OMEGA has announced the launch of the Seamaster Planet Ocean Liquidmetal® Limited Edition, the world’s first watch to bond ceramics and Liquidmetal®. It is the 42mm version and a limited Edition of 1,948 Pieces

Swatch Group researchers collaborating with OMEGA’s product development team have created a striking ceramic diving bezel whose numbers and scaling, made of the Liquidmetal® alloy, appear in stunning silvery contrast to the black ceramic background. The colour of the ceramic dial perfectly matches that of the bezel. The result is an aesthetic wonder only made possible by several new and innovative processes.

The remarkable world premiere is being launched in a limited edition of 1,948 pieces in honour of the year OMEGA launched its popular Seamaster watch line.

Liquidmetal®: seamless bonding, remarkable hardness
The Liquidmetal® alloy is an amorphous metal – a metallic material with a disordered, non-crystalline atomic structure. Its fusion temperature is half that of conventional titanium alloys but when it is cooled, its hardness is three times as great as that of stainless steel. Its amorphous structure allows it to bond seamlessly with the ceramic bezel.

The Liquidmetal® is a bulk metallic glass alloy consisting of five elements: zirconium, titanium, copper, nickel and beryllium. A bulk metallic glass can, by virtue of its low critical cooling rate, be formed into a structure with a thickness of more than a tenth of a millimetre. Zirconium is an important constituent part both of the Liquidmetal® alloy and of the ceramic material which is made of zirconium dioxide (Zr02).

The final, perfectly smooth bezel is particularly resistant to scratching and corrosion because of the hardness of the two components.

The union of ceramics and Liquidmetal® at OMEGA
First, ceramic rings are formed. The numbers and the fine lines of the minute scaling are then engraved into these ceramic bezel rings and polished. The alloy is heated and pressed into the cavities in the ceramic material after which any excess Liquidmetal® is removed. The Liquidmetal® can be manipulated at a lower temperature than metals normally used in watchmaking so the heating process does not damage the ceramic material.

The Liquidmetal® numbers and scales are then satin brushed. Because the ceramic is a harder material than the alloy, the satin brushing of the fine details can be done without affecting the ceramic bezel. The numbers and scaling then appear in bold, vivid contrast to the glossy ceramic background.

Redefining longevity in the watch industry

The OMEGA Seamaster Planet Ocean Liquidmetal® Limited Edition, which has a stainless steel case and bracelet, is driven by OMEGA’s revolutionary Co-Axial calibre 2500. These movements, which have been heralded for their long-term chronometric performance, are perfectly complemented by the ceramic and Liquidmetal® alloy components which are incredibly resistant to corrosion and scratching. The result is pure OMEGA: a design premiere which will retain its appearance indefinitely, blended with innovative Co-Axial technology.

The Seamaster Planet Ocean Co-Axial Chronograph Ladie’s 600M combines rugged professional diver’s features – a unidirectional rotating bezel, a helium escape valve and water resistance to 600 meters (2,000 feet) – with Omega’s proprietary Co-Axial technology.

The self-winding chronograph is powered by Omega’s exclusive Co-Axial calibre 3313 and a free sprung balance whose precision qualifies the watch as a COSC-certified chronometer. It is also equipped with a column-wheel chronograph mechanism.

The 37.50 mm polished and brushed stainless steel case is mounted with a unidirectional rotating bezel which is available with a choice of distinctive black or orange aluminum rings. The stainless steel screw-in chronograph pushers feature aluminum rings in the same color as the ring on the bezel. On the black version, there is an applied rhodium-plated “12″ on the dial; its counterpart features an applied “12″ in orange anodized aluminum. Both versions have an applied rhodium-plated Omega logo.

OMEGA Watch Company now introduces the newest member of it’s luxury watch family, the Seamaster Aqua Terra Co-Axial GMT Chronograph.

Like the rest of the collection, it has particularly striking design feature: its “Teak Concept” dial has vertical lines which are reminiscent of the wooden decks on luxury boats. The Aqua Terra Co-Axial GMT Chronograph’s luxury-finished movement combines OMEGA’s exclusive Co-Axial calibre 3603 and a free sprung balance for outstanding long-term performance. Its precision is confirmed by its COSC-certification as a chronometer. The self-winding watch is also equipped with a column-wheel chronograph mechanism.

The watch’s GMT hand, which makes one complete rotation in 24 hours, is ideally suited for people who travel frequently between time zones or who, doing business internationally, need to know what time it is another part of the world.

The Seamaster Aqua Terra Co-Axial Chronograph GMT is available either in 18 Ct red gold or in stainless steel. The red gold model comes with a choice of a matching 18 Ct red gold bracelet with OMEGA’s patented screw-and pin system and a safety clasp or with a brown alligator strap integrated in the case. The stainless steel watch is delivered either with a black “soft-touch” integrated alligator strap or with a screw-and-pin bracelet in stainless steel.

The polished, brushed 44 mm case is water resistant to 150 metres (500 feet). Its bi-directional rotating GMT bezel in either 18 Ct red gold or stainless steel is mounted with a ring coated with black PVD and scaled to 24 hours, which allows the tracking of three separate time zones. The matt polished screw-in crown is embossed with a polished OMEGA logo and the case features polished chronograph pushers. The Aqua Terra Co-Axial Chronograph GMT has a domed, scratch-resistant sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment on both sides, as well as a polished screw-in caseback whose sapphire crystal makes it possible to see the Co-Axial movement at work.

The 18 Ct red gold model features a teak-grey dial, sun-brushed from the center, with black sub-dials. The stainless steel edition’s dial is vertically-brushed teak-grey with black sub-dials. It has central hour, minute, GMT and chronograph seconds hands and a small seconds counter at 9H. The other sub-dials are the 30-minute recorder at 3H and the 12-hour recorder at 6H.

The facetted hour, minute and GMT hands are made of 18 Ct gold and coated with white Super-LumiNova. The GMT hand is tipped with a red arrow. The dial also has applied 18 Ct gold indexes with diamond-polished sides which are coated with white Super-LumiNova. The OMEGA name and logo on the dial are also diamond-brushed applied 18 Ct gold.

While the Seamaster Aqua Terra Co-Axial GMT Chronograph might recall the distinctive design features and relaxed pace of life on luxury boats, with its chronograph function and GMT hand, it perfectly complements any busy contemporary lifestyle.