Pictures : Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean (Skyfall)

The 42mm Planet Ocean (Skyfall) was a good fit on my wrist- and it's light too, especially when matched with the rubber strap. Should I pull the trigger?

Pictures : Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Chrono

Pursuant to my earlier entry at http://andywristwatches.blogspot.my/2017/06/the-next-big-piece-omega-seamaster.html, I have made my mind to go with the following :

It's a big piece at 45.5mm; but thanks to the shorter lugs, I was able to size the bracelet to fit well on my wrist. As previously pointed out, the make-or-break experience with a larger watch was largely influenced by whether the wearer could wear the watch comfortably on his or her wrist. Therefore, watch makers have to place more emphasis on creating good bracelets.

This was a very handsome and macho piece, and it's entry into my collection at this point in time ensured that I could bring it along for my week-long overseas travel shortly. I had just only torn off all the plastic packaging from this piece, so I was somewhat mindful not to scratch the watch or its bracelet given its pristine condition.

All in all, this was a very fine piece and I would opine that this was a keeper over time. I would put up a longer-term review after some time with this PO Chrono.

The Next BIG Piece : Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Chronograph

Readers would know that I planned to get the 42mm Planet Ocean 8500 (Skyfall) to replace the 42mm Planet Ocean 2500 (Casino Royale) that was flipped. I missed the PO real soon after it was flipped.

So I stopped by an Omega AD during my flight transits; and while trying the 42mm PO (Skyfall) and 43.5mm PO GMT, I also chanced upon the 45.5mm PO Chrono. I believed that I have helped a fellow reader purchased this same model some years back, as the AD was giving me a good deal then. I shared Monochrome's write-up on this piece @ http://andywristwatches.blogspot.my/2013/04/omega-seamaster-planet-ocean-455mm-aka.html back in 2013.

Fast forward a couple of years now, and Omega had very stringent discount controls and MYR was at a relatively higher-depreciated position compared to yesteryears, so Omega watches were more expensive these days.

There were a couple of PO Chrono available in the AD, with the rubber strap version slightly cheaper (USD8,100) compared to the stainless steel bracelet version (USD8,200); as per the following :

I decided to sleep over it, as I was unsure if I could carry the relatively bigger and bulkier PO Chrono on my wrist. I had more confidence with a bigger piece these days having added the 47mm Submersible 2500 and 45mm Space Orbital II into my collection; but both these pieces were made from titanium hence their lighter weight. The PO Chrono was a stainless steel piece, so it would inevitably be heavier.

The next BIG piece, should I?

Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean : James Bond Skyfall (2012)

I have been overseas the whole week and only brought the Rollie Hulk (Rubber B) with me. Whenever I go for outdoor activities, a rubber strap would be the preferred choice; which was the reason that I was thinking of getting the Ball Hydrocarbon rubber strap for the Space Orbital II.

The reason I spoke about the rubber strap was because I had flipped the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 2500 (Casino Royale) earlier the month, and I had been missing it since. It was a watch with quite some wrist presence, and there was an emptiness after the piece was sold for RM13k.

I don't fancy the Omega Seamaster 300 (Spectre); and the piece that I would be glad to add to my collection after the Casino Royale piece, would be the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 8500 (Skyfall). The Skyfall piece was essentially the same piece as the Casino Royale piece, coupled with improvements in the caliber (from 2500 to 8500), bezel insert (from aluminium to ceramic), and Seamaster wording on the dial (from silver to orange).

I am debating whether to get the PO 8500 on bracelet or rubber strap; although I roughly could deduced that the one paired with the rubber strap would be lighter and more versatile. The bracelet piece was more costly by a mere RM400. The Malaysian prices were as per below :

So I swung by one of my favourite Omega ADs on my way back to Malaysia this evening, and checked out the PO 8500.

Since sales was slow, the boutique manager was ready to give me a good deal given that I was a serious and repeated customer on many occasions. He further promoted the 43.5mm Seamaster Planet Ocean GMT in titanium, and it was a pretty light piece.

He did not have the PO 8500 with rubber strap, but he assured me that he could ask for a stock transfer in a jiffy.

So readers, what do you think? Should I go for the PO 8500 with bracelet or rubber strap?