Unveiled at the preliminary regatta in Vilanova, the Seamaster Planet Ocean Deep Black ETNZ Edition (to give it its full title) has been inspired by the Emirates Team New Zealand logo and is set to become a hotly contested America’s Cup collectable all of its own.
The 45.5mm watch blends deep black with the turquoise accent of Emirates Team New Zealand. Complementing the black ceramic case is a unidirectional bezel in brushed black ceramic with white enamel diving scale and triangle-framed dot at 12, which includes white Super-LumiNova to emit a green glow in the dark. Providing the power inside the watch is OMEGA’s Master Chronometer Calibre 9900.
On the matt ceramic dial, OMEGA has included a nod to pre-race protocol with a countdown indicator at three o’clock, complete with flagged ‘start’. The indicator’s hand and subdial ring are in ETNZ’s trademark turquoise, along with the minute track, number 12, and central seconds chronograph hand with America’s Cup trophy counterweight. And, in salute to the kiwi crew, the Naiad lock caseback is emblazoned with an Emirates Team New Zealand logo.
OMEGA’s President and CEO Raynald Aeschlimann spoke highly of the watch and the crew that inspired its creation. “Much like our friends from Emirates Team New Zealand, a year races by fast, so the time is right to show our true colours. Our race-ready watch looks as good as it performs and is a fitting tribute to the talented crew and the country they represent.”
The striking colour combination has been a talking point. Raynald admits that despite turquoise’s deep association with affluence, it took careful thought to find a suitable way to incorporate the colour into OMEGA’s time-honoured design. “Bringing in that blue was a challenge – I wanted this watch to be recognisable but still in line with what we’ve recently been doing. We wanted to create something that wasn’t just a collab with another name on the dial.”
The watch comes on a black and turquoise rubber strap with turquoise stitching, with additional strap choices comprising a second rubber option and two Nato straps, all in complementary colours.
In addition to the tribute watch, OMEGA are poised to provide the event’s precision timekeeping with the 37th edition of the world-famous regatta marking OMEGA’s fourth time as official timekeeper.
In one year from now, the Emirates Team New Zealand crew will be giving it their all to keep the world’s oldest sporting trophy in kiwi hands, with an OMEGA Seamaster on their wrists to help them catch the breeze.
