That’s a beauty. Great size. Love the very nicely done teak panel effect on the dial.
Have you changed the battery yet? Did you get an independent to do it?
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My favourite watch is a quartz. I like mechanicals but I appreciate the accuracy and ease of quartz too.
Thank you for your kind words, both of you.
Just as I unexpectedly began to switch to synthetic shaving brushes last year, I've also gradually discovered that for my habits and preferences quartz / eco-drive / solar watches are quite well suited.
At some point earlier this year (month of May actually), I purchased a quartz watch listed here in the BST section. Funny enough, its original owner wanted to switch to analogue timepieces... In my usual acquisition madness I gave it a go despite the fact that it was not really needed; price was right, so I caved in. I could have never thought that this would prove to be another turning point.
I rotate watches in a fairly irregular manner and at the same time despise setting (time, date) a watch every single time I strap it on. So for me there had to be a way of arriving in a practical yet enjoyable small rotation. This -at the moment- is achieved very well with a small collection of a few quartz type pieces.
The Omega was purchased new last Saturday, from an Authorised Dealer after very diligent research on what my next piece could and should be. This current version of the quartz Aqua Terra is reportedly being phased out, and supposedly lacks the metal-made and physically imposed Omega logo and hour markers on the dial that the previous version had. However, the current AT quartz has an improved bracelet, a teak wood effect in the dial, plus a somewhat more streamlined case design.
Originally I visited the specific dealer in order to try the new Longines Conquest V.H.P. quartz, which technologically is a terrific design. The Omega, though, was a clear winner as soon as I put it on my wrist. Tried a couple of other pieces as well but experience clearly dictated I should go for the AT - and that's what I did. It is obviously a privilege to own and enjoy a mechanical wrist watch, but when you really come to think of it in relation to what the end purpose is, all these are just tools that tell time. Quartz watches do this well, with very good accuracy (which to me is important), they cost less than their mechanical counterparts and on top they offer their owners quite trouble-free maintenance.
So no, I have not changed the battery as this is a new acquisition. Would I take this to an independent watchmaker for a battery change (every 3 years or so)? Absolutely yes, but I already have a watchmaker that I personally know and trust.
The Omega Aqua Terra quartz comes in a 38.5mm dia. steel case and is offered in either dark grey/silver or white dial versions (both of them quite versatile for dressing up or down and this model is a touch more sporty as compared to an Omega Constellation for example). Screw-down crown, 150m WR, beautifully functional bracelet, 19mm lug width, fits easily a 6.25" wrist, comes with a standard 5 year Omega warranty (as of July 2018 Omega offers their timepieces with a 5yr warranty, instead of the 4yrs that used to be the norm for Omega till recently).
Retail in Europe is £2,100 (€2,400) and I paid £1,570 (€1,800). You can do even better I believe as initially I was not expecting to make a purchase decision, so did not carry cash with me and thus had to pay using my cc. Omega wants consumers to shift in purchasing mechanical (Automatic) watches which fetch a higher margin and can also help outmost the co. in its war vs. Rolex, so these quartz lines get less investment and attention these days. Despite that, they are fine timepieces that offer trouble-free life, great quality, very good accuracy and can also be found quite cheap in the pre-owned market.
