2022 Omega Aqua Terra Co-Axial GMT Worldtimer
Ref: 220.12.43.22.03.001

Points of Mention

This watch is sold with its original Omega box and paperwork. The watch comes paired with its original 21mm blue rubber strap with a signed deployment clasp. The watch is from September 2022 and is sold in worn condition with some marks on the bezel. The watch comes with its original Manufacturer's Warranty.

The Watch

Here we have a 2022 Omega Aqua Terra Co-Axial GMT Worldtimer with a 43mm polished stainless steel case, the characteristic twisted lugs curve over your wrist with a lug-to-lug length of 50mm and a case thickness of 13.5mm giving the watch an impressive wrist presence. Polished and brushed surfaces transition with crisp edges. On the right side is a signed screw-down crown with deep knurling for extra grip. A polished smooth bezel holds a domed sapphire crystal AR coated on both sides, the striking sunburst blue dial with vertical striping has an outer ring of the world's time zones made up of a red GMT, silver places indicating +1 hour summertime, and blue places indicating those without daylight savings. Applied dagger indexes infilled with SuperLumiNova mark the hours and at 6 o’clock a date window. In the centre, we have a vision of the earth in relief on a Grade 5 Titanium plate surrounded by the world's oceans which have been created with the use of a laser that has chemically reacted with the Titanium to create this incredible effect, the 24-hour glass ring has light blue for daylight and dark blue for nighttime, the text is precisely executed on the dial making it easy to read. The Broad-Arrow hands are infilled with luminance complemented by an arrow pointed sweeping second hand. On the reverse, a screw-down exhibition case back, inside an automatic Omega Co-Axial Cal. 8938, 39 jewels, 25,200 beats per hour, Omega uses modern materials to achieve accuracy, and reliability, such as a silicon hairspring and a free-sprung balance wheel, resistant to magnetic fields reaching 15,000 gausses, the Rotor is Rhodium plated and is bidirectional for improved efficiency. Certified Master Chronometer, approved by METAS, ”Swiss National Metrology Institute'', the watch goes through COSC certification before being selected for the eight tests run by METAS. The watch comes fitted on its original 21mm blue rubber strap with a signed deployment clasp, the watch also comes with its original box and paperwork.

Personal Note

The Brand

Formerly known as the La Generale Watch Co. in 1848 founded 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 an astronaut's first choice. 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 Horloger (CEH). Prototypes began to appear in 1967 with their production starting 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 they officially rebranded themselves from SMH to the Swatch Group. Then, in 1999, they purchased and integrated Breguet into the Swatch Group.