The Big Ocean Theory
Analyzing the Myth that Omega Copied Seiko with Their 75th Anniversary Seamaster Releases
Omega's 75th Anniversary releases for the Seamaster line woke the watch enthusiast space up and made for some well-timed and entertaining media. One intriguing take I saw across social media was that Omega "pulled a Seiko" and copied or "homaged" Seiko's Save the Ocean (STO) series. As an experienced STO collector, having owned up to six separate pieces, this internet take could be more nuanced. The two lines are different, and to satisfy my curiosity, I picked eleven STO pieces that span the breadth of the line. I then compared both lines across three distinct categories. The results might surprise you.
Price
It does not take a seasoned collector to understand that Omega and Seiko swim in drastically different price pools. The Omega Seamaster 75th Anniversary line, which encompasses eleven separate pieces, averages $8381.82, compared to the eleven STO pieces I selected that average $1342.73. If this was the singular criteria used to compare the two collections, while not scientific, it would be enough to win a barroom debate. Lucky for us, we have some more data to compare.
Capability
Depth rating or water resistance is a topic I never tire of hearing my fellow watch enthusiasts debate. For some, it is a single point of failure in a timepiece design; for others, it just does not matter that much. In this case, it does matter. Seiko's line includes the word "ocean," and Omega's does not, which makes sense as Omega's release is not dive-specific. Seiko's STO line averages a 200M depth rating across the models I selected. Omega's 75th averages 859M of depth rating. This disparity in average depth rating is not a negative for Seiko; it is quite the opposite. 200M is fully capable of what Seiko produces in the Prospex range. That being said, Omega's release is technically more capable across the board, especially considering the "weakest" models in the line; the Aqua Terras are rated at 150M, not far from the 200M that Seiko provides.
Strategy
Determining Seiko's and Omega's strategies for their respective releases provides the strongest argument against the "copying" talk. While researching the STO line for Seiko, which began in 2018 and continues to the present day, I stopped at eighteen pieces, eventually deciding on eleven to match the Omega release. Comparing all the STO models in the line would make for an uneven pricing and depth rating data set. Omega's release of eleven pieces tied to one line drastically differs from Seiko's release of eighteen plus timepieces across a series of at least four releases dating back five years. While Seiko's STO strategy is coherent and fun, it is wide-reaching, much like the ocean. Like summer, Omega's release is finite, fun, and much more expensive.
“I could have added a third graphic here for release date strategy but that would have eleven Seamasters on top of each other.”
Closing
It is easy in the age of social media to get caught up in a whirlwind of hot takes. They really are everywhere and encompass everything. I would like to say I have been immune to this phenomenon, but that would also be a hot take, even as objective as I try to be. When it comes to design elements, I have said until I am blue in the face-there are only so many colors, shapes, metals, etc. Invariably the designs of timepieces started somewhere, and much like it is challenging to determine where exactly. I appreciate the STO line for what it is: capable, affordable, and plentiful. And this appreciation helps me understand and value what Omega brought for the summer of 2023: some fun. In the end, there is enough ocean for both of them.
