Trying to decide between SMP and Heritage summer blue

Vinz Clortho

Tried some of the Summer Blue collection on at the local OB when they were released. (AT, SMP, Heritage, PO) Both of those are pretty close, fall into the middle blue shades. Reason it looks lighter in general is the sunburst graduation from the center. The caseback is definitely a beautiful piece of art.

Either will be good since your PO is a black dial. The Heritage has a different vibe than the SMP and if you're looking for something different, that's the way to go.

L Lolingbastard

Thanks for your response. Yeah I too think the heritage will be a good second omega for me. I think I will go see one in person to make sure I like the color.

ErichPryde

ErichPryde

Well.... it's wildly comfortable. The steel caseback makes it sit close to the wrist (and just over .1mm thinner than the regular heritage if that matters to you). It also has a nicely domed crystal; it's just not as tall as the on-paper measurement suggests. it's snug and tight to the wrist in such a great way.

the dial: while the SMP summer blue dial shows much of its color ability on a regular basis because of the flashier ceramic dial (which isn't bad) the varnished fumé dial here will make more subtle changes, but it can be dramatically different throughout the same say depending upon sunlight angles, cloud cover, how gray or overcast it is- the craziest dial effects are when it throws off emerald, ruby, and sapphire sparkles (which are essentially impossible to photograph) in shaded full sun. This dial is both dramatic and subtle at turns; like all of the summer blue series this is probably its greatest strength and greatest weakness. If you want a watch that consistently looks the same at any angle in any lighting condition, it is not for you. On most days this watch will not be the same in the morning, afternoon, and evening, and will vary appearance in different indoor lighting (a trait it shares with the SMP in some ways).

Timekeeping is exceptional, what you'd expect from Omega's METAS. Mine was 12 seconds fast this morning running constantly since February without being adjusted.

I've owned this for a year, and it is by far my most worn watch. I'm currently wearing a speedy on an Apollo flatlink (which I love) but I think the heritage flatlink is more comfortable.

I doubt I'll ever part with it.

ErichPryde

I love both of these, I think it really comes down to whether or not you like the design elements of the SMP like the helium valve, skeleton hands, and scalloped bezel, or the broad arrow, shark tooth markers, and 12-3-6-9 + coin edge bezel of the 50s/60s SM300. Can't go wrong with either one, and it's pretty easy to find things to prefer about one or the other.

I'm biased towards the vintage look and freely admit it.

ErichPryde

I doubt it- not much anyway. the ceramic dials are quite a bit thicker to reduce their fragility; as far as I am aware the heritage is a brass base dial (pretty common) that is very slightly "hammered" (like, with a hammer the size of a pin...) to give it teensy tiny bits of texture, and then whatever material creates the fumé look (on the entire line) is added over the top, it's spun (to make it lighter in the center) and then varnished. Basically, it starts its life off like most other watch dials.

When it comes to watches, varnish and lacquer seem to get used interchangeably. Many, many dials are varnished; the black speedmaster dial is varnished. Rolex dials are varnished or lacquered. Most dials- are varnished. Why Omega is choosing to play up this term in the case of the heritage (and white speedy) I can't say for certain- but using varnish on dials is not any sort of a new process, and watches that are 50+ years old still look great today (unless the varnish has been damaged by moisture or radium, or both). Most of today's varnishes are at least as stable as they were 70 years ago and probably more so.

There will likely be some subtle changes half-a-century from now in the heritage dial, but I can't say for certain what they will be.