Why does the Omega Aqua Terra Ultra Light cost over US$50,000?

Russell Sheldrake

If you have been glued to the Olympics when you should have been working, like I have, you would have undoubtedly seen the Swedish pole vaulter, Armand “Mondo” Duplantis break his own world record to secure gold. And if you are also like me, you would have noticed a curious watch on his wrist as he did so. This was the, now secretly released, Aqua Terra 150m Ultra Light designed specifically for the Swede. Possibly the first watch introduced to the world at 6.25m.

While we still await official communication from Omega about this watch, its appearance on the global stage has brought this model’s pricing back into the spotlight. First released in 2019, the Ultra Light was a striking watch, developed with Rory McIlroy to be something that can be worn while competing, it went to extremes to keep weight down. It makes use of an unusual titanium alloy for the case, along with making the main plate and bridges of the movement out of ceramic-coated titanium. The movement, the calibre 8928 Ti, is based on the automatic calibre 8900 with the winding rotor removed and an additional 12 hours of power reserve. Presumably, the rotor would have made the watch too heavy.

This watch hasn’t jumped in price just because it was part of a world record-setting attempt, in fact, it has always been around the US$50k mark, but now it’s back in the spotlight, and the watch-loving public seems to have been reminded of this cost. So let’s break down where this might be coming from. The machining of titanium is something that does require specialist equipment given its hardness and that it gets far hotter when machined in comparison to steel. And while it can cost more to machine a case out of titanium, when you get down to the level of precision needed for movement components, those costs can start to spiral. So having the main plate and bridges cut from grade 5 titanium and coated in ceramic, with a matte finished applied, is certainly not cheap or easy to accomplish. However, it is worth pointing out that the function of the ceramic coating has been pulled into question in the past, given that this is normally done to help lower friction and prevent corrosion, but given the static nature of these elements, it feels a bit like gilding a lily. Either way, the movement itself looks exactly what you would want for an active watch like this, and unlike the original release in 2019, can now be viewed through the sapphire caseback.

The case material is the next point of difference. While we are more than used to a grade 5 titanium case and bracelet these days, the alloy that Omega has gone for is normally found in aerospace settings. Known as Gamma Titanium, it has nothing to do with the Incredible Hulk or radioactivity, rather it is an alloy of titanium aluminide which weighs even less that grade 5. Its uses in aerospace are less to do with its weight and more to do with its high temperature stability, but if your watch case is getting up to 600 celsius, your last concern is going to be how stable or ductile the case metal is. The material was first developed in the ’70s and found most of its uses in the 2000s, such as forming turbine blades, with Omega being the only watch brand I can think of to utilise it currently.

Unfortunately, I don’t have at my fingertips how much this metal costs, and so it’s hard to say exactly how much this adds on to the final price. But given that the standard uses of it require large amounts to be spaded into precise blades inside turbines, it’s easy to imagine that requesting the small amount needed for this low production run of watches would not come cheap.

The next watch that isn’t made from a precious metal in Omega’s catalogue that costs over $20k is the ceramic Seamaster Planet Ocean 600m. This shows that there is clearly a high premium on this titanium model as it sits alongside pieces made from Omega’s propriety gold alloys such as Sedna and Moonshine gold. Going to these extreme lengths in terms of material usage is something we might expect from a brand like Richard Mille, where prices start far north of this watch. And while I make this type of comparison hesitantly, it is worth pointing out, this is not a standard Omega Aqua Terra with a titanium case. More is at play here, and while some may be put off by the price point, it triggers my curiosity to learn more about this high flying timepiece. Hopefully we will get more official information out Biel soon.

While we are talking about pricing, it is worth pointing out that the new model that has been released with Duplantis is actually cheaper than the original, currently. They are offered on different straps, with the original grey dial only offered on the slightly heavier rubber strap, while the Swede’s watch have the light weight fabric and velcro strap we saw this piece originally offered on, but in his country’s colours. While I don’t think this new model can claim to weigh 55g thanks to the substitution of the solid caseback for the sapphire, it will still be less than the 72g the grey dial weighs with the rubber strap.

In regards to its price and positioning, we asked Gregory Kissling, Head of Product, Omega’s Head of Product. He pointed out that, to his knowledge, it is the only watch on the market with a ceramised titanium movement aside from Richard Mille. It is also going to be “exceedingly low production”. It opens up a new front for the brand as a high performance model for high performance athletes to wear while they work. All three things help to explain the US$50k price tag from the brand’s point of view.