Long time ago I started my career as a commercial diver in the North Sea and dive watches connect me back to my roots. They reflect certain milestones in my journey, my life, my career, where I came from and where I am going. They are simple, functional and without pretence, at least, they used to be...
I bought my first one in the early 2000's, the Omega Seamaster GMT 50th year. After 10 years of diving I just started flying helicopters and liked the GMT time functionality. The watch bridged the gap from diving into flying for me and connected me to both worlds. She is an amazing watch and she served me well for nearly 20 years from the Arctic to the hot and hight Afghan desert. She also has by far the most comfortable steel band I ever worn. Right now she is taking a break and needs to go back to Omega for a $1200 service. New face, hands, tune up, polish etc etc. She not only needs it, she deserves it.
3 years ago, I just started flying airplanes for the airlines and got hired into the majors, I ran into the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 600M with the black leather band while in Rome, Italy. It seemed like a great compliment to my steel GMT and became a symbol of a new era in my career. I must say, the longer I wear this watch, the more I love it. I love that noone seems to know what it is, extremely sturdy build, high quality, looks great in any setting and under the radar.
1 month ago I happened to run into a Rolex Submariner at Schiphol airport in Amsterdam. Its the watch I always wanted but never could justify buying during my early diving days, far before they became so "popular". The Rolex boutique literally received an incoming shipment as I was standing there talking to the boutique manager. I gotten to know her as I travel a lot though there and always walk in to see if she has anything. Given how hard it is to get them these days I was excited and could not let the opportunity pass. To be fair, It usually takes some time for me to get used to a new watch and she hasn't stolen my heart as of yet. Particularly I don't like the looks and compliments I get and her increased "popularity" over the recent years has made her less attractive to me to wear. Aside from her undeniably being a high quality piece of machinery, I don't feel she deserves the much higher price tag and hype over the Omega's who are build just as good if not better IMHO. Will see, maybe our relationship improves in the future. If not, I should be able to get my money back fairly easy. But, we are not there yet, I only given her a first warning so far.
If I could have only one and I had to choose today; I would choose the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean (black leather), and never look back.