Post by CHIP on Oct 25, 2007 2:37:15 GMT -6
Credit: Ryan, aka Chimpy
I love my Aqua Terra, it is the first and only high end watch I own (looking for a Datejust or sub to fit my fancy right now). Here are my thoughts. I purchased it from an Authorized dealer in February of 2007.
I have the 36mm flavor being that I am cursed with small wrists (I believe). I was obsessed with Omega at first (and actually had a die-hard anti-Rolex thing... don't know what I was smoking), not because of Bond, The Olympics or Shuttle, but because their designs turned me on the most.
The authorized dealer and they had to special order it. The MSRP at the time was $2800, and it was sold to me for $2100. I received the large leather box, leather placard holder, and hangtags etc.
I work as a restaurant manager, and this watch sees grueling service all day long. It gets banged against metal, covered in grease, sprayed with sanitizer, exposed to scorching heat and freezing cold on a continual basis. (I was really trying not to cry when it got its first scratch).
I also am an avid shooter. Saturday mornings are spent at the gun range, firing weapons from .38 handguns, 44 magnum, .50AE, .50bmg, .308, 5.56 and is subject to hours of intense recoil felt from numerous weapons.
I go swimming in my community pool about once a day for a couple hours, I run about 4 miles when I wake up.
The watch is never taken off my wrist, except for its daily toothbrush scrub or to change the date/time, I sleep, shower, work, play, and yes, even have sex with my watch on.
My first month of having it was spent studying the Co-Axial's accuracy of time. It was synchronized with Microsoft's time server and within a period of 10 days, lost/gained 0 seconds, in 15 days had no difference, 20 days gained 1 second, and at the end of thirty had lost the one second it gained, again in synch with Microsoft.
The markers and hands glow for what seems like forever, and are very visible in low light conditions, yet they aren't overbearing enough to say "any hand with that lume?"
The black on the dial is extremely deep, and one of the best finishes I have ever seen. The date is easily read even without magnification, and in my watch's case, the date background is almost perfectly matched to the dial to create an almost seamless interface.
The applied logos and markers are beautiful and add a great prestigious touch to it as well.
The anti-reflective coating does a great job, and the multiple facets of the dial, markers and hands are incredibly eye catching. And the Omega logo aligns perfectly strait with the crown completely screwed in.
The case back is nifty as well. The Co-Axial movement is beautiful. It is surrounded with the name, water resistance, and such. In the corner of a lug near the case back is the serial number, minutely and legibly etched into the steel
The bracelet is very comfortable as well. I very much like the hidden clasp tainted with the Omega logo, and against reports I've read that by bending the wrist it may have a tendency to just release, I have not experienced such in the tumultuous adventures this watch has seen so far. It is very comfortable and comes supplied with 1/2 links as well if you need. However, the bracelet is the only thing I have had an issue with.
About 5 months into owning it, I went to take it off for cleaning, and upon releasing it, it fell to the floor (heart attack). Apparently the little bead of steel that holds the bracelets steel together on the clasp came off. I sent it to the Omega service center in New Jersey, who told me to expect a turn around time of 3-4 weeks. 2 weeks after my UPS tracking number reported the received it, I had my watch back in hand. The bracelet had been completely replaced, and every scratch removed (even a moderately deep one on the brushed steel side. You can imagine how thrilled I was that this didn't cost me a penny (minus shipping to them).
I also found out about Omega offering to send the COSC certificate to customers who had bought their product from an authorized dealer. I immediately looked into it, and found the e-mail of an after-sales service lady named Maria Mastrodono (sp?). After sending her an e-mail, she requested that all I do is take a close-up of the watch next to the warranty card with purchase date and my name that had the dealer's information. 2 weeks later, I received a letter sized envelope stamped from Bienne, Switzerland (and postage of $15!) that contained the COSC certificate in a protective plastic, a book of about 30 pages on the history of the Aqua Terra, and a hand signed thank-you card from Ms. Mastrodono.
If you need any convincing to buy an Aqua Terra, hope this did it for you, it's been 100% truth.
All in all, if I had to do it again, I wouldn't think twice about my Omega purchase, has been exemplary from start to current. And the only reason I want a Rolex is because they have a unique ability to have different things as far as a wide array of dials, bezel choice, and bracelet choices.
I love my Aqua Terra, it is the first and only high end watch I own (looking for a Datejust or sub to fit my fancy right now). Here are my thoughts. I purchased it from an Authorized dealer in February of 2007.
I have the 36mm flavor being that I am cursed with small wrists (I believe). I was obsessed with Omega at first (and actually had a die-hard anti-Rolex thing... don't know what I was smoking), not because of Bond, The Olympics or Shuttle, but because their designs turned me on the most.
The authorized dealer and they had to special order it. The MSRP at the time was $2800, and it was sold to me for $2100. I received the large leather box, leather placard holder, and hangtags etc.
I work as a restaurant manager, and this watch sees grueling service all day long. It gets banged against metal, covered in grease, sprayed with sanitizer, exposed to scorching heat and freezing cold on a continual basis. (I was really trying not to cry when it got its first scratch).
I also am an avid shooter. Saturday mornings are spent at the gun range, firing weapons from .38 handguns, 44 magnum, .50AE, .50bmg, .308, 5.56 and is subject to hours of intense recoil felt from numerous weapons.
I go swimming in my community pool about once a day for a couple hours, I run about 4 miles when I wake up.
The watch is never taken off my wrist, except for its daily toothbrush scrub or to change the date/time, I sleep, shower, work, play, and yes, even have sex with my watch on.
My first month of having it was spent studying the Co-Axial's accuracy of time. It was synchronized with Microsoft's time server and within a period of 10 days, lost/gained 0 seconds, in 15 days had no difference, 20 days gained 1 second, and at the end of thirty had lost the one second it gained, again in synch with Microsoft.
The markers and hands glow for what seems like forever, and are very visible in low light conditions, yet they aren't overbearing enough to say "any hand with that lume?"
The black on the dial is extremely deep, and one of the best finishes I have ever seen. The date is easily read even without magnification, and in my watch's case, the date background is almost perfectly matched to the dial to create an almost seamless interface.
The applied logos and markers are beautiful and add a great prestigious touch to it as well.
The anti-reflective coating does a great job, and the multiple facets of the dial, markers and hands are incredibly eye catching. And the Omega logo aligns perfectly strait with the crown completely screwed in.
The case back is nifty as well. The Co-Axial movement is beautiful. It is surrounded with the name, water resistance, and such. In the corner of a lug near the case back is the serial number, minutely and legibly etched into the steel
The bracelet is very comfortable as well. I very much like the hidden clasp tainted with the Omega logo, and against reports I've read that by bending the wrist it may have a tendency to just release, I have not experienced such in the tumultuous adventures this watch has seen so far. It is very comfortable and comes supplied with 1/2 links as well if you need. However, the bracelet is the only thing I have had an issue with.
About 5 months into owning it, I went to take it off for cleaning, and upon releasing it, it fell to the floor (heart attack). Apparently the little bead of steel that holds the bracelets steel together on the clasp came off. I sent it to the Omega service center in New Jersey, who told me to expect a turn around time of 3-4 weeks. 2 weeks after my UPS tracking number reported the received it, I had my watch back in hand. The bracelet had been completely replaced, and every scratch removed (even a moderately deep one on the brushed steel side. You can imagine how thrilled I was that this didn't cost me a penny (minus shipping to them).
I also found out about Omega offering to send the COSC certificate to customers who had bought their product from an authorized dealer. I immediately looked into it, and found the e-mail of an after-sales service lady named Maria Mastrodono (sp?). After sending her an e-mail, she requested that all I do is take a close-up of the watch next to the warranty card with purchase date and my name that had the dealer's information. 2 weeks later, I received a letter sized envelope stamped from Bienne, Switzerland (and postage of $15!) that contained the COSC certificate in a protective plastic, a book of about 30 pages on the history of the Aqua Terra, and a hand signed thank-you card from Ms. Mastrodono.
If you need any convincing to buy an Aqua Terra, hope this did it for you, it's been 100% truth.
All in all, if I had to do it again, I wouldn't think twice about my Omega purchase, has been exemplary from start to current. And the only reason I want a Rolex is because they have a unique ability to have different things as far as a wide array of dials, bezel choice, and bracelet choices.