zOwie Omega Discussion Forum

: For the next year I will be living in the
: tropics and doing an extensive amount of
: diving. I will also be hiking through jungle
: and, likely, spending time on beaches. I am
: looking into buying an Omega which will
: withstand all of this use (75 ft. depths,
: sweat, sand). While not planning to
: intentionally abuse the watch (e.g. rubbing
: it into the sand on a beach), I want to be
: confident that it will hold up in the
: prolonged use I have described.

: I am looking at purchasing the model 2254.50.
: Any thoughts?

Based on what you're describing, it's easy to narrow down your search:

1) You MUST have a Seamaster for its water resistance (no other line is suitable for diving).

2) You should ideally have a metal bracelet for its water, sweat, and abrasion resistance. Forget about leather. Rubber can crack over time from excess sunlight, heat, sweat, etc., so a good stainless steel bracelet will be the most durable option. A titanium version would be a good choice as well. Though more expensive, it is more corrosion resistant than stainless steel.

3) As much as I hate to say this because I'm not a quartz guy, mechanical watches are more delicate than quartz watches because they contain so many small parts. A bad bump could potentially knock a part out of alignment, rendering your watch useless until you can get it to a watchmaker. If you're going to be in the jungle where you won't have easy access to a watch repair shop, a simple quartz watch might be best for you. Quartz watches don't come in titanium, however.

I own a 2254.50 and love it very much. You might consider its quartz version, the 2264.50, or the Bond 2541.80. If you go with the Bond model, just remember that the laser cutter in the bezel triangle marker is not an option on versions of this watch available to the general public.

Best of luck,
John