Presented in a 44mm stainless steel case with a matte black ceramic bezel ring, the watch cuts quite a striking figure on the wrist thanks to the bold color scheme. Red and black seem to be all the rage this summer (check out Linde Werdelin’s Oktopus II Titanium Red, another of our dive watch favorites of the season) and so the cheap replica Omega Seamaster Diver ETNZ fits right in.
If you like sailing then you’re probably going to love this. At a recent press conference, Omega unveiled their latest limited edition watch, the Seamaster Diver ETNZ, to mark the occasion of the 34th America’s Cup as well as the luxury watchmaker’s partnership with Emirates Team New Zealand (hence the funny acronym at the end of the name.) And I have to say, whilst I’m not normally a big fan of ‘special edition’ watches, this one actually looks pretty cool.
All chronograph indicators have been done in red, whilst the standard time display is in white, making everything much easier to read at a quick glance, which is essential when you’re in the middle of rough seas chasing a competitor.
Powered by the Omega co-axial caliber 3330 (which comes with an impressive four-year warranty), it features a 30-minute regatta timer at 3 o’clock, including the standard five-minute countdown timer to keep track of the regatta start time. As I mentioned earlier this is a watch for sailors and so the standard chronograph has been modified slightly to reflect this. In addition, there is a 12-hour chronograph timer shown in a sub-dial at 6 o’clock, whilst a central hand is responsible for keeping track of the seconds.
This for me has the makings of a very successful partnership for Omega not least because they have made a really good-looking watch that has a wider appeal and demonstrates the range of the humble Seamaster. Plus it just looks cool, whether you’re into sailing or not! It’s no secret that Omega is rapidly gaining on Rolex in the popularity stakes, particularly in key markets like Asia, and so every opportunity to promote the brand counts.
That being said the screw-in caseback has been embossed with the “ETNZ” logo, and the piece’s number and the words “CHALLENGER FOR THE 34TH AMERICA’S CUP” have been engraved around the outside of the case back, which should keep the enthusiasts happy.
What I perhaps like most though is the fact that Emirates Team New Zealand is not mentioned anywhere on the dial or the front-facing section of the high quality replica watches. This is a clever move by Omega as it limits the risk of alienating potential customers who just desire a cool-looking dive watch but who have little or no interest in sailing or being affiliated with the team. As I mentioned the Omega Seamaster Diver ETNZ is a limited edition piece, with only 2,013 instances being made. Finishing off the look is a black rubber strap with red lettering, which some (myself included) may find a little overpowering in combination with the brightly colored dial. Fortunately, it is also delivered with a stainless steel extendable divers’ bracelet, which is what I think I will spend most of the time wearing. As is fairly standard on the Seamaster the watch is water-resistant to 300 meters / 1000 feet and has a helium escape valve set at 10 o’clock on the case.
