Omega Releases Planet Ocean Watch To Mark Its America’s Cup Sponsorship

For the third time in its history, Omega, will serve as the “official timekeeper” of the America’s Cup yacht race and the Swiss watch brand has marked the occasion by releasing a new timepiece: The Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 36th America’s Cup Limited Edition.

Omega’s association with America’s Cup has been ongoing, primarily through its sponsorship of Emirates Team New Zealand since 1995. It’s the third time the watch brand has served as official timekeeper of the event.

The America's Cup is the world’s oldest international sporting trophy competition, with the cup known as the “Auld Mug” first awarded in 1851. This year’s regatta will be held March 6 to 21, 2021, in New Zealand. The Defender Emirates Team New Zealand will race against the winner of the Prada Cup, the Challenger Selection Series. The final match will be preceded by a series of preliminary events, collectively known as the America’s Cup World Series, which will take place at selected venues in 2020. The results of the America's Cup World Series will seed the teams for the Prada Cup, the Challengers Selection Series.

Five teams, including The Defender Emirates Team New Zealand, will compete in the regatta: Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team (Italy), the Challenger of Record, NYYC\American Magic (USA), Ineos Team UK and Stars & Stripes Team USA. The competitors will sail in AC75, 75 foot foiling monohulls, with the course stretching across Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour in New Zealand.

“The America’s Cup has a truly special place within the Omega brand,” said Raynald Aeschlimann, Omega oresident and CEO. “From ingenuity and precision, through to the competitive energy and history, every part of it appeals to our spirit.”

With the announcement in May, the luxury watch brand unveiled the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 36th America’s Cup Limited Edition. The most notable aspect of the 43.5mm stainless steel timepiece is the unidirectional blue ceramic diving bezel, which incorporates white and red liquid ceramic to create a 5-minute countdown for the race, which uses a staggered start method.

The polished white ceramic dial has the competition’s name transferred at 6 o’clock. A special America’s Cup logo has been placed on the counterweight of the central seconds hand and there’s a date window at 3 o’clock. On the reverse side, the America’s Cup logo is transferred on the caseback’s sapphire crystal. The watch is powered by the Omega Master Chronometer Caliber 8900 automatic movement.

The red, white and blue watch has several details that are an integral part of its Planet Ocean watches, including a screwdown oriented caseback that keeps its position through Omega’s Naiad Lock system and its helium release value at 10 o’clock. It’s a dive watch that can also take the pounding of a world-class regatta. It’s water resistant to 60 bar (600 meters 2,000 feet) and antimagnetic to 15,000 gauss. The watch is completed with a structured rubber strap and special packaging.

The watch is limited to 2,021 pieces and is available for pre-order. It retails for $7,050.