’s also a smaller version of the large needle hand at 6 o’clock. That little hand indicates the power reserve. It will tell you when to either manually wind or move your wrist frantically when the automatic Sellita SW270 runs out of power after 38 hours of lying perfectly still. Automatic movements and power reserve indicators… What can I say? Frankly, I’m not a fan. The combination is a bit too gimmicky for my taste. What do you think?
Four dial colors and vegan straps
Although I have my reservations about the functionality of a power reserve indicator on an automatic watch, it does look good on the dial. And speaking of dials, there are no less than four versions available. First, there are the versions with an ivory (PR903) and a black (PR902) dial with cognac-colored accents. You will also find the same cognac tone in the stitching of the vegan leather straps. The medium blue (PR918) and petrol green (PR919) dials have a sunburst finish. These versions are paired with straps in a vintage look. The price for each iteration of the MeisterSinger Primatic is €2,190.
At the time of writing, these watches have not yet made it onto the official MeisterSinger website. They are, however, available now from official Meistersinger retailers.
Have a great (watch) week and keep cool! You can find and follow me at Lex Stolk • Instagram
