2010s Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra GMT 43mm 231.10.43.22.20.01.001
Ref: 231.10.43.22.20.01.001
Specification
Lugs : 21mm
Condition : Pre-Owned
Box & Papers : Box & Papers (Minus Warranty Card)
Case Material : Stainless Steel
Warranty : 12-Months NON-Waterproof Warranty
Points of Mention
This watch is sold with its original Omega presentation box and cards, but the original warranty card is not included. It comes paired with its original 21mm Omega brushed and polished 3-link stainless steel bracelet with an Omega-signed push-button butterfly clasp and will fit up to a 7.2-inch wrist. The watch is from Circa mid/Late 2010s and is in used, worn condition, but overall, as you can see from the photos, it is in fair condition; a full case and bracelet refurb can be provided at an additional cost on request. The watch comes with our 12-Months Warranty.
For more photos see here - https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1_y8QaifBT6aVcnxC3w-je1OwHPZxruU5?usp=drive_link
4K YouTube video, skip to 16:14 - https://youtu.be/vKdh1JEIEGU
The Watch
Here we have a 2010s Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra GMT 231.10.43.22.20.01.001, drawing inspiration from their classic Omega Seamasters of the 1960s with their simple lines and elegant design. A curvaceous 43mm polished and brushed 316L stainless steel case has the characteristic twisted lugs that effortlessly curve over your wrist with a lug-to-lug length of 51mm and a case thickness of 14mm, giving the watch an impressive wrist presence. Polished and brushed surfaces transition with crisp edges. On the right side is a recessed signed screw-down crown with deep knurling for extra grip. A polished smooth bezel holds a domed sapphire crystal AR coated on both sides above the striking Teak Concept black dial with distinctive vertical striping and an outer 60-minute chapter ring. Applied dagger indexes infilled with SuperLumiNova mark the hours and at 6 o’clock a date window. Around the centre, we have the 24-hour numerals, complete with a red arrow-tipped GMT hand that rotates once every 24 hours. The Broad-Arrow hands are filled with Super-LumiNova and complemented by an arrow pointed sweeping second hand. At noon, we have the applied Omega “Seamaster”, a red GMT, and at 6 o’clock “, a “Co-Axial Chronometer 150m/500ft” complete this dynamic versatile traveller dive sports watch. On the reverse, a screw-down exhibition case back with the details of the watch engraved around its edge, inside an automatic Omega Cal. 8605, 38 jewels, 25,200 beats per hour, COSC Certified, Omega Co-Axial Escapement movements use modern materials to achieve accuracy and reliability, such as a silicon hairspring and a free-sprung balance wheel, two barrels mounted in series, the Rotor and balance bridge is Rhodium plated and is bidirectional for improved efficiency, decorated in luxurious Côtes de Genève. The watch comes paired with its original 21mm Omega brushed and polished 3-link stainless steel bracelet with an Omega-signed push-button butterfly clasp. It also comes with its original Omega presentation box and cards, but the original warranty card is not included.
Personal Note
This Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra GMT comes in at 43mm making it one of the larger Aqua Terra models produced, but with its 51mm lug-to-lug length it still wears surprisingly compact on the wrist for a larger watch, plus all that extra size allows for a lot of dial real estate and appreciation for the wonderful texture throughout. I would not hesitate to add this watch to your collection if you are after a GMT that offers something a little different from the usual suspects!
The Brand
They were formerly known as the La Generale Watch Co., founded in 1848 by Louis Brandt in La Chaux-de-Fonds. When he died in 1879, his sons carried on his dream. In 1880, they moved to 96 Rue Jakob-Stampfli, where they remain today. The brothers produced their first mass-produced calibre, the Labrador In 1885. Just a few years later, in 1892, they produced the first minute-repeater. In 1903, they renamed the company Omega until 1982, when they officially changed their name to Omega SA. During WW1, Omega watches were used as official timekeepers for the Royal Flying Corps and the US Army. In 1930, Omega and Tissot merged together to form Société Suisse pour l'Industrie Horlogère (SSIH). In 1931, another group was formed - Allgemeine Schweizerische Uhrenindustrie AG (ASUAG). Where SSIH was primarily French-speaking, ASUAG was founded by the more German-speaking members of the Swiss watch industry. In 1948, they introduced the first edition of one of its most symbolic watches: the Seamaster. Omega first introduced the Constellation in 1952. At the time, it was Omega's flagship timepiece. The first models had a Cal. 354 bumper movement in them. Later, in 1955, Omega introduced the Automatic Cal. 50x, followed in 1959 by the Cal.55x (no date) and 56x (date) versions. Many of the Constellations came with pie-pan dials, diamond indexes, and fancy lug configurations. All the gold Constellations of that time have the Observatory of Geneva's hand engraved on the back. The stainless steel and stainless steel/gold versions had a gold medallion on the back with the Observatory of Geneva. The eight stars above the Observatory stand for the many exploits of Omega in the world Chronometer competition. Celebrating the fact that all Constellations are Chronometer Certified. In 1962, when astronaut Wally Schirra wore a Speedmaster on his Mercury Sigma 7 Mission, making it the first Omega watch to enter space. After rigorous tests, NASA used Omega for all their Apollo missions, including the 1969 Moon landing of Apollo 11. Today, Omega is still the first choice of astronauts. In 1969, President Nixon famously said it was “too valuable” and turned down the first-ever all-gold Speedmaster Professional Deluxe. As a response to the ever-growing threat of electronic watches to the manufacturers of mechanical watches, Omega and many Swiss brands such as Rolex and Patek Philippe formed Centre Electronique Horologer (CEH). Prototypes began to appear in 1967, and their production started in 1968. Then, In 1972, Omega introduced the reference 198.030, which included the Omega calibre 1250, a ‘tuning-fork electronic movement which was made under licence from Bulova. Later we saw a merger of SSIH and ASUAG into SMH, or Société de Microélectronique et d’Horlogerie. This merger took place in 1983. In 1992, the company acquired Blancpain, and in 1998, it officially rebranded itself from SMH to the Swatch Group. Then, in 1999, they purchased and integrated Breguet into the Swatch Group.