Post by timelessluxwatches on Oct 11, 2016 12:13:05 GMT -6
Omega Aqua Terra Ryder Cup Review
The Omega Aqua Terra has long been heralded as one of the great all-around watches, and the Aqua Terra 8500 really mixed things up with its famous teak dial. This year, Omega mixes things up again with this very cool golf dial, a tribute to golf's Ryder Cup.
The Aqua Terra has been one of my favorite watches for many years, and I've personally worn one long before we even started carrying Omega. But while I might be somewhat experienced with Aqua Terras, I unfortunately can't say the same thing about myself with golf.
Luckily, you needn't be a golf connoisseur to understand the golf connection here, or to appreciate the watch. The first connection between the two is utterly clear: the teak dial has been replaced by the golf dial.
The effect is very impressive and surprisingly good looking. It's gotten a lot of attention since it came in, and not necessarily because it's a golf-related limited edition.
I'm a huge fan of blued hands, and the Ryder Cup AT definitely delivers here. There are some gold accents as well, from the seconds hand to the Omega logo.
Heat blued hands tend to look almost black in indirect light, but in situations like this one, where light is directly on the dial, they virtually glow blue.
Notice there are also some small, fairly subtle, red accents as well. Along with the white dial, the blue, gold and red represent the Ryder Cup.
You won't be able to appreciate the golf dial or Ryder Cup colors at night, but you do get a pretty nice amount of lume. As is usual of Aqua Terras, I'd recommend that Omega consider better differentiating the luminescent seconds hand tip and minute hand tip because they look so similar, but it's a nitpick.
I wear a 38.5mm Aqua Terra, but this 41.5mm version would fit me just fine. I think it's a great all around size and it was a smart choice for Omega.
A nice bonus of Aqua Terras in general is that it's good for 150 meters of water resistance, about 50 more than other watches in this segment. Although it's not a dive watch, it is a Seamaster, and thus a good choice for swimmers.
You'll find a custom Ryder Cup rotor on the movement as well which, along with some writing on the case back, is really the only overt nod to the Ryder Cup. Personally, I find this approach to limited edition tie-ins to be very tasteful.
Naturally, it's powered by a Master Co-Axial version of the 8500. That means you get all of the anti-magnetic properties Omega can offer, which are not insubstantial, as well as chronometer certification. The only caveat is that this version hasn't been certified via METAS testing (and is thus not a "Master Chronometer"), but it's nonetheless a truly great movement.
Despite knowing nothing about golf or the Ryder Cup, this Aqua Terra is definitely one of my favorites.
Typically, you'd simply have me at blued hands, but the golf dial was also both gutsy and impressive.
Thus, the Ryder Cup model is kind of interesting in how broad its appeal is. Typically, limited-edition tie-ins are appealing only to a subset of people who both like the watch and like the tie-in.
The Ryder Cup, however, transcends those limitations. I can see this being a great choice for people who just like Aqua Terras but are tired of the same teak dial we've had for years now. It's not necessarily the best choice for everyone looking at Aqua Terras, but it's certainly worthy of your attention. Also consider that there is a 34mm lady’s version, so this might make an excellent choice for couples.