Omega or Oris?

[Crawl79]

Anyone have any experience with these two watches?
I currently use a Citizen Titanium dive watch that I love but I am ready to buy a new watch rated a little deeper as I wear my watches everyday for all activities.

Omega Seamaster 300 Men Titanium

Oris TT1 Divers Titan Date

 

[do it easy]

I have the Omega Seamaster 300m in Stainless. It's a bold, beautiful watch, but I don't dive with it. When I dive, I usually use an inexpensive digital watch.

The TT1 looks nice too.

 

[Nismo]

Omega is a really nice watch. It is one of my goals in life to buy one. Probably when I retire. I've read good things about both companies. Oris is much less known however. However, you can get a great Swiss made automatic watch for much less than the ones you are interested with. I own a St Moritz Aquamatic II. It uses a Swiss made ETA movement. Apparently it's a solid, work house of a time keeper. Tissot Seastar is also a great one that I considered. I believe it uses the same movement as the Omega at about half the price. If you are getting an automatic, self winding watch, generally the more expensive ones are adjusted to be more accurate than some of the less expensive ones. Both the Tissot and St Moritz are rated to about 1000 Feet. Both look great. Tissot is slightly more original. Most dive watches are very similar. The St Moritz is definitely styled after the Rolex Submariner. I went with St Moritz as it was a little less expensive and I like the service/warranty extenion program they offer.

 

[Mr. Sunday]

I own both and am in the fine watch business. I would choose the Omega over the Oris. The Omega is tough to beat.

It depends on the movement but if your looking at the co-axial version the time between services goes to about 8 years where the Oris will require service every 4 or so. The cost is about $450 for a service. Also Omega parts and service are readily available world wide where Oris are not as easy to come by. A simple reseal of a case can become an issue due to not having the correct gaskets.

Warranty on a co-axial is 3 years opposed to the 2 year of the Oris.

Both watches use ETA movements. Oris buys them from ETA where Omega is owned by the same company that owns ETA (Swatch Group). The Omega is using a higher caliber ETA as well so it tends to run a bit better overall.

That said I have seen some great deals on the Oris and love the brand. I just think the Omega is better.

 

[buddhasummer]

I Would buy the Omega.

I own Omegas (seamaster and speedmaster)always have beautiful watches but at the price they are I wouldnt take one diving its not hard to damage a watch on a dive, I have done so with all my computers and my non omega dive watches (seikos). If you simply want a higher depth rated watch to use for diving might I suggest a seiko, they are significanlty cheaper even the 300 meter professional watches, they are of good quality and it wont make you cry quite so much when, and I say when not if, you scratch it. I would go the omega over the oris, I think quality between the two is probably much of a muchness as oris too make some very fine watches I just prefer Omegas. Whatever you buy save it for topside. Just my .02 worth. Unless of course you have money to burn then hell yeah dive with the Omega/Oris. Good luck...

 

[do it easy]

Oris makes an interesting watch with non-concentric hands. They used to have bolder versions in their collection, but this is what I found from their current offering- der Meistertaucher

 

[dschonbrun]

I would look at the Baume and Mercier Capeland XXL Ti as well. It has been recently discontinued and they can be found for about 1,200-1,500. Retail was about 3,500. It's rated to 1,000m (yes, meters) and comes with two straps, one is adjustable to a very wide range for wetsuits and drysuits, the other is kevlar. Also has an ETA movement, highly jeweled, COSC (certified chronometer). Baume does not have as long a history with diving watches, so they aren't as expensive, but the company has a long history and they use the same parts as Omega.

Baume & Mercier — MOA08319 — Baume & Mercier Capeland S XXL Automatic Mens Watch Titanium Yellow Dial with 2 Straps MOAO8319

 

[dschonbrun]

Both watches are fine timepieces. You might also look at the Panerai Luminor Marina, or Panerai Submersible. They were originally designed around 1938 as the italian naval watch, originally made in Florence with a Rolex movement. Now they are produced in Switzerland with an ETA movement. They are expensive, more a piece of jewelry and status symbol. That said, they are very easy to read underwater, keep wonderful time, and are bomb-proof (literally)... so not to be discounted. Unlike the Rolex and some other timepieces, they are available in Titanium.

 

[johnqpublic318]

I have an Oris Divers Titan Date (titanium case/strap, 1,000 meters, helium valve) and its specs are great... But, the screw-in crown stripped its threads in less than 2 years of use. 2 of my friends also have Oris' (non-diving models though) and they've also had various problems in less than 3 years of use. That's not the Swiss-watch reliability we expect.

Just dive with a Casio titanium...

 

[buddhasummer]

I know its not what you asked but have you seen the new "Longines Legend Diver", based on their 1960s dive watch, very very stylish...check it out