This article was originally published in the May/June 2022 Issue of the WatchTime print magazine.

With the Seamaster Aqua Terra Ultra Light, Omega put its focus on a sporty look and innovative light weight. A fresh look at every detail resulted in a number of horological innovations. The hand-wound movement is Omega?s first titanium caliber ? and implementation was no easy feat. After waiting over two years to get our hands on the watch, our editors had the opportunity to do a full hands-on test.

The ?Ultra Light,? as we refer to this Omega watch, rather than by its full name, weighs only 55 grams on its black textile strap. According to our precision scale, the rubber strap with a titanium folding clasp bumps its weight up to 76 grams. For comparison, the Seamaster Planet Ocean with a titanium case, ceramic bezel and rubber strap weighs 104 grams, or about a third more. This is a valid comparison since the Ultra Light is made of exactly the same materials as the Planet Ocean while there are no comparable Aqua Terra models (apart from a couple of GoodPlanet versions). Titanium is the primary material used for the Ultra Light case. Not just any titanium ? an alloy known as Gamma Titanium is used for the mid-section, the ring for the sapphire crystal threaded caseback and the crown. This is an absolute first for Omega.
This unusual material is an intermetallic compound of titanium and aluminum, also known by its scientific name: titanium aluminide (TiAl). N...