Surprise! Surprise! The First U.S. Sighting of Omega’s New Aqua Terra 30mm Line

Let’s just say that I had a feeling.

While I was perfectly content to take a trip to my beautiful hometown of Boston to fete watchmaker Omega’s newest boutique on tony Newbury Street, in the back of my mind I was thinking: “Wouldn’t it be great to get an early look at the new 30mm Aqua Terra line?”

Not to toot my own horn, but my instincts were right on the money, and I was among the first in the U.S. to experience the new Aqua Terra 30mm models in the metal.

Omega’s campaign for this new model centers around a “My Little Secret” message, which is undoubtedly very feminine in its direction.

On my (admittedly gigantic) wrist, the 30mm case size is even smaller than most of the vintage watches I routinely wear. However, that said, I am sure there are plenty of men who can not only pull off but prefer wearing the new 30mm model. In fact, more than just merely “pulling it off,” I’m sure there are many men who would wear the hell out of them.
 

For women, the new Aqua Terra 30mm is even more exciting because it is a fully realized line of 12 models available in a spectrum of varying, appealing designs with the added perk of carrying one of two impressive, brand-new mechanical movements that were purpose-built for this line’s smaller case diameter. And in Boston, let me tell you, the ladies surrounded the new Aqua Terras three-deep to get a look.

I had the opportunity to examine the Caliber 8750 and 8751 movements up close and personal in Boston, and they are nothing short of mini-mechanical marvels.
 

You might expect that creating such robust movements with less real estate might seem a little too good to be true; however, I can assure you that Omega employed a great deal of ingenuity to craft uncanny automatic movements in such a small format. The results are 20mm diameter, fully legitimate, METAS-certified power plants with a 3.98mm (for the 8750) or 4.08mm (for the 8751) thickness featuring Omega’s signature co-axial escapement, free-sprung balance with silicon balance spring, bi-directional winding, magnetic resistance of 15,000 gauss, and a power reserve of over 48 hours.

Color me impressed.

As someone who grew up in the Boston area, I can bear witness to the fact that Newbury Street, especially from its foot where it intersects Boston’s Public Gardens and Boston Commons (a diminutive version of New York’s Central Park), became a “luxury high street” shopping district early on (after an earlier period of hippie-chic and pop culture shops and art galleries).
 

With Omega’s new boutique joining outposts from IWC, Panerai, A. Lange & Söhne, Chanel, Rolex, Bulgari, Richard Mille, Cartier, Breitling, Vacheron Constantin, and Van Cleef & Arpels along Newbury Street’s south side, the area has become a virtual “luxury watch row” for Boston’s elite.

Adjacent shops from local-legend multi-brand watch retailer Shreve, Crump & Low; Long’s Jewelers’ Patek Philippe operation; luxury luggage outfitter Rimowa; and designers like Valentino, Loro Piana, Brunello Cucinelli, and Ermenigildo Zegna (among others) round out the rarefied shopping scene. And that’s just the first block close to the parks.
 

Located in the heart of Boston, near the intersection of Newbury Street and Berkeley Street, the newly opened, single-story Omega boutique offers the full Omega lineup. It is also a certified drop-off point for maintenance and adjustment services.

The stunning boutique was designed by Massachusetts-based Hirsch Construction Corp. in collaboration with standout Boston retail architects Two One Two Design. If your summer plans include a visit to Boston, stop by… and tell them Watchonista sent you.
 

For more information about the new Aqua Terra 30mm models, check out Omega’s website.