Omega’s ultra-deep dive watches operate 6,000 meters below sea level

An unfortunate thing occurred during prototype testing of Omega’s new Ultra Deep diver’s watch. Due to instrument problems, one of three FOD-X (“full ocean depth tested”) watches was left at the bottom of the Mariana Trench, about 10,928 meters deep, the deepest point on the planet, for two day and a half. .

The entire mission time for the planned dive and extreme pressure test in 2019 is said to be 12 hours, only a fraction of that time at the bottom of the trench. No one intended for the watch to spend more than two days at such depths, where the pressure is 16,000 pounds per square inch — random conditions that would do very bad things for the watch. your body.

That 2019 concept watch is called the Seamaster Planet Ocean Ultra Deep Professional, and impressively, it emerged from an unplanned undersea challenge not only unscathed, but taking just a second of the entire time. erroneous set of processes.

Now, almost three years later, Omega has managed to take this extreme concept dive watch and produce a production version, known simply as the Extremely deep, capable of withstanding depths of up to 6,000 meters. While it doesn’t have the same depth rating as the concept, it’s good enough to put the watch on top hadal . regionthe deepest part of the ocean.

While comparing, Rolex Deepsea Rated to 3,900 meters. First appearing in 2008, at that time the Deepsea tripled the water resistance of Rolex’s next best dive watch, thanks in part to a 5mm thick sapphire crystal to resist sub-optimal pressure. country. With the production version of the Ultra Deep, Omega has significantly raised the bar for performance diving watches.

Starting at £10,060 ($13,200 US dollars), there are seven iterations of the 2022 Ultra Deep. It is understandable that it is very well thought out in design, considering the pressures it is made to endure. But with a case of 45.5 mm and a thickness of 18.12 mm, it is thinner than the concept, even though the domed sapphire crystal that covers the dial must withstand 7.5 tons of pressure. And while there’s a choice between the regular rubber and steel bracelets, the top version is made from sandblasted grade 5 titanium and comes with a NATO strap made from polyamide fibers derived from recycled fishing nets. regime.

To welcome this idea, Omega has kept the same design they created for the lugs on this titanium model, the watch parts that connect the strap to the case. Integrated into the shell, they are left open, as this appears to reduce stress points at ocean depths. Omega has called them “manta” lugs because of their resemblance to the cephalic lobes of rays.