The OMEGA Seamaster collection is no stranger to limited editions and commemorative watches. In fact, the brand even occasionally draws criticism from some simply due to the number of special edition pieces that it produces each year. However, the events that OMEGA chooses to recognize truly are worth celebrating, and the latest addition to the brand’s lineup – a special edition OMEGA Aqua Terra – celebrates the historic Swiss watch manufacturer’s longstanding role as the Official Timekeeper of the Olympic Games and the Beijing 2022 Winter Games.
OMEGA Seamaster Aqua Terra Beijing 2022 Olympics Edition
Aqua Terra Beijing 2022 Key Features:
– Reference Number: 522.10.41.21.04.001
– Case Size: 41mm
– Materials: Stainless Steel
– Functions: Time w/ Running Seconds, Date Display, Time Zone Function
– Dial: White Ceramic w/ Luminous Hour Markers
– Bezel: Fixed, Stainless Steel, Smooth Style
– Crystal: Sapphire (Domed w/ Anti-Reflective Coating on Both Sides)
– Movement: OMEGA Caliber 8900 (Master Chronometer)
– Water Resistance: 150 Meters / 500 Feet
– Strap/Bracelet: Stainless Steel Bracelet
– Retail Price: $6,200 USD
– Availability: Special Edition (Non-Limited)
About The OMEGA Seamaster Aqua Terra
Despite the incredible diversity of OMEGA’s catalog, the brand only has a total of four main collections: the Speedmaster, the Seamaster, the Constellation, and the De Ville. However, each of these core collections is further divided into numerous sub-collections, and that is how you end up with the wide range of other models such as the Planet Ocean collection, Globemaster, Tresor, and Aqua Terra.
The OMEGA Aqua Terra is actually part of the greater Seamaster collection (its full name is actually the “OMEGA Seamaster Aqua Terra 150M”). With that in mind, rather than being a purpose-built dive watch like most of its siblings, the Aqua Terra is a classic luxury sports watch that is equally at home on-land as it is in the water. It trades scuba diving-specific features for a refined and highly versatile aesthetic, but with 150 meters (500 feet) of water resistance, it is more than rugged enough to accompany you on all of life’s adventures, regardless of whether that is above or below the surface of the ocean.
A Winter-Themed Ceramic Dial for Beijing 2022
Overall, the new OMEGA Seamaster Aqua Terra Beijing 2022 special edition is largely the same as the current full-size stainless steel Aqua Terra model. Like the standard-production models, the Beijing 2022 edition features a 41mm stainless steel case, a domed sapphire crystal, a matching stainless steel bracelet, and OMEGA’s Caliber 8900 Master Chronometer movement, which is METAS certified and resistant to antimagnetic fields in excess of 15,000 gauss.
Other than its caseback, which swaps out a sapphire display window for a solid design that features the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics logo, the main detail separating this model from the standard ones is its stunning dial. Crafted from white ceramic that has been laser-engraved with a frost-finish pattern that is intended to be a tribute to the snow and ice that serves as the backdrop for the Winter Games.
Finished with blued hour markers and hands, blue text, and small pops of red for the quarter numerals of the minute track and the ‘Seamaster’ name, the Aqua Terra Beijing 2022 edition offers a subtle Olympic Games tribute that can easily exist on its own aesthetic merits as simply a downright good looking watch, regardless of any connections to the world’s most iconic winter sporting event.
The Beijing 2022 Olympics Edition Watches
It’s important to note that this is not the only OMEGA watch that has been released to celebrate the upcoming Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games, which are set to start on February 4th, 2022. OMEGA released a special edition of its Seamaster Diver 300M back in February of this year to celebrate the one-year countdown to Beijing 2022. While that model featured a blue dial that had its circular hour markers colored to look like the Olympic rings, the new Aqua Terra Beijing 2022 edition is a bit more subtle and does not give away its Olympic ties until you flip the watch over and look at its caseback.
The Beijing 2022 Olympics will mark the 30th time that OMEGA has served as the Official Timekeeper of the games, and the relationship between OMEGA and the Olympics dates all the way back to 1932. Additionally, if past Olympic events are any indicator of what other special edition watches that OMEGA might be planning, then this is not likely to be the last of the Beijing 2022 edition models that we will see in the months leading up to the start of the event.
Just like the Beijing 2022 Seamaster Diver 300M, the new Beijing 2022 Aqua Terra is a special release rather than being strictly limited to a specific number, although it is not likely to remain part of OMEGA’s catalog for very long. Additionally, with a price premium of just $500 compared to the standard 41mm stainless steel Aqua Terra, we wouldn’t be surprised to see some buyers choose the new OMEGA Seamaster Aqua Terra Beijing 2022 edition simply due to its stunning snow-inspired white ceramic dial.
For those considering purchasing not only the Aqua Terra Beijing 2022 Special Edition but any other Aqua Terra model, our comprehensive OMEGA Aqua Terra buying guide is an invaluable resource. The guide provides a detailed overview of the various Aqua Terra options and will help you explore the different case sizes, materials, dial colors, and complications available throughout the Aqua Terra collection.
