Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 2200.50.00 review

[RW16610]

The Omega Seamaster Professional is a fantastic watch that got a lot of it's recognition / popularity thanks to the James Bond films. Great looking, rugged "sport" watches that still somehow look elegant enough to be worn to a black tie event. Many variations and options with this line of watches from Omega and they seem to be constantly expanding that for the better.


The Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean was one of two Bond watches for the new film at the time, 2006 "Casino Royale".



2220.80.00

From - gemnation.com

was one of them and of course. Basically an updated version to the one introduced back in 1995 for Golden eye. It features a new Omega 2500 Co-Axial movement, longer hands (hour, minute, second), hour markers with metal surroundings and of couse "Seamaster" written in red letters at the top of the dial under the applied metal Omega symbol with the name also in metal for this model.





The second watch featured in that movie is this, Planet Ocean:

2900.50.91

From - jamesbondwatch.co.uk


It is the exact same model as the one in this review accept it comes on the rubber strap from the dealer when you buy it, so has a different refrence number.








Now I will review the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 2200.50.00



Various parts of the watch (case, crystal, bezel, Helium escape valve, crown, dial, bracelet + clasp, and movement) will get "scores" from 1-5, depending on how well they are made / function:


1:Not satisfactory
2: Mediocre
3: Satisfactory
4: Very good
5: Excellent



CASE:

The case gets a score of 4 from me.


Solid, very well made case to say the least. Do not think Omega could have done a much better job on this aspect of the watch. Over all my only issue is the fact the case in general / area round the lugs is less refined. That takes some getting used to but it is part of what gives this watch it's character, profile and heft.


For the caseback, Omega did a great job as always. Love the detail where it says "Seamaster", has the Seahorse and the Omega logo under that. Also as you can clearly see in the second image down for this section, it says "Planet Ocean" and you can not see the anti counterfit engraving Omega does now (it might not be on all Omega models, it depends).

When the watch is on your wrist you can hardly notice that stuff is there, if at all. Feels extremly comfortable and once it is not on too tight will leave no imprints.





From - geneva-watch.ch


From - delldeaton.com



CRYSTAL:

The crystal gets a score of 4 from me.



Very nice looking, domed sapphire crystal with the anti reflective coating on both sides. The only draw back to that in my books is the fact the crystal shows little scratches on the outside over time if it touches certain surfaces or what not.

Omega did a fantastic job with this, easy to see from almost all angles and the advantage to the anti reflective coating on the outside is that nice, blue - purple reflection you see sometimes depending on lighting and angle. Either way it does the job well!












BEZEL:


The bezel gets a score of 5 from me also.



The aluminum / steel insert has some very inique styling to it. At first it makes you think there is a metal ring around the sapphire crystal but that is actiually just part of the bezel insert that is silver and only the edge (a bit more than 50% of it) is black / orange depending on the model. Similar styling to more common dive watches on this one, with minute markers up until 15 on the bezel and the rest is numbered every 10 minutes with lines in between.

The actual bezel rotates very nicely and is easy to grip wet or dry with bare hands or gloves. 120 clicks and of course uni directional. This way if a diver is under water and the bezel turns by accident, it can only shorten the dive time and not extend it. For obvious safety reasons and oxygen managment.





From - ewatchparts.com


Omega also has a Diamond bezel option for one of the steel models like the one in this review and the Chronograph as shown in the picture below:



If that is your thing, you could always buy that from Omega at some point and have it installed. To me it takes away the contrast, striking appearance and function of the bezel for calculating elapsed time but to each their own! Would looks nice though.



HELIUM ESCAPE VALVE:

The Helium Escape Value (HEV) gets a score of 4 from me.


Of course, I am not a commercial diver who does decompression. For those who do not know, that is the purpose of this second crown looking thing at the 10 o clock position.


Definition from Omega.ch
"Decompression system which allows helium to escape from inside the watch when the watch is worn for professional use in pressure chambers. (Long-term underwater work, crude oil exploration, etc.)"


On the other models like the 2220.80.00 it has the same grips as the crown and at the end has the Omega symbol (just like the crown as well). On the Planet Ocean like you can see in the pictures below, it has more chunky, dull grips (still easy to hold onto though) and says "He" on it for Helium.









Some prefer the look of these Seamaster watches if they did not have this value (normal users do not need that), but for me I think it adds character and is "cool" to have there for the sake of it.




CROWN:


The crown gets a score of 5 from me.


It is VERY easy to grip / screw in or out and of course has the Omega symbol on it. Part of the case acts as a partial crown guard and it does not hurt the wrist at all if you wear it closer to the end by your hand.








DIAL:


The dial gets a score of 5 from me.


It looks fantastic, and it is VERY easy to read in day or night. Only the Omega symbol is metal that is applied. Also the hour markers are applied with metal surroundings. The dial is both functional and yet elegant somehow. Omega did a VERY good job on this aspect.














BRACELET & CLASP:

The bracelet and clasp both get a score of 5 from me.


Omega really did well with this one (part number 951). Super hefty, nice (actual) solid end links as you can see in the picture below, well / solid construction and the clasp is the time proven one from before basically but under "Professional" it also says "Planet Ocean".





From - ofrei.com


From - ofrei.com


From - bestsource123.com


From - bestsource123.com


And the same dive suit expansion as the others:


From - omega-addict.com


My only draw back to this is the fact it does not have a system with screws. Although this is time proven and does the job, for me I like being able to adjust the bracelet when ever with something as simple as a jewellers screwdriver. Either way, Omega made a very solid bracelet that will last generations.

The advantage to this pin system is you can remove / change all of the pins or links accept for 4 of them (the ones attached to the end link all the way down to the first pin in the links you can remove). If it ever gets stretched with time, you can simply change those pins or replace individual links. This makes up for all and is why it got the score it did.



MOVEMENT:


The movement also gets a score of 5 from me.


The Omega 2500 Co-Axial is just so amazing. AD's say no service for 7 - 10 years depending on use, because of this Co-Axial technology. Keeps amazing time within Chronometer specs and is rugged. As you can see, it is well decorated and just looks fabolous. This is NOT an in-house movement. It is based on an ETA (which Swatch group, owners of Omega SA and many others) now have.



From - rolexreferencepage.com


Source on picture


For more info on this movement visit either:

http://www.rolexreferencepage.com/

or

http://www.omegarolex.com/





It has only been a few days but I really like and enjoy this watch. It grows on me more and more each day. Hope you all enjoyed reading this review as requested (it is my first actual in depth one).

[asadtiger]

oh my God...RW you did a great job man...so much research and references and pictures of everything...appreciable effort...man this goes to show your great love for this watch amd rightly so...I LOVE the PO and wish it is my next watch, but that will be quiet a while :( can't say what a watch Omega pulled through...all praises for PO

[Flaxmoore]

Still bugs me slightly that Omega didn't put He2 for Helium- where are they getting monoatomic Helium?

[RW16610]

One thing I forgot to add into the review was about packaging. It comes in the normal red Omega box set (that all of the other watches come in) seen below:



Source on picture






The instruction manual depends on your AD mostly. As you all know, the watches and boxes get shipped to the AD seprately as with any other brand. The watches get shipped in a plastic container all in a box from Switzerland and the box sets come alone and they are matched up in the AD, kept in a safe in the back or put on display with the boxes in the back room. The hard cover manual is normally intended for watches costing over a certain price (my guess is about $4,000.00+ CAD). Nothing wrong with the soft cover version though, exact same booklet as it covers every type of watch & movement you can think of (hints why it is so thick) aso due to different languages.



Some AD's will just give you the two hang tags but others might remove them when you buy it. That might be different if you request to keep them with your watch, See below:






Source on picture




Source on picture





ALSO! The Seamaster Planet Ocean (I think) is the first to come with it's own cleaning cloth seen below:






Source unknown




I personally do not use it, keep it in my box for the future as an accessory / collectors item but will look for another one to be kept new in the plastic bag (they come folded in a little plastic ziplock bag, similar to the ones removed / spare links go in) seen below:







Source on picture

Originally Posted by asadtiger

oh my God...RW you did a great job man...so much research and references and pictures of everything...appreciable effort...man this goes to show your great love for this watch amd rightly so...I LOVE the PO and wish it is my next watch, but that will be quiet a while :( can't say what a watch Omega pulled through...all praises for PO

Thanks, Asad! I am really glad you enjoyed my review of this watch! I truly do love this watch, it is just amazing and even better than expected before buying it. Also hope you can get yourself a Planet Ocean like this as soon as possible. Maybe you can look for good preowned deals to save up to 50% off MSRP (Omega has bad short term resale value so use it to your advantage if you can) as it might speed up the process. If it will be your first though new might be the best way to go, for sure. Omega is doing an OUTSTANDING job on their current line of watches and marketing Will continue to buy their watches, for sure

Originally Posted by Flaxmoore

Still bugs me slightly that Omega didn't put He2 for Helium- where are they getting monoatomic Helium?

Yeah, I know what you mean, Casey. My guess is the lack of room on the valve itself but if they made the font smaller it would easily fit on. Maybe it was only to let people get a general idea what that is for. A lot have asked before "What is that 2nd crown thing at the 10 o clock position on your watch?" When they see He it might make it more clear. Either way though, like the Omega symbol more on my other watch (2220.80.00) but my main appreciation for this is the fact it is different from my other Omega

[kurvanimda]

Originally Posted by Flaxmoore

Still bugs me slightly that Omega didn't put He2 for Helium- where are they getting monoatomic Helium?

Guys, guys...

Helium is monoatomic, as it is a noble gas. Doesn't react with anything, thats why it's so safe, unlike hydrogen. So is neon, argon, etc... So 'He' is just right.


Btw I'm glad to join the forum:)
I think you are confused by hydrogen, that occurs only as H2 in the universe.

[RW16610]

Welcome to the forum! Glad you looked over the review as well Regarding that, scuence was never my strong point in school Glad for your input also though!

[kurvanimda]

Thanks a lot, I'm glad to be a member here...

The review is really great, and I'm also glad you appreciate your watch even a bit more!

[RW16610]

Fantastic, glad you also enjoyed the review. Truly do appreciate my watch even more With each day that passes still growing on me more and more, just love it!

[kurvanimda]

It must be some special feeling to own such a great timepiece. I also want to buy a high-end swiss divers watch by the end of the year, I just don't know yet which one to choose: the PO or the Sub. I know, it's an ancient issue.

But my question is: which one do you prefer: the PO or your other Seamaster?

[RW16610]

It truly does feel great! Espectially becasue I am 23 years old and bought them all with money I worked for myself. Used to have a Raymond Weil W1 Parsifal before buying the Fortis in early 2006 but sold that because it was Quartz and that has two problems for me. 1) Little to no collectors value (mechanical is the way to go pretty much / normally) and 2) When you own several watches the last thing you want to worry about are batteries going dead. Happed to me in my early years with Citizen watches and seems to always happen when you need the watch most Mechanical you can let sit more so and use it anytime because modern lubricants are much better at staying where they should. Unless there is force to move them (along with gravity) so sitting in a safe will be not too big of an issue so I have herd. Also, with a few days / weeks of wearing the watch those lubricants would re circulate a bit anyways. As long as the movement is wound and running it is using the parts and will ware them down with time but if left sitting of course there is no wear on the internal components. Larry (Tools) explains it WAY better than I do and that is where this was picked up from. Have been in love with watches all my life starting with digital ones when I was very very young, like elementary school. Hopefully you can get your high end Swiss watch very soon! Divers watches are great for every day life and if you go in water or travel and might need to shower in the watch you have no worries at all.


I love the Submariner and own a lot of Rolex collectable / discontinued accessories ranging from cleaning cloths, golf shirt, Anchors, a box set, booklets (Submariner, GMT, Yacht-Master, Explorer), catalogs, service pouch, Sea-Dweller tool kits (one opened and one brand new in Original Rolex sealing), 1980's parts tins, spoon, marble dealer display stand etc etc, list goes on. But with time Omega just started to appeal to me more and seemed way more pratical for their prices. A true Omega man now and will continue to buy them for various reasons.


This is a VERY hard question but after over 1 year + of wearing my 2220.80.00 daily I actially prefer the bigger, more hefty Planet Ocean look. My other watches are collectors items or remain in the safety deposit box at the bank and my Planet Ocean is the main one. Do love my 2220.80.00 but do prefer this Planet Ocean now after buying it. Based on the Omega section on this forum it seems a lot feel the same or just love the Planet Ocean

[R1@160@alltimes]

Thanks for the detailed review. Enjoy your OSPO!

[RW16610]

Glad you also liked it Thanks, Gus and I sure will enjoy it

[kurvanimda]

Thanks for the interesting infos of mechanical watches. I never thought that using and lubrication can be such a delicate matter.

I currently own a TAG Heuer F1, which is fine quality and looks quite handsome, the only thing that bugs me is its quartz movement. It's certainly very accurate, but I have to get an automatic too!

I also read that different quality classes of same eta movements are put into ordinary (Tissot, Certina) and high-end (e.g. Omega, TAG) watches. So I'm patient, not to mention I'm just 24, and going to graduate next term... Have plenty of time to find the best and invest.

[RW16610]

Originally Posted by kurvanimda

Thanks for the interesting infos of mechanical watches. I never thought that using and lubrication can be such a delicate matter.

I currently own a TAG Heuer F1, which is fine quality and looks quite handsome, the only thing that bugs me is its quartz movement. It's certainly very accurate, but I have to get an automatic too!

I also read that different quality classes of same eta movements are put into ordinary (Tissot, Certina) and high-end (e.g. Omega, TAG) watches. So I'm patient, not to mention I'm just 24, and going to graduate next term... Have plenty of time to find the best and invest.

Yeah it is truly nothing to worry about too much, watch movement lubricants have come SUCH a long way over the past few decades. Tag Heuer is a cool brand, indeed. They have some EXCELLENT new stuff like the Aquaracer 500M unvailed at Basel 2009 that is MSRP $2,450.00 USD, AD's are already discounting it 15% ish. Brand new in the box from Grey dealers for $1,550.00 USD. If you buy used could likely get one in great shape for about $1,300.00 USD so fantastic deals are out there or soon to come once they show up more in the preowned market.


Yeah, and ETA is now one of the many companies owned by Swatch Group who of course owns Omega too. The Omega movement technology (even for the 2500 shown above) is exclusive to that brand. Other companies within Swatch Group do not have access to the Co-Axial escapement or the new exclusive variable inertia balance, or the old one in the 2500 for that matter. Brandon "iwantagmt" brought that up in a different topic about Omega movements, so it is fantastic what they are doing, sort of like semi in-house some would say.


Cool, we are around the same age. Do not worry, soon from now you will be buying watches like crazy once you are finished. Gives you some time to look around and decide, indeed

[Robertf]

Great review, great watch!

[RW16610]

Originally Posted by stardvd555

dial, bracelet + clasp, and movement) will get "scores" from 1-5, depending on how well they are

Yep

All the scores were a bit similar but the watch all around is fantastic. Some of the stuff was so great but just not over the top mind blowing so did not get 5 like some other areas. Omega did their homework on this one for sure!

Originally Posted by Robertf

Great review, great watch!

Thanks, Robert! I am glad to see you enjoyed the review and like this watch as well

[bokmeipai]

Good writeup, I have the same watch only with orange bezel.

Originally Posted by RW16610

The Omega Seamaster Professional is a fantastic watch that got a lot of it's recognition / popularity thanks to the James Bond films. Great looking, rugged "sport" watches that still somehow look elegant enough to be worn to a black tie event. Many variations and options with this line of watches from Omega and they seem to be constantly expanding that for the better.


The Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean was one of two Bond watches for the new film at the time, 2006 "Casino Royale".



2220.80.00

From - gemnation.com

was one of them and of course. Basically an updated version to the one introduced back in 1995 for Golden eye. It features a new Omega 2500 Co-Axial movement, longer hands (hour, minute, second), hour markers with metal surroundings and of couse "Seamaster" written in red letters at the top of the dial under the applied metal Omega symbol with the name also in metal for this model.





The second watch featured in that movie is this, Planet Ocean:

2900.50.91

From - jamesbondwatch.co.uk


It is the exact same model as the one in this review accept it comes on the rubber strap from the dealer when you buy it, so has a different refrence number.








Now I will review the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 2200.50.00



Various parts of the watch (case, crystal, bezel, Helium escape valve, crown, dial, bracelet + clasp, and movement) will get "scores" from 1-5, depending on how well they are made / function:


1:Not satisfactory
2: Mediocre
3: Satisfactory
4: Very good
5: Excellent



CASE:

The case gets a score of 4 from me.


Solid, very well made case to say the least. Do not think Omega could have done a much better job on this aspect of the watch. Over all my only issue is the fact the case in general / area round the lugs is less refined. That takes some getting used to but it is part of what gives this watch it's character, profile and heft.


For the caseback, Omega did a great job as always. Love the detail where it says "Seamaster", has the Seahorse and the Omega logo under that. Also as you can clearly see in the second image down for this section, it says "Planet Ocean" and you can not see the anti counterfit engraving Omega does now (it might not be on all Omega models, it depends).

When the watch is on your wrist you can hardly notice that stuff is there, if at all. Feels extremly comfortable and once it is not on too tight will leave no imprints.





From - geneva-watch.ch


From - delldeaton.com



CRYSTAL:

The crystal gets a score of 4 from me.



Very nice looking, domed sapphire crystal with the anti reflective coating on both sides. The only draw back to that in my books is the fact the crystal shows little scratches on the outside over time if it touches certain surfaces or what not.

Omega did a fantastic job with this, easy to see from almost all angles and the advantage to the anti reflective coating on the outside is that nice, blue - purple reflection you see sometimes depending on lighting and angle. Either way it does the job well!












BEZEL:


The bezel gets a score of 5 from me also.



The aluminum / steel insert has some very inique styling to it. At first it makes you think there is a metal ring around the sapphire crystal but that is actiually just part of the bezel insert that is silver and only the edge (a bit more than 50% of it) is black / orange depending on the model. Similar styling to more common dive watches on this one, with minute markers up until 15 on the bezel and the rest is numbered every 10 minutes with lines in between.

The actual bezel rotates very nicely and is easy to grip wet or dry with bare hands or gloves. 120 clicks and of course uni directional. This way if a diver is under water and the bezel turns by accident, it can only shorten the dive time and not extend it. For obvious safety reasons and oxygen managment.





From - ewatchparts.com


Omega also has a Diamond bezel option for one of the steel models like the one in this review and the Chronograph as shown in the picture below:



If that is your thing, you could always buy that from Omega at some point and have it installed. To me it takes away the contrast, striking appearance and function of the bezel for calculating elapsed time but to each their own! Would looks nice though.



HELIUM ESCAPE VALVE:

The Helium Escape Value (HEV) gets a score of 4 from me.


Of course, I am not a commercial diver who does decompression. For those who do not know, that is the purpose of this second crown looking thing at the 10 o clock position.


Definition from Omega.ch
"Decompression system which allows helium to escape from inside the watch when the watch is worn for professional use in pressure chambers. (Long-term underwater work, crude oil exploration, etc.)"


On the other models like the 2220.80.00 it has the same grips as the crown and at the end has the Omega symbol (just like the crown as well). On the Planet Ocean like you can see in the pictures below, it has more chunky, dull grips (still easy to hold onto though) and says "He" on it for Helium.









Some prefer the look of these Seamaster watches if they did not have this value (normal users do not need that), but for me I think it adds character and is "cool" to have there for the sake of it.




CROWN:


The crown gets a score of 5 from me.


It is VERY easy to grip / screw in or out and of course has the Omega symbol on it. Part of the case acts as a partial crown guard and it does not hurt the wrist at all if you wear it closer to the end by your hand.








DIAL:


The dial gets a score of 5 from me.


It looks fantastic, and it is VERY easy to read in day or night. Only the Omega symbol is metal that is applied. Also the hour markers are applied with metal surroundings. The dial is both functional and yet elegant somehow. Omega did a VERY good job on this aspect.














BRACELET & CLASP:

The bracelet and clasp both get a score of 5 from me.


Omega really did well with this one (part number 951). Super hefty, nice (actual) solid end links as you can see in the picture below, well / solid construction and the clasp is the time proven one from before basically but under "Professional" it also says "Planet Ocean".





From - ofrei.com


From - ofrei.com


From - bestsource123.com


From - bestsource123.com


And the same dive suit expansion as the others:


From - omega-addict.com


My only draw back to this is the fact it does not have a system with screws. Although this is time proven and does the job, for me I like being able to adjust the bracelet when ever with something as simple as a jewellers screwdriver. Either way, Omega made a very solid bracelet that will last generations.

The advantage to this pin system is you can remove / change all of the pins or links accept for 4 of them (the ones attached to the end link all the way down to the first pin in the links you can remove). If it ever gets stretched with time, you can simply change those pins or replace individual links. This makes up for all and is why it got the score it did.



MOVEMENT:


The movement also gets a score of 5 from me.


The Omega 2500 Co-Axial is just so amazing. AD's say no service for 7 - 10 years depending on use, because of this Co-Axial technology. Keeps amazing time within Chronometer specs and is rugged. As you can see, it is well decorated and just looks fabolous. This is NOT an in-house movement. It is based on an ETA (which Swatch group, owners of Omega SA and many others) now have.



From - rolexreferencepage.com


Source on picture


For more info on this movement visit either:

http://www.rolexreferencepage.com/

or

http://www.omegarolex.com/





It has only been a few days but I really like and enjoy this watch. It grows on me more and more each day. Hope you all enjoyed reading this review as requested (it is my first actual in depth one).

[RW16610]

Originally Posted by bokmeipai

Good writeup, I have the same watch only with orange bezel.

Thanks! That version of the watch you have looks fantastic also

[icnbne]

great watch, great review i give you a 5

bokmeipai can you please not quote the whole review

[RW16610]

Glad you liked it!


Wanted to add this bit in as well:



Pictures by "monseigneur", a member of this forum. Never seen this model before but now I know where the current Planet Oceans come from. This is the Seamaster 300 ref. 165,024, Cal 552 movement, made March 25 1964. Seems that the beefier case of course is not just a new thing. Omega has some great dive watches and just love the improvements they are making as the years go by. Take a look,




Then:














Notice the time it set the exact same as they do now









Now:


Source on picture

[j1crimmins]

I have the rubber strap PO and love it as an everyday watch. I only wish they had not put the anti reflective coating on the crystal.

Thanks for the detail of your review.

John

[Quicksilver]

Great watch and a great review. Like you I am coming around to Omega after being cured of my Rolex-only obsession. This watch is on my shopping list for sure.

[RW16610]

Originally Posted by j1crimmins

I have the rubber strap PO and love it as an everyday watch. I only wish they had not put the anti reflective coating on the crystal.

Thanks for the detail of your review.

John

Awesome, John Truly is the idea every day, go anywhere watch. To me these are the only types i'm into now. Something that can be worn dressed up and look great doing so, yet be sporty and durable enough to take swimming or do anything in water with

The anti reflective coating is kind of cool at first but is starting to bother me, also. My Fortis has it also but finding that with the Planet Ocean (compared to my 2220.80.00 Bond with anti reflective coating only inside the crystal) it shows water makrs and smudges WAY easier and they are pretty tough to get off with a cloth. Only soap and water removes all of it, and with the other crystals with just the inside it can be cleaned far better with just the cloth.

I herd that you could take it to a watch maker and have them remove the coating on the outside of the crystal. Not sure if i'll ever end up doing so but only time will tell

Originally Posted by Quicksilver

Great watch and a great review. Like you I am coming around to Omega after being cured of my Rolex-only obsession. This watch is on my shopping list for sure.

Thanks, David Omega does have a great way of sucking you in to their lovely watches. Espectially for the "collector" type who want great watches but more of them, with the deals on Omega out there in the preowned market it is easily within reach to have the "dream" collection. I still want a Rolex though (116710LN GMT Master II or a used Submariner, or whatever comes up when i'm ready). That could likely take over being my main watch for quite some time but no doubt that I will continue to enjoy Omega

[Mike B]

I also agree on only having the anti-reflective coating on the inside as well. The only thing close to a complaint I have about my new PO, is the blue coating they put (on both the inside and outside) does show smudges MUCH more then my bond 2531.80 does. So much so, that as was said the only way to get the smudges off is with soap and water. That becomes a real PITA, especially when your a neat freak like me and always want your watches looking perfect all the time.
I'd be wearing my PO, it looks excellent, then the next thing you know, I look down, and it has a nice smudge mark on the crystal. Here I'm thinking "how did that happen so quick". Oh well, other then that small complaint, I LOVE the PO. It's hefty, gorgeous, well made, and a definite go anywhere do anything watch.

[RW16610]

Originally Posted by Mike B

I also agree on only having the anti-reflective coating on the inside as well. The only thing close to a complaint I have about my new PO, is the blue coating they put (on both the inside and outside) does show smudges MUCH more then my bond 2531.80 does. So much so, that as was said the only way to get the smudges off is with soap and water. That becomes a real PITA, especially when your a neat freak like me and always want your watches looking perfect all the time.
I'd be wearing my PO, it looks excellent, then the next thing you know, I look down, and it has a nice smudge mark on the crystal. Here I'm thinking "how did that happen so quick". Oh well, other then that small complaint, I LOVE the PO. It's hefty, gorgeous, well made, and a definite go anywhere do anything watch.

Exactly, I wear my watches all the time / hard too but still care for them and keep them as cleap as possible (weekly washings with diluted dish soap, warm water and a toothbrush). Get's inside of all the hard to reach spaces, and of course the dish soap works wonders at cutting oils, dirt and grime. If only the crystal could look as it does right after that for a bit longer. I'm getting used to it now though and lucky for us we have our other watches to wear if it became a real bother. Still love the watch also

[ronin7]

A great review.really missing mine

[BealeAss]

Great review, this is probably the next piece for me, possibly the Casino Royale version for some fun.

[JBat]

Really good review, man. You make me want to run out and buy this version of the PO.

[WatchFreak]

Thanks, nice review and great pics. This is one of the watches I have been debating. I really like the orange bezel version but I'm afraid I may get tired of it. I also notice the orange bezel versions all have orange numbers. I kinda like the white numbers for what ever reason. The only thing I would have added to your review would be the hands. I really like the arrow hands as this gives it a unique yet retro look. Anyway thanks again.