An Observation About the Planet Ocean

[Caliber561]

Just realized that the Planet Ocean 39.5mm 'Summer Blue'/75th Anniversary utilizes the 8900 caliber instead of the 8800 that's typical of the 39.5mm size. Given that fact, it's also the same thickness as the standard 39.5mm model – 14.2mm.

So, given this information, it's interesting to see that Omega can fit the 8500/8900 movement in a sub-40mm Planet Ocean, something that to my knowledge, they haven't done before, supposedly because of how large that movement series is. Hopefully, this bodes well for the update and downsizing (one can hope) of the Planet Ocean line, although there's no telling when or if that will occur.

 

[padders]

I don’t think you are correct, the PO Summer Blue uses the smaller 8800.

https://www.berrysjewellers.co.uk/p...MIoYmBibG-gwMV4JhQBh0A0gV4EAQYASABEgJCXfD_BwE

They have been able to fit the 8500 in a 38mm Constellation for around 10 years but I bet it’s a squeeze and I doubt it’s possible in the smaller dive cases. The two barrel 8500s & 8900s are unnecessarily fat and seem to bear no real benefits over single barrel movements. They were a triumph of marketing over function IMO ‘oh look at me I’m fully in house and natively coaxial’ and yet the single barrel 8800 is much smaller does more or less the same job and has a similar footprint to the 2500. Note Longines use an ETA 2892 development (like the 2500) with free sprung silicon balance which has a 70 hour reserve ie better than the 8500 or 8800 models. Why did Omega bother? Using a Coax escapement it seems costs reserve. I’ll concede that the 8500/8900 does look amazing. I have one in a 40mm sapphire cased DV Hour Vision and it’s quite lovely to behold

Edited: Jan 2, 2024

 

[Caliber561]

padders

I don’t think you are correct, the PO Summer Blue uses the smaller 8800.

https://www.berrysjewellers.co.uk/p...MIoYmBibG-gwMV4JhQBh0A0gV4EAQYASABEgJCXfD_BwE

They have been able to fit the 8500 in a 38mm Constellation for around 10 years but I bet it’s a squeeze and I doubt it’s possible in the smaller dive cases. The two barrel 8500s & 8900s are unnecessarily fat and seem to bear no real benefits over single barrel movements. They were a triumph of marketing over function IMO ‘oh look at me I’m fully in house and natively coaxial’ and yet the single barrel 8800 is much smaller does more or less the same job and has a similar footprint to the 2500. Note Longines use an ETA 2892 development (like the 2500) with free sprung silicon balance which has a 70 hour reserve ie better than the 8500 or 8800 models. Why did Omega bother? Using a Coax escapement it seems costs reserve. I’ll concede that the 8500/8900 does look amazing. I have one in a 40mm sapphire cased DV Hour Vision and it’s quite lovely to behold

Regarding your second point, I think a lot of people like the jumping hour hand when it comes to setting the time, and if I remember correctly, the dual barrels help with providing more constant torque over a running period than when using a single barrel.

About the summer blue PO, Omega's own website states that it uses the 8900 : https://www.omegawatches.com/en-us/...ial-master-chronometer-39-5-mm-21530402003002

This does make me think there may be a typo, so unless someone pops open their solid caseback or has access to the tech docs, we may never really know...

EDIT: I just checked the technical details and it says 8800 there, despite what is said in the main description. So it does seem they haven't been able to fit the 8900 in a sub-40 diver case.

 

[Meme-Dweller]

Caliber561

Regarding your second point, I think a lot of people like the jumping hour hand when it comes to setting the time, and if I remember correctly, the dual barrels help with providing more constant torque over a running period than when using a single barrel.

About the summer blue PO, Omega's own website states that it uses the 8900 : https://www.omegawatches.com/en-us/...ial-master-chronometer-39-5-mm-21530402003002

This does make me think there may be a typo, so unless someone pops open their solid caseback or has access to the tech docs, we may never really know...

EDIT: I just checked the technical details and it says 8800 there, despite what is said in the main description. So it does seem they haven't been able to fit the 8900 in a sub-40 diver case.

I just contacted the webmaster about the error. They'll fix it in about a week or two. I've contacted them about numerous errors in the past on the website.... it's not an uncommon mistake for them. The people who work on their website are obviously not Omega enthusiasts.

 

[padders]

They have been busy recently stripping the OVD of any useful content such as the calibre number for all vintage pieces. Fallout from the £3m Franken Speedy with the dodgy extract presumably. The OVD is now next to useless.

 

[Caliber561]

padders

They have been busy recently stripping the OVD of any useful content such as the calibre number for all vintage pieces. Fallout from the £3m Franken Speedy with the dodgy extract presumably. The OVD is now next to useless.

Really tragic. The OVD had so much potential to be a gateway for new enthusiasts into vintage watches. The old Omega Museum website was something I read over and over again when new to vintage Omega, just before it was taken down.

 

[Foo2rama]

Meme-Dweller

I just contacted the webmaster about the error. They'll fix it in about a week or two. I've contacted them about numerous errors in the past on the website.... it's not an uncommon mistake for them. The people who work on their website are obviously not Omega enthusiasts.

all love though!

 

[Meme-Dweller]

they updated the Omega website-- error has been corrected