A Bigger, White Ceramic Case
The first thing you must know is the material, and this is not a simple steel watch painted white. Omega has made the entire case body of white ceramic, which makes this watch extremely scratch-resistant. Ceramic is the best choice if you hate scratches on a luxury watch.
The size is also different. The standard steel Seamaster is 42mm, but this new ceramic case is 43mm in width. It is 1mm wider, which gives it a bit more presence on the wrist. However, it is not just white ceramic.
Omega mixes it with grade 5 titanium, and you can see the grey titanium on the bezel frame, the helium escape valve, and the crown. So, this mix of white and grey makes the watch look very technical and light.
The Frosty Dial of Milano Cortina
The face of this Omega watch is where the design gets very interesting. The company calls it a tribute to winter. Although the watch has a ceramic dial, it has a matte finish with a frosty motif. If you look closely, you see a texture that looks like ice on a window. There is also a zig-zag pattern etched by laser, which connects the eight circular hour markers.
The design concept is very clever because it mimics a finger drawing a line on frosted glass. Likewise, this is the same pattern you see on the official logo for the Milano Cortina games. Omega has kept the colors very simple, and there is no red or bright orange. The only accent color is blue.
- The Omega logo and writing are dark blue.
- The “seconds” hand is a lollypop style and has a gradient effect, which fades from a light sky blue at the back to a heavy navy blue at the tip.
- The “hour and minute” hands have a polished rhodium finish, so they shine bright against the matte white background.
Laser-Ablated Bezel and Night View
A diver watch needs a good bezel. The bezel insert here is white ceramic, just like the dial. Omega uses a laser-ablating technique to make the numbers, which means the laser burns away the surface around the numbers, so the numerals stand up in relief. The numbers are polished, and the background is grainy, which gives a nice 3D effect. The company uses two colors for the Super-LumiNova:
- The hour hand and hour markers glow blue.
- The minute hand and the dot on the bezel glow green.
Although this is standard for the Seamaster Diver 300M, it looks very crisp and beautiful on a white dial.
What is Inside: Calibre 8806 Movement
Omega did not put a date window on the Milano Cortina watch, which is good news for purists who like a symmetrical dial. Although there is no date, the watch uses the Omega Calibre 8806 movement, which is a very strong automatic engine. It beats at 3.5Hz and has a 56-hour power reserve. You can put it down for two days, and it will still be running.
In addition, it is a Master Chronometer, which means Swiss Federal Institute of Metrology (METAS) has tested it to be accurate and anti-magnetic up to 15,000 gauss. You can’t see the movement because the back is closed. Omega has used titanium to make the caseback, and it features a laser-engraved relief of the Olympic logo.
The watch uses the NAIAD lock system, which is a special bayonet locking method that ensures the logo and text on the back are always upright and straight.
Price and Availability
The Milano Cortina Watch is available now at Omega boutiques and authorized dealers. It comes on a white rubber strap that fits tightly to the case, and the price is $10,500, which is higher than the steel models. However, you are paying for the full ceramic construction and titanium parts. It is the cleanest and most “icy” Seamaster we have seen in a long time.
