Omega

Hello everyone,

I need some advice or suggestions and I am hoping that you can help me. 

I’m always looking at watches and when one catches my eye I like to do research.  In this case It’s the Omega Planet Ocean Chronograph titanium liquid metal with the co-axial caliber 9300.  As of right now I believe they only make it with a blue dial and blue bezel.  The retail cost is roughly $10,500 dollars.

 

I currently own a Ulysse Nardin Limited Edition Blue Max watch where only 999 pieces were made and no longer in circulation unless you go to eBay, you might find 1 or 2 on sale, but for much more than what I paid for mine through an AD.

 

This is where I can use your help.  I really like the new Omega, but it’s in blue just like my Ulysse Nardin.  If they had one in black which I’m assuming they will eventually make, would be nice and it would be different than my UN in that sense. The other thing that concerns me is the price tag. $10,500 dollars is a whole lot of money to put down because of the new technology of titanium and liquid metal.  They have the same watch and in black made of stainless steel for $8,000 retail.  What I do like of the more expensive one is that since it is a 45.5mm watch, the titanium liquid metal would make it much lighter and probably more comfortable to wear. 

 

My though has been since the Omega and UN are both blue and both divers should I sell the UN and then purchase the Planet Ocean titanium liquid metal or should I not sell my UN since it is a limited edition and no longer in circulation and just finance the Omega even though it is in blue or should I wait and see if they make a black one in the next few months and then finance that one.  I’m just not sure what to do in this case.  Also, I have some question that maybe you can help me with too.

 

1) Do you feel that $10,500 is worth paying for this Omega watch?

2) I know UN is considered a high end watch company, but I believe that mine has a highly modified ETA

    movement vs the new 9300 Caliber in house movement of Omega.  In this case would the UN still

    be considered more of a prestige watch than the Omega?

 

 

I would really appreciate your input on this.

Thank you.

 

 

 

. . . and here are a few images I snapped last summer . . .

. . . of the titanium Planet Ocean.  Your first question is fairly easy to answer: would you continue to wear the UN after acquiring the Omega?  If so, how often?  As much as, or even more than, the Omega?  If so, then it would make little sense to part with the UN.  On the other hand, if your expectation is that the Omega would garner a lion's share of wrist time, then parting with the UN on the secondary market might very well be the right decision to make.  The one comment of yours that I find disturbing is a willingness to finance the purchase; if this is at no interest cost, and the price of the Omega is discounted, then paying over time is a worthwhile consideration.  Paying credit card interest, though, for any watch doesn't make much sense at all. 

The other questions are more difficult.  If you accept the proposition that Omega has imbued their latest generation of movements with cutting edge technology that's operationally meaningful, then it's a matter of market comparison . . . where else can you find a watch with a movement of that capability, in titanium, at anywhere near the asking price?  Arguments can be made for and against any watch; the main argument for the latest generation of Omegas is the intrinsic quality of their latest generation of movements, and on this point, the anecdotal evidence suggests there is considerable merit to their claims.  Reasonable people can differ on this.  I happen to be one of those who find current Omega movements to offer exceptionally high levels of performance.

As for prestige, again, reasonable people can differ.  In my humble opinion, the exclusivity and quality of Omega's modern movements imbues their watches with value comparable to the most prestigious direct competitors, including Rolex. 

Hope to see a Planet Ocean on your wrist soon!

Cordially,

Art
This message has been edited by Dr No on 2012-01-25 16:12:19

Thank you for your insight. Beautiful photos of your watch.  If I may ask, how does it feel on your wrist?  Being that it is 45.5mm, does it feel comfortable not heavy and just right where you can wear it almost every day? Or does it feel a bit large and heavy, but fine to wear once in a while? 

I have never worn a watch that large. I do have one that comes close at 44mm all titanium but with a rubber strap.  I want my new watch to have a metal bracelet or where I can alternate with rubber. I did contact a local AD and he told me that the all stainless steel version was very heavy as it weighs just under a pound.  This is one of the reasons the full Titanium Liquid Metal caught my attention.  Another question I have is, does this watch only come in blue or have they made the black yet?  I know that in the steel version they do have black and orange, but I don’t know about the titanium liquid metal version.

I hope you can answer these questions as I am very interested to hear what you have to say.

 

Thank you

. . . rather, it's one I had the opportunity to photograph at the Beverly Center Omega boutique last summer.  I don't remember trying it on that day, and if I did, it was only for a moment, so I can't really speak to its level of comfort.  Ruckdee acquired the steel version . . .
   
omega.watchprosite.com 0/

. . . and I'm hoping he can assist with his invaluable ownership experience.  As far as I know, the titanium models only come with blue dials so far.

Cordially,

Art 

Thank you for the link to my review. I don't know if I would be able to find it myself.

WC, allow me to go through your questions one by one and see if I can be of any help.

1) Do you feel that $10,500 is worth paying for this Omega watch?
I feel that the price is a bit too much, especially with the current discount scheme (almost zero in my country). However, I think my cheaper stainless steel version is quite a lot of watch for the money. Perhaps I wouldn't think the titanium is too expensive if they didn't make the stainless steel version at this price for me to compare.


2) I know UN is considered a high end watch company, but I believe that mine has a highly modified ETA movement vs the new 9300 Caliber in house movement of Omega.  In this case would the UN still be considered more of a prestige watch than the Omega?
I believe so. I think UN will continue to be more revered among collectors. But as you know the respect UN commands doesn't go much further than those in the know.


3) If I may ask, how does it feel on your wrist?  Being that it is 45.5mm, does it feel comfortable not heavy and just right where you can wear it almost every day? Or does it feel a bit large and heavy, but fine to wear once in a while?
I am biased in this regard. And I never found any watch too heavy in the first place. I can wear it every day no problem. The only time I am aware that there is a massive watch on my wrist is when I have to reach into a tight corner of the closet or something and the thickness of the watch makes that difficult. Other than that, I don't think this watch will give you a problem.

If you can tell me what other watches you are wearing or have worn besides the UN, the collective community here should have a fairly good idea of whether or not this POC is compatible with you. In the mean time, I can show you that this watch has been going places with me.









4) Another question I have is, does this watch only come in blue or have they made the black yet?  I know that in the steel version they do have black and orange, but I don’t know about the titanium liquid metal version.
Dr. No has already responded to this one. The titanium comes only in blue for the time being. Its bezel is ceramic and liquidmetal. For the steel version, the black bezel is ceramic but the orange bezel is not. It is aluminum.

I'm not sure how attached you are to the UN. Just don't part with it before you have tried the POC on in person. I have handled the titanium version once. It was a working prototype. Somewhat lighter but then again I didn't feel the stainless is too heavy in the first place. I don't know the actual composition of the titanium. But it looks very much like stainless steel and shinier than typical titanium dull. Just thought you should know this too.

In the end, I don't think you can make an informed decision without trying the watch on in person. But do remember this one bit. It's different when strapping the watch to your wrist with the extraneous links on and when you actually size the bracelet and wear the watch as you would really wear it in real life. I hope this helps. Good luck!

Ruckdee

Your photos are fantastic and the amount of information you provided me was superb.  You asked what other watches I wear or have worn besides my UN.  The one I have been wearing the most is a Tag Heuer Aquaracer 500m chronograph in full black that is made of titanium with a rubber strap and it measures 44mm. The other watches that I have worn have been a Tag Heuer Carrera Chronograph in stainless steel and rubber strap and measures 41mm. An original classic Hublot in steel and gold that measures 38mm. A Rado V10k and Rado Diastar Sintra Chronograph in all ceramic. Several years ago I also wore a couple of 45mm Renato Wildebeast watches made from 316L stainless steel and were quite heavy. I couldn’t use the Renato’s every day; they just didn’t feel right on me.  This is pretty much what I have worn or wear besides my UN. My wrist size is about 7¼ inches, I believe neither to small nor to big.  I wish I could see one like the one you own and one in the full liquid metal to compare.  Unfortunately, the local AD doesn’t have any of those in yet, just the older models. If the black one has the ceramic bezel as you stated, I might be able to live with that if I couldn’t get my hands on the full liquid metal one. In any case, I would really like to see them in person and try them on before I even decide to purchase one.  As I see photos of the new PO models in comparison to the older ones, it seems like the new PO look more round and the older models look more oval.  Am I right or is it just the way the photos look?  Well, I hope to hear from you soon, your knowledge and information has been wonderful.

Thank you

...you will have absolutely no problem wearing the POC. The problem now is the weight. The stainless steel POC weighs close to 250 grams by my judgment. I have yet to actually weigh it but when I hold my Ploprof in the other hand the two watches felt just as heavy with the POC being a little lighter. And I have weighed my Ploprof to about 250 grams. Renato web site says Wildebeast weights 262 grams. So weight may be a dealbreaker for you with the SS POC. The Ti POC should be a winner then. Same dimensional measurement but lighter weight.

Regarding the degree of roundness or ovalness between the older and the current POC, I think the photos you saw were deceiving you. My only pic of the old and new POC together does not really help as it was taken at an angle the day I got the call to go and pick up my watch. I was wearing my black Reverso that day. Very different watches. The old POC shown belongs to the boutique.





And you are most welcome. I'm glad to see my observations help with your purchase study. I learned a lot from this forum back in the years and now it is time I contribute with whatever I can. Here's a pic of the POC next to my Ploprof.



The POC is much more wearable. More comfortable bracelet though it lacks fine click adjustment which is so convenient on the Ploprof. On the POC you must use the one half-link provided to size the bracelet.

As you can see, I'm very partial towards the POC. But I wouldn't convince you to blindly buy it either. The moment you strap the titanium version on your wrist you will be able to tell for yourself if it is too heavy for your liking. Watch size isn't not going to be a problem with anyone with a wrist of 7" or larger like yourself. Even if it will be months from now, don't forget to come back and let us know how this purchase ends up!

Ruckdee

Nice photos once again.  I think I’m going to have to wait until the local AD gets some of the new POC so I can try them on.  If not locally, when I travel I will have to stop by one of their stores. 

That’s interesting that you just mentioned your Reverso by Jaeger LeCoultre.  I was just told that as expensive at the Omega titanium liquid metal is, that I should just purchase a JLC Master Compressor Diver with or without Chronograph.  Since you own a JLC even though it’s a different style, what are your thoughts on JLC and their watches with special interest to the Divers?

Thanks Again.

That’s interesting that you mentioned your Reverso by Jaeger LeCoultre. I was just told that as expensive at the Omega titanium liquid metal is, that I should just purchase a JLC Master Compressor Diver with or without Chronograph. Since you own a JLC even though it’s a different style, what are your thoughts on JLC and their watches with special interest to the Divers? Does the person that suggested make a good point?

 

Thank you 

First of all, I am pleased to hear you are waiting to try the watch before buying. As for JLC, what can I say other than that I am a big fan of the brand. Your friend is thoughtful and wants you to spend your money on a watch But none of my JLC timepieces are of the sports variation. I didn't intend this to be so. I wanted the now discontinued Master Compressor Memovox but as a college student at the time the watch was out of reach. Besides I wanted to have the JLC Master Moon first which I did buy after some years. And then I was caught by the Reverso and the MC Memovox was no longer available as new.

I have not owned the MC Diver models. They are nice and well made watches but I am not really fond of the light blue accent and that design of continuous second indicator. However, I almost bought two of their MC Diving Navy Seals models: the Alarm and the Auto. The Alarm I didn't buy because of the Navy Seals association. I am already in favor of firearms so I don't want my friends in the real world to think of myself as a Seals wannabe. The plain Auto is thinner and more comfortable on the wrist but does not offer much for the money. Plus the mentioned concern.

Other watches I have considered but not bought over the years for this or that reason are shown here, with my ultimate choice to the right, of course...


Even among the choices from Omega I feel that the POC is very balanced, symmetrical and everything.


And those are the thoughts which have been going round and round in my head. Too much time on my hand obviously. Too many timepieces to choose from too. So back to the question of POC v.s. MC Diver watches, well, if you block out the logo, the feeling and the heft of the POC in hand is a winner for me. And coming from someone who loves both brands, it just doesn't get any more neutral than this. My theme now is to get sports watches from Omega and dress watches from JLC because I feel Omega dress watches and JLC sports watches don't please me as much. It's not a rule I set for myself. Just the way things seem to be around here for me.

Ruckdee

All I can say is wow.  You Shure have your Ideas and thoughts organized. Your photos with all the time pieces that you have considered and all the Omegas that are asymmetrical/symmetrical are amazing.  I love watches and I usually look at detail, but I don’t think I have ever seen detail like you do.  I have to say that is wonderful.

Well, let me start by saying that I received an email from my local AD telling me that they will start receiving the Omega in titanium liquidmetal in the next month or so and that it only comes in blue.  He also stated that their retail price was going to be $8,500. 

Now here comes my dilemma.   As you recall, my Ulysse Nardin is already blue so I was hoping to get something in a different color, but not a total deal breaker.  I have never owned a JLC or Omega.  I have always wanted a JLC, but most of their watches are more than I really want or can spend on one.  In this case since the prices were relatively close between both brands I figured that my friend did have a point and should spend the money on a JLC since I have always wanted to own one of their time pieces.  Now though after getting the email from the AD and telling me that their retail price is going to be $8,500 instead of the $10,500 and possibly getting them to bring down the price a little more to maybe $7,500, that is a good sum of money that I can save. Also, after reading your amazing reply and talking about symmetry and sport watches for Omega and dress watches for JLC it leaves me wondering if I should just go for the Omega and forget about the JLC altogether and maybe on some other occasion try and purchase a JLC.  As you stated that if you were to cover up the brand that you would go with the Omega.  Since I have never had either one of these brands and I am looking for something that i can use for both dressy or sport, I need to make sure I make the right decision and get the best watch for the money spent.

I would appreciate any further comments and suggestions to further help me make a wise decision. Thank You.

My information on the pricing may be obsolete but last I checked it was very close to your $10,500. I can't give you the exact price in my market because that titanium piece has yet to arrive so any price I was told is not definite.

Regarding the visual analysis, well, I am a rather severe case of obsessive-compulsive disorder and that certainly is not a trait to be admired. I just felt I needed to bring up those points for you before you go ahead with the purchase than for you to discover or be pointed to look later when you already have the watch.

Really I cannot decide for you. Maybe you should ask yourself what you like about the JLC diver and see if it has more merits than the POC to you. Don't buy it just because it is a JLC. It's not the only JLC out there and you have all the time in the world to get a JLC. That company surely will outlive us and continue to take away our precious savings time and again



One suggestion is for you to cross post this dilemma on the JLC forum and provide a link to this thread. See what the others have to suggest.

Ruckdee

Let me start by explaining why I like each watch.  This message has been edited by Watch Connoisseur on 2012-01-27 10:27:23

the relative common-ness of a watch at this level i think really isn't a big concern.  i see many more rolexes than omegas, but that could be my own work or social environment.  but over the course of basically five years, i think i only spotted a planet ocean once or twice...even in the business class lounges at airports around the world.  most people don't care about watches....  we're already part of a small circle of folks.  but wherever i've been, whatever i've worn has usually been unique in that setting.  however, if you did spot someone with a poc, wouldn't that be rather cool?  a fellow enthusiast!  by and large, you're not going to see every third person wearing one of these.  no doubt, you'll see the tags and the rolexes.

a practical consideration is how thick the poc is vs the jlc and how well it will fit under under a dress shirt.  my jlc extreme world chrono does not wear well with a dress shirt because it's so thick.  so it might be worth giving some thought to that.  obviously, if you're a cufflinks afficianado, your shirt will post less of a problem, but if you use buttons, it just might.  my planet ocean in 42mm (if i remember correctly) never did, but once you start increasing the dimensions....

chris

Okay, I'm starting to get a little frustrated with my local AD. As I mentioned to you on the last couple of posts, they had emailed me and told me that they should start getting some in next month or so and that their retail price was going to be $8,500.  Well I decided to double check and I called a couple of boutiques, One in Las Vegas and another in California.  They told me that they had them but that the price was $10,600.  So now we are back to where I started and even $100 more than the original price I had of $10,500. 

So my question to you Ruckdee since you have pretty much the same version but with the black ceramic bezel and stanless steel. Do you think it's worth spending the extra cash for the liquid metal and full titanium?

It is just starting to seem like the price is not going to drop on the titanium liquid metal version.

 

I can confirm that the full US MSRP currently for the POC Ti/LM on the titanium bracelet is indeed $10,600.

I just went to a boutique earlier this week to try one on vs the Speedmaster with the new 9300 movement.

Ruckdee is probably very familiar with this topic since he was very helpful as always on another forum and thread on helping me get some facts and setting expectations before heading to take a look

There absolutely is no substitute for trying the watch in person, because it definitely changed my mind vs just looking at specs on the piece. 

So the piece is big, but not unmanageable for my 6.5 inch wrist (yes I like big watches). However, the deal breaker for me personally,  was the height. You'll hear many folks talk about how tall this piece is and it's no passing comment, it is definitely a very tall piece. The height for me personally, was the deal breaker. However, it seems you have a larger wrist than me and maybe the height won't be a factor for you so again, the best advice is to go and try on the piece.

The POC Ti/LM blue is spectacular. I know you already have the UN Blue Max, but personally even if Omega made the POC in black with a Ti case, I would probably still go for the blue version. 

As a little sidenote, I actually used to have the regular black edition of the UN Marine diver (my first UN). I loved that watch and really appreciated the comfort and fit of the rubber with the ti articulation. I ended up "upgrading" to the UN Aqua Marine Perpetual and I still love that piece even after all these years. UN just seems to get shades of blue like nobody else.

Finally, my little bit of advice is if possible, go to your local AD or boutique for all the brands and pieces you are considering and try them all. 

Spending this kind of cash, it's a big deal and in the end, it's great to listen to all the advice and input from people about brands and features etc…. but it's your money, so buy what you like and what speaks to you. Don't buy the brand, buy the piece that you love!

Good luck

Cheers

-Sam

You made a very accurate observation about one watch being of typical dull titanium appearance and the other almost stainless steel like shine. This difference will matter to you more once you own either watch and you are presented with the choices of watch to wear for the day or a certain occasion.

As for your questions, let's have a look at them one by one...


What do you think about what others have said of Omegas technology and movement.
My personal opinion is that the watch world is somewhat hyped and any suggestion of advancement or benefit should be downplayed in the buyer's mind.

The Liquidmetal is a very good example and even ceramic itself. Watches from years ago don't have these fancy materials yet they have withstood the test of time just fine. Plus their bezel was cheaper to replace.

For this POC, the use of Liquidmetal is limited to only the numerals you see on the bezel which is surrounded by the blue ceramic.

Now, if the entire watch case and bracelet are made of Liquidmetal, that would really interest me but again the price will be exorbitant for sure. They'll probably charge us more than a platinum watch if past watches are any indication. At least in that case the scratch resistance benefit will be put to really good use.



Let me show you my 12 years old Seamaster with simple aluminum bezel. You will see a few light scratches on the blue bezel in the zone from the first to the fifteenth minute. With the ceramic the chance of this happening is less. But this is already very acceptable to me because the watch was somewhat tortured during the first years of use. This is very reasonable.


Do you think they are correct by stating that it's way ahead of what is currently out there including JLC?
JLC is a traditional brand that is very much alive in terms of innovation. But their focus is sharper in other departments than utilitarian sports watches. You should study the mechanism of the Master Compressor line, see how they operate and what the benefits are.

The rather unique features Omega claims for the new 9300 movement are the combined hour and minute totalizer and the safety from accidental activation of the reset button when the chronograph is running and before it is stopped. The buttons on the POC are also claimed to be water resistant and operable while submerged. Not that we have to use it that way. They are just saying that you can. And now every brand can say that.

Omega Caliber 9300 may be an industrial advancement, a high performance product or anything you may call it. But its prestige will never match the level of refinement JLC is known for. So I think the "way ahead" part of your question is very difficult to comment on or respond to.


Do you think it's worth spending the extra cash for the liquid metal and full titanium?
You must be able to tell from the above response already that the Liquidmetal doesn't amaze me one bit. But in our case, the full titanium is worth paying for. Weight is a deciding factor for you. I don't think the SS POC will last long in your collection. You will soon get rid of it because of the weight.

Speaking as a fan of both brands, if you are going to have only one JLC in your life, I don't think the MC Diving Chronograph is representative enough of what the brand stands for. There is also no telling if the next version of the watch will look anything like it. Your sample can be the origin of a lasting and treasured collection like the Rolex Submariner. Or it can be a watch that doesn't fit in the overall image of that collection twenty years from now. Maybe I am over-analyzing but it doesn't hurt to think right? Just look at the constant change the IWC Aquatimer has been going through and you will get the picture. From the vintage with internal bezel to external bezel in the last decade to the internal bezel again a few years ago and external bezel again now. Only one of the later variations bears any resemblance to the original. Hmmm.....

What do you think?

Ruckdee

Great discussion on the features of the 9300 movement and I thought I'd jump in with some comments of my own.

I think it depends what you're looking for in a movement. Great finishing and levels of refinement are independent from technology and features. If you look at some of the other sections of this great site, many folks revere the amazing finishing of Mr Dufour's pieces or love the level of refinement on say a simple time only Patek.

If you look at the 9300 movement from a finishing standpoint, it's ok. It's interesting, but definitely a result of CNC machines, robotics with a heathy dose of modern design style…

However, what the movement does give you (and what attracted me to it being a tech guy) is that it has a silicon balance wheel. This is pretty exotic tech for the watch industry and previously, I think the only folks that I know who where messing with this was UN and Patek in certain highly specialized pieces. These pieces weren't cheap either, so Omega basically brought this tech down to  "mainstream"  watches that even through they are expensive compared to the rest of the Omega lines, they are a bargain compared with what came before it.

As mentioned earlier, the other main distinguishing and marketed feature is the single chrono subdial that measures the hrs and min. This feature is pretty trick, but once again it's not unique,  Patek and IWC have done this on some of their chronos, but again they're in a different price bracket.

I think we hear the term "value" a lot these days and we should. To me the 9300 and even 8500 movements represent a good "value" for the price point (at least for today). The combination of tech, features and the lines that Omega put these in has certainly prompted me to purchase a piece from them again after a fairly long absence from the brand. I'm sure that may fade as many other companies start to bring out similar features at lower price points, but just like in tech, you pick the price point you're willing to pay for a certain tech with the knowledge that it will always come down in the future

Cheers

-Sam

...balance wheel. Yes, you are right it is great Omega is doing this. Thank you for jumping in, Sam. You have made this discussion more meaningful with your technical observations.

Ruckdee

 

Sam did make some very good points, but I am not familiar with the silicon on the complication. Can you further explain why this is so important and how it differs from other complications? 

Now that you are reminded about this added feature on the movement, does that make a difference as to which watch would be the better choice.  I know that JLC uses a Calibre : 956 for the alarm and a Calibre : 757 for the NS Chrono, but I wouldn’t know how to really compare each one of them to see which one of all has the better movement .  Can you help me better understand this and make a wise decision ? 

This discussion has been great.  Everyone has been very helpful and I’m putting everything together.  At the end I will have made a well and knowledgeable decision.

...what they are doing. They have a detailed article on the merits of silicon on watchmaking plus a video here www.omegawatches.com g

Personally, I don't care much if a watch movement uses silicon parts or not. As I said before, the simpler watches that came before these advancements work just fine. And when they are not performing at 100%, they can be sent in for any required servicing. That is to say use of innovative material is not high on my priority. It may be for some buyers but not this one.

Here comes the hardest part of our discussion. I don't know how you can compare those two JLC calibers with Omega Caliber 9300. One thing is for sure. You will have to leave the alarm movement out of this comparison because it offers a totally different function. And for the two chronograph movements, I believe the specs are quite the same. 60+ hours of power reserve, column wheel and the usual. Omega has a press kit on this caliber on line at www.omegawatches.com . JLC doesn't seem to have one but a brief specification sheet can be found at www.jaeger-lecoultre.com (click "technical details" on the second bullet from top on the right side of the watch).

Perhaps you should ask someone with a sports JLC watch and see how they fare against abuse. One of my JLC dress watches was damaged once in a brawl. Long story, let's make me look like a good person by saying that I was trying to save a few dogs from being unnecessary torture. Anyway, the watch was blown by a hard object during the commotion. It stopped working immediately with no fracture on the outside. My watchmaker said something in the movement (forgot part's name) was thrown off and proceeded to correct the problem for me in 20 minutes. It worked flawlessly as if nothing has ever happened to it. Some of my other Omega watches went through similar abuse and survived just fine. I don't know if we should attribute that to stronger sports cases (whereas the JLC was a dress watch) or if JLC movements in general are more delicate. I am not saying which is the case. I am just posing question for you to investigate further. But for the Navy Seals models, I read that they were tested by the elite frogmen themselves. How exactly the test was carried out I don't know. You may be interested in finding more info on that test or JLC's association with the Navy Seals.

I stepped into the local Omega boutique today to see if they have a titanium POC in stock. I'm not getting a second POC, of course, just to reassess it for our discussion. It turned out that they had only the titanium PO on display next to an SS POC. Seeing the two watches together again, I must say Omega did a great job with their formulation of the titanium. It looks almost like stainless steel. On the wrist and without an SS watch to compare, this titanium can pass as stainless steel to the eyes. Would that be a good or bad thing by your book?

Ruckdee

That is one of the things that got my attention to this watch. I had read that the titanium had a gloss just like SS and that it looked wonderful. Thank you for going to the shop and actually confirming that. This is why I think this watch would work for both sports and dress up.

I read from someone that the blue looks amazing and that even though I have my blue UN to go with the blue Omega. My understanding the titanium is only made in blue anyways and I know you have a black POC. How do the colors compare to each other? Did you get to handle the titanium PO while in the shop? How does it look compared to the POC and how did the weight of the titanium PO feel?

Last night I was taking some measurements and one of the things that are really concerning me is the thickness of the POC. I read that it is 19.5mm thick. My Aquaracer is 16.6mm thick so we are talking about 3mm more. Do you think that is going to make much of a difference in appearance? While the watch is on your wrist does it really look like it's that thick? Or does it look much like any other 44mm/45mm watch?

I will be looking at the websites you provided me for some more information, thank you for that.

At this time the titanium POC is available only in blue. I would have bought the titanium if it was available in black originally. Not because of the weight benefit, but just for the sake of having that cool titanium. That is quite something. If a sports watch this size can work in a dressier situation, this one certainly can. You asked about the blue. Well, the hue of the blue changes somewhat under different lighting conditions (showcase, camera flash, outdoor, etc.). But it's all interesting to see that happen, the change I mean.

However, as I knew it would be at least one year and most likely two or three years before Omega releases the titanium with black dial and bezel, I didn't want to wait but to enjoy the POC as a new release so I proceeded with the order.

I'm not going to lie to you. The thickness is a factor you should consider. But no amount of consideration equals actual tryout at the AD. Right now all I can help is to show you these two pics.

Here's the profile shot showing how thick the beast is...


And here's how it wears on the wrist. You will see from this pic that the case back part kinds of sits "into" the wrist


This should give you an idea that, when worn, the effective thickness is from the top of the bezel to the base of the case. The thickness of the case back is more or less out of view.

Ruckdee

I'm kind of partial to the black as well, but like you I really don't want to wait until they make one in that color.

The way the second photo looks, it seems like the case almost doesn't play a big part as it sinks into the wrist. It seems to give the watch a thinner appearance when it does that. Am I correct with what I'm stating or is it just the perception of the photo?

In any case, your watch looks amazing in black especially since it kind of looks like a dark gray in some angles.

I did a little bit more research on the JLC MCA NS and one of the things that really got my attention and I liked was the Caliber: 956.

If I understood correctly, this caliber was introduced back in the 1950's and is one of their most reliable movements. It has an alarm mechanism with gong suspended from its case back for improved acoustics. They updated the caliber to their latest advancement in such areas as automatic winding by using ceramic ball bearings which in turn would require not maintenance or lubrication.

To me this sounds wonderful. If you require no maintenance or practically no maintenance or lubrication, the way I see it, the extra money you spend to own one of these time pieces is saved by not having to send it in for regular repairs.

Now, I am also saying this with consideration that we would still do our best to take care of the watch and not toss it around or run over it with a vehicle. What I am trying to say is, we might still have to do maintenance on it but probably not as frequently as we would with other watches.

So after looking at JLC's and mentioning the above, I have to say that I would not go with the chronograph version but the alarm version instead.  I can now see why you had wanted purchase this watch at some point.

I think we are down to the Omega POC Titanium or the JLC MCA NS. I know that with the JLC having the alarm function it changes things but I still think it's a good challenge between each other and a choice that I still have to make.

By the way how is the luminescence on the JLC MCAlarm NS?  Does it us Superliminova or something else?  I know they made a special boutique edition that had yellow or orange and those contained superliminova, but the one I am interested in is the regular one with no bright colors.  This is actually very important to me because I do tend to look at my watch in low light condition quite a bit.  I’m not asking about the Omega because I read that the luminescence is very good on that watch and there are several photos that I have seen that seem to back up the statements made.

 

But I am very sorry I cannot offer you much in a way of information on the JLC caliber. I haven't owned it before and think you should copy the movement questions over to the JLC forum. The same applies to the lume intensity as well. While I have handled the MC and MC NS watches before, those were all in a boutique or event setting. I have no idea how bright they glow in the dark. It's time to recruit help from our JLC friends. There are quite a few NSA owners out there. It's a very successful watch among collectors!

Ruckdee

You have been wonderful with all your help. I will definitely ask my questions again about the luminescence and the 956 movement in the JLC MCA NS at the JLC Forums. Hopefully someone out there will have Photos and Information on that.  If you come across or think about anything else please feel free to comment or contact me personally.  Thank you.

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Since my local AD seems to struggle to get what I am looking for I might just have to take a little trip to Vegas and find what I’m looking for there.  This way I will get to look at the watches try them on and take with me all the great advice and knowledge that I have received.

Once I make a decision I will come back and let everyone know what I decided on and why.

I will also post some photos.

Thank you

You make some very valid points.  I think I need to see the Omega and try them on in person once they come in and see how each one fits and feels.  I did take another look at JLC again and came across two other models that I think might be nicer than the original I mentioned.

Master Compressor Diving Chronograph GMT Navy SEAL 46mm and the Master Compressor Diving Alarm Navy SEAL 44mm.  They both look good but I think the 46mm might be an issue as with the Omegas 45.5mm.

What are your comments on these vs the Omega? Same as before or have some different perspectives?

And this Alarm is the one I mentioned earlier that I like VERY much but did not buy eventually. I like how the complication is offered in a neat, clean dial design.

Ruckdee