The Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 600M checks all the right boxes both as an everyday sporty luxury watch, as well as a robust diving instrument. In fact, it’s so beloved for its design, versatility, and usability, it’s surprising to think that the fan-favorite Planet Ocean collection has only existed for just over a dozen years. Given its recognition, credibility, and popularity, it certainly feels like the Seamaster Planet Ocean collection has been around for a lot longer than that.
Today, the Omega Planet Ocean is definitely a celebrity in the world of luxury watches – having literally been donned by celebrities and movie icons like James Bond. It has also boasted a wide array of styles and variations over the years, giving collectors a diverse range of Seamaster Planet Ocean watches to fit their wardrobe and lifestyle. With all this has also come some serious capability upgrades. So here, we’re going to take a deep dive into the history and evolution of the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 600M, as well as show you just how and why we like to wear them.
Best Features Of The Planet Ocean 600M Over The Years
Since the Seamaster Planet Ocean 600M was first released by Omega in 2005, it has been an instant icon and recognized as one of the best dive watches on the planet. while the Planet Ocean 600M was brand new at the time, the new line was built upon the Seamaster legacy that stretched back to 1948, and even features a number of subtle design traits that serve as a nod to the original Seamster 300 diver from 1957.
2005: FIRST GENERATION OF THE PLANET OCEAN 600M
Initially, Omega only released a few iterations of the first generation Planet Ocean 600M, eventually expanding it throughout the first generation to incorporate a variety of bezel colors, numerals, and straps. However, there was the consistency that all Planet Ocean 600M models featured an analog display with luminous hands, a rotating bezel, and that impressive 600M water resistance, made possible by a screw-down crown, a screw-down caseback, and a manually operated helium gas escape valve to protect the Omega Caliber 2500 movement.
The first generation of Planet Ocean watches is most famous for its features in the James Bond movies which cemented its fame. Not only was the Planet Ocean 600M worn by Bond in Casino Royale, but Quantum of Solace. The first generation of the Planet Ocean is beloved for this connection, but also for the numerous limited editions that came from it, like the Casino Royale Limited Edition ref. 2907.50.91 and the Quantum of Solace Limited Edition ref. 22230462001001. During the first generation, Omega continued to celebrate their new success with other limited pieces like the ref. ref. 22230385001003 which was produced for the Olympics, celebrating the brand’s longtime role as Official Timekeeper for the games.
2011: SECOND GENERATION OF THE PLANET OCEAN 600M
The second generation of the Planet Ocean 600M wasn’t so much considered a redesign but rather an evolution of the popular line. Omega did add a 37.5mm case in addition to the standard 42mm and 45.5mm cases; however, the aesthetics of the watch also received some slight updates, most notably appearing with ceramic and Liquidmetal bezels for the first time. Omega also revamped the indices and hour markers, as well as the logo, making them larger and more distinct. One major difference on the dial was the upgraded ‘Seamaster’ name, now appearing in orange instead of white like on the first generation.
2016: THIRD GENERATION OF THE PLANET OCEAN 600M
While there were some aesthetic upgrades to accompany the third generation, we have to start out by highlighting the Planet Ocean 600M’s upgrade to Master Co-Axial movements. This significant watchmaking feat upped the watches’ magnetic resistance up to forces in excess of 15,000 gauss, granting the watch a coveted METAS’s Master Chronometer certification. With this, the watch became the first in history to boast such a high magnetic resistance alongside a 600m/2000ft water resistance and a chronometer certification.
Today, there are dozens of iterations of the Planet Ocean 600M, ranging from durable stainless steel and titanium as well as rose gold, stainless, white gold, and rose gold, and more. Collectors have also adored the bezel variations where Omega combined the now-standard Liquidmetal ceramic with vulcanized rubber. This allowed the Swiss watch brand to develop an awesome, vibrant orange that wasn’t shiny and looked perfect against the ceramic bezel. There are beautiful combinations like black and orange or grey and orange. There’s also the beloved blue ceramic bezels that look particularly good on the 18k Sedna rose gold Planet Ocean 600M models.
Collectors also love the bracelet options on the third generation Planet Ocean 600M. Their rubber band has been notoriously comfortable to wear, and it has continued to be a fan favorite. With their dressier versions, you’ll find metal bracelets as well as leather straps, like the blue crocodile band on the white gold diamond-bezel Planet Ocean 600M. Other favorites by the collectors include the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics model and the exclusive Michael Phelps limited edition Planet Ocean 600M chronograph.
The Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 600M As An Everyday Luxury Watch
While the Planet Ocean may be somewhat of a newbie to the Omega catalog, the Seamaster line has been around since the late 1940s. Therefore, the Seamaster is the oldest Omega collection still in production today. When it was first presented, the Seamaster was offered as an elegant dress watch that could handle some splashing, designed for gentlemen who had fine tastes and an active lifestyle. Today, the Seamaster collection includes a wide assortment of water ready timepieces from the elegant Aqua Terra to rugged professional dive watches like the Planet Ocean. However, the core spirit has always remaineded; Omega Seamaster watches are robust, water-resistant timepieces built for those with fine tastes and active lifestyles.
Take for example the Seamaster Professional Planet Ocean 600M ref. 232.92.42.21.03.001. Part of a larger family of Plane Ocean watches in a multitude of size, materials, and colors, this particular model is a lightweight and modern version. Crafted in titanium, this Planet Ocean sports a 42mm case along with a blue Liquidmetal (Omega’s proprietary alloy) ceramic bezel. Compared to its 45.5mm counterpart, this 42mm case is a more restrained approach to an everyday luxury sports watch. The matching blue dial is home to large double broad-arrow hands, baton indexes, and silver Arabic numerals at the 6,9, and 12 locations.
The blue ceramic and titanium version of the Omega Planet Ocean 600M is especially sporty thanks to its blue rubber strap, although a version on a matching titanium bracelet is also available. Omega’s high-quality rubber strap is famously comfortable to wear and features a matching titanium deployant clasp to keep everything securely in place. Casual and sporty, the rubber strap is especially attractive and perfectly matches the dial thanks to the white stitching on the blue rubber material.
The Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 600M As Diving Instrument
As its name suggests, the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 600M is built to explore marine landscapes with a more-than-capable water resistance rating of 600 meters. While all versions of the Seamaster Planet Ocean look great ashore, let’s not forget that they are professional diving watches at their core. From the unidirectional rotating bezel and powerful lume to the manually-operated helium escape valve, the Seamaster Professional Planet Ocean 600M was born to dive.
While it’s often customary for dive watches to have a solid casebacks, Omega opted to have a transparent sapphire caseback for all to admire the Cal. 8500 and Cal. 8900 movements working away within. Caliber 8500 is Omega’s in-house automatic mechanical movement that offers 60 hours of power reserve, and the Caliber 8900 takes this a step further offering METAS-certification and antimagnetic capabilities. Beautifully decorated with arabesque Geneva waves, both in-house Omega movements come equipped with the famous Omega Co-Axial escapement, jumping hour hands, free-sprung balance wheels, dual mainspring barrels, and bi-directional automatic winding.
Highly capable from a technical standpoint, yet refined enough to blend in with formal attire, the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 600M is remarkably diverse, despite its serious dive watch credentials. From overboard to boardroom bound, the Planet Ocean is a fine choice for a luxury diver and could very well be the only watch you will ever need for the rest of your life. What do you think of the Seamaster Planet Ocean collection? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.
