Background

I admit up front that this is not the way I anticipated starting this post but it is the absolute truth. I tried on my first Sea-Dweller in 1988 (16660 - still one of the best ever made). I fell in love immediately. I liked the more substantial profile that the Sea-Dweller had over the Submariner. To my young mind it seemed more professional. Having that 4000ft-1120m on the dial stretched the imagination beyond limits. At the time, a new Sea-Dweller came with a pretty healthy premium over a Submariner and as a result I never got one but it never left the list of 'watches I want to buy'. In fact it is probably the longest running member.
Note this is one of my all time favorite Sea-Dwellers the 1665. These are much more expensive than the 16600 and 16660s.

Now, I can hear you screaming at your monitor right now as I type "But Rich, what does a Sea-Dweller have to do with the title of this post!" In making this observation you would be both right and wrong. Right as I didn't buy a Sea-Dweller and wrong that it doesn't have anything to do with the post. You see, that substantial profiled professional dive watch esthetic stuck in my mind and paved the way for what I eventually did pick up.


Let's Put This Boat Back On Course

Enter the Omega Planet Ocean 2200.50.00. These were the first Planet Oceans released back in 2005. My particular example is from 2010 right before they transitioned to the 2nd generation that had not only some cosmetic differences but a new movement as well (more info on that later).




The Numbers

Diameter 45.5 mm
Lug Width 22 mm
Thickness 15 mm (to the top of the double domes crystal)
Bracelet taper from 22 to 20 at the clasp (better than the no taper on the 300M)
Aluminum bezel insert

This is a big watch by any standard but even at 45.5 it wears really well. The height is balanced really well by the width. These older Seamasters did come in 42 mm but the 42 doesn't wear as well on my wrist. I also got the 45.5 because it was the one worn in Casino Royale. I am not completely immune to influence.



I am on the hunt for an OEM rubber strap at a decent price (they are tough to find). The aftermarket rubber straps are all made for the current model that has a different spring bar position than these originals (found out the hard way ). In the meantime I love the bracelet. Of course, you need a bracelet for when you need to look like this:


The Movement

These original Seamaster POs came with the Omega 2500 caliber movements. At release the watches came with the 2500C which is an ETA based caliber with modifications for a coaxial escapement. The C had a two level escapement but Omega had some issues with this movement. Particularly if they were not lubricated correctly they had a tendency to stop. The later models starting around 2009/2010 had a 2500D movement which modified the C design to be a three level coaxial making it more reliable.

The 2500D is as close as you can get to the newer 8500 inhouse caliber that was released in 2011. The only practical differences between the two are that the 8500 has a silicon hairspring and escapement and it also has a balance bridge as opposed to an arm. Both movements have a free sprung balance wheel for improved accuracy. The 8500 also had a 60 hour power reserve.

The Planet Ocean was Omegas modern interpretation of the Seamasters from the 50s and 60s and you can clearly see the influence of the old designs.

1957 Seamaster


Military Seamaster 300 from the 60s


I like how this Planet Ocean looks modern and vintage at the same time. There is no mistaking where the design cues for this watch came from. You can see the indices and lyre lugs came from the 300 in the 60s. The arrow hands and inner metal bezel ring came from the 50s. By the way, a small detail that I really love is the open curls on the numerals on the dial. The open 6 and 9. It looks vintage and cool.
I like these older POs much better than the newer versions for a few reasons. They are more matte than blingy. The new ones have too much shine. The printed numerals on the dial are better than the applied ones on the newer models. I do wish it had the liquid metal bezel but that is a really small nit to pick.
I am generally not a fan of AR coating on the outside of the crystal but man does it look good. The crystal melts away making it look like you could touch the hands with your finger. The double dome makes reading the dial simple from any angle.

Why did I grab one now? There are a couple of reasons. While the Sea-Dweller 16600 and 16660 are still the best value in vintage Rolex out there (I am seeing good examples falling down to the $7500 level) they are still pretty expensive for my current budget. The second reason is that these early Planet Oceans are currently selling for a bargain. According to Watch Charts the 2200.50.00 hit a low of $3075 in December. What you get is a heck of a lot of watch for what you are paying. This particular model with the 2500D is a little rarer than the models with the 2500C which is a nice add on.

I was all set to wait and see what CW would do in 2024 with the Pro 600 line. In the end, I was not convinced that they would be making a watch that was what I wanted. The Concept was nice but ultimately not what I want in a tool/dive watch. The Apex falls into that category too. Exposed bridges and skeleton movements are just not interesting to me.

The C60 Ombre is pretty close to perfect in terms of what I like. The C60 Elite is also very close but it lacks a few subtle changes that would put it over the finish for me.
In the end, I decided to instead of waiting for something I didn't have confidence would come to go ahead and buy something I did want right now while the price was right. I am glad I did. If you find that the new Planet Oceans are too much for you (everything is so shiny!) then look at these older generation models. You can snatch up a killer deal.

Does this mean that the Sea-Dweller is off the table for good? Maybe. The fire is still there but the flames have been severely tamped down

EDIT to note: The current Watch Charts show $3342 for an average value in Jan of 2024.

A really great post.
I have always loved the Rolex sub, and could have bought one in Hong Kong for about £400 in the 80's. sadly I didn't as it was not far off a months pay for me as a young Royal Marine, and Hong Kong was such fun!
So for me the Rolex dream died, but like you the PO is a grail watch for me, but again the prices!
I bought a bronze CW which I love, but the PO is class.
thanks for the read

Great write-up for a great watch...congrats on both counts!!..it w/b interesting to see how much wrist time you give that baby this year!!!..
BTW, I admit that movies sometimes influence my purchasing habits as well!..

A great post Rich and congratulations on the watch.

The monochrome nature of the watch makes it look very purposeful.

Neil

Great write up Rich, and congrats! What a stupendous watch. It does look great on your wrist. You definitely ended up with a watch that is "you"

Excellent write up and introduction for those of us that don’t know as much about these models as you clearly do.

An ex boss had an early orange bezel PO that he let me try on and I do agree that the older versions look better.

Enjoy wearing it and thanks for sharing.

Excellent read, Rich. I know the work involved in such a post and I appreciate you taking the time.

As for the watch, definitely one of my favourites, and I must say - as with a lot of other Omega models, I prefer older to newer.

I remember buying my PO (the 2500 LM) in 2011, which was just about the time of the changeover from 2500 to 8500, and like you, I'd like to try a reasonably priced OEM rubber strap at some point.

Thanks for bringing us along on the journey. I enjoy all those details. And what a watch the Planet Ocean is. There are many watches I admire from afar that are rather special. Enjoy it!

The Seamaster series has always been my preferred model from Omega. PO have always been of interest but after seeing your version, plus the info you provided, im off to look at whats kicking around online...

Many thanks and very many congrats on a properly sorted watch

Also my favourite of the POs. Lovely watch, enjoy it!

Great write-up, Rich. The best thing about your posts is always the rich context (pun intended!) you provide to whatever it is you’re writing about.

Great write up, Rich, really enjoyed it. On balance I think I prefer the matt dial older model too, although the enhancement to the newer movement would be worthwhile. Such a fine looking watch. Love the thin bezel an its compressed 20,30,40,50min arabics. The steroid-lite HE valve is SO much more subdued than the Seamaster 300M. Then there's the beautiful silhouette of the bracelet. I'm a big fan, enjoy.

Des

+1 here as another fan of your writing. I find your posts edifying, thought provoking, and always enjoyable. Thanks for putting the time in for our benefit, and enjoy that watch!

Great story and write up which I can really relate to
What a great acquisition
...mine, the Casino Royale LE, says hello Mine is on an aftermarket bracelet.
It originally came on the rubber strap which I have squirreled away.