: I know I'm going to buy either an Omega SMP, an
: Aqua Terra, a Planet Ocean before long. I'm
: looking for a watch that with the proper
: care, will last the rest of my life. If the
: co-axial movement (Caliber 2500) really does
: represent a substantial improvement over the
: 1120 movement in the SMP, I'd be leaning
: toward spending the extra money for one of
: the co-axials. Yes, I guess I'm kind of an
: accuracy nut but if that was all it was
: about, the $45 Timex I have would be all I
: could ever wish for. I know the Caliber
: 2500's base movement is an 1120. My question
: is this: Do the improvements to the 1120
: movement represented by the free sprung
: balance and the co-axial escapement alone,
: justify spending the extra $700-$1000 more
: to get a PO or an Aqua Terra rather than an
: SMP? Any opinions/experiences would be
: greatly appreciated.
Just buy all three and then you won't have to decide. No, seriously, I would also take into consideration the aesthetics of the watch. If you really prefer the look of one over the other two, then the movement becomes less important. All three of these watches look VERY different, so I'd start by deciding which one looks the nicest to you. Also, consider how you'll wear the watch. If you want a dressier watch, the Aqua Terra is the best choice. If you want a sportier watch, the SMP or PO fit the bill nicely.
With proper maintenance all three will easily last a lifetime, so I wouldn't let the movement alone be the deciding factor. Yes, the co-axial is unquestionably the best movement Omega makes, but if you don't like the watch it's in then go with another. The 1120 is still a better movement than many other high end manufacturers use in their watches, so I wouldn't hesitate to buy a watch with either the 1120 or the co-axial 2500.
FYI...both of my SMP's with 1120 movements gain 1-2 seconds per day, so that's pretty close to what you could expect from a co-axial.
