Like many features on watches, a high level of water resistance is one of those elements that you probably will never use to the fullest, but it’s nice to know you can. After all, most of us just want to know that our timepiece can survive a dip in the sea, or perhaps even a recreational scuba dive down to 40 or 50 metres or so. Yet, there’s an undeniable appeal about wearing something so tough and rugged it can take on the most challenging of deep-sea adventures, and even has its origins in one of the most daring and record-breaking of such missions. 

This sense of adventure is something Omega’s latest release, the Seamaster Planet Ocean Ultra Deep, delivers in spades. It builds on the watchmaker’s rich underwater legacy that dates back to 1932, starting with the release of its first civilian dive watch the “Marine”, which was followed closely by the Seamaster in 1948 and the Seamaster 300 in 1957, the company’s first professional model. 

But it also directly traces its robust design to Omega’s more recent exploration of the depths of our oceans. The year 2019 saw the unveiling of the Ultra Deep, a watch specifically crafted to withstand the most extreme of conditions. It accompanied explorer Victor Vescovo to the bottom of the Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean, to a depth of 10,935m (35,876ft), the furthest any human – or watch – has dived. Truly putting the timepieces through their paces, two examples were attached to the submersible’s robotic arm, while another was strapped to a data-gathering unit known as a Lander, with all surviving the 12-hour journey unscathed. 

Now the long-awaited civilian version has landed with a splash, in a new collection of seven models, each water-resistant to an incredible 6,000m. The range includes a version in sandblasted and forged Grade 5 titanium, while the remaining models are constructed from Omega’s new material, O-Megasteel. As well as its superior strength when compared with its traditional steel counterparts, it offers an alluring, whiter colour and elevated shine, protected by its exceptional resistance to corrosion. 

The latter comes in a range of dial colours, including white or gradient-effect dials in hues of grey and black. Essential diving features include the ceramic bezel with diving scale, and the protuberant and domed sapphire crystal that offers strength under pressure, while the integrated crown guard further bolsters protection whilst underwater. All come powered by Omega’s Co-Axial Master Chronometer Calibre 8912, which, as well as offering the highest levels of precision and anti-magnetism, was tested in real life at a depth of 6,269m (20,567ft) in the Mariana Trench in 2021. 

The titanium model is presented on a striped NATO strap in polyamide yarn, fittingly made from 100 percent recycled fishing nets. Meanwhile the O-Megasteel options come with a choice of rubber or metal strap, the latter of which handily features an extra diver extension perfect for strapping around a wetsuit. 

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