Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean XL 2500D (Model No. 2200.51.00)

I posted a blog entry about my intent to purchase an Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean XL 8500 @ http://andywristwatches.blogspot.com/2014/10/planet-ocean-455mm-xl-should-i-pull.html, but remarked that the size may be a tad too large and thick for normal wear, especially to have it tugged under the cuffs. Trust me, this baby is thick with a capital "T".

A fellow collector whom assists me to source and flip off watches at times then remarked that I could look at the PO XL 2500D instead of the PO XL 8500 above. Why so, you may ask just as I did.

Well, the 2500D was the version that was precedent to the 8500, before the latter gained an in-house movement and bracelet with more shiny parts; and importantly, it had a case just as large at 45.5mm but thinner than the 8500, so it would be a better fit under the long-sleeve cuffs.

Lug size was the same at 22mm (I prefer 22mm lug size compared to 20mm lug size for Diver watches), and it was non-polished the way a tool watch should be. Less bling, more tool-like, more understated and low profile.

That may just work, I thought.

So I started to research just a little bit more...

As per the above, you could get the PO XL 2500D with the following variations :

1) 2200.51 : Orange numerals with black aluminium bezel;
2) 2200.50 : White numerals with black aluminium bezel;
3) 2098.50 : Orange numerals with orange aluminium bezel.

The 3rd piece was very striking while the 2nd piece was a plain Jane, so I thought that the 1st piece was a nice balance between the 2- just some orange numerals to add a little colour to the equation, but still corporate enough for business meetings without attracting unnecessary attention.

I called my AD whom earlier offered me a very generous discount on the PO XL 8500 but they don't have this discontinued model in stock. It was still possible to look for new old stock but they would need some time to locate one.

I searched online and found that new old stock's prices ranged from RM13k to RM16k as per the following :

That's costlier that the price that I was offered for the PO XL 8500. But my friend told me that he could actually sourced a suitable piece for me at a much better budget. So I gave him the go-ahead and let's see where this leads to...