Say Hi to the Omega Speedmaster X-33. Introduced in 1998, this is one amazing watch. Omega literally flight (and crash) tested it with NASA and military pilots, experimenting with several design iterations before settling on and shipping two commercial versions. It was designed for pilots and space flight, and is rated by NASA for the mission to Mars. Without a doubt, this is one of the coolest and most interesting analog-digital watches ever made.

But of course, something this good just couldn't last. Unfortunately, the X-33 was made unavailable to the general public last year, and now you can only buy them if you work for NASA, or you're in the military. And if that weren't enough, rumor has it that you need to assemble an order of ten or more at once.

Features of the Omega Speedmaster X-33 include:

• Titanium case and bracelet (for light weight).
• Domed anti-reflective sapphire crystal, coated on both sides.
• Omega quartz movement developed specifically for this watch (caliber 1666), temperature compensated, rated to ± 0.1 seconds per day.
• 26-month battery with low-power indicator.
• Water-resistant to 30 meters (about 100 feet).
• 80dB alarm — incredibly loud for use in a cockpit environment. (Finally, a watch that you could actually use for an alarm clock.)
• 8 lux backlight — practically flashlight-bright.
• 42.25mm diameter case.
• Day, date, stopwatch, GMT, and a countdown timer.
• Standard daily alarm, and a second programmable alarm.
• Mission elapsed time (up to 999 days).
• Mission time alarm.
• Shipped in a box covered with spacesuit material (nice touch).
• Bidirectional 120-click ratcheting bezel for timing with the analog hands.
• Luminescent "bezel pearl" for night visibility.
• LCD "stealth" mode. (Clean up the dial by turning off the curved LCD display.)

List price for the X-33 was about $2,600, and they show up on eBay and on watch forums every now and then for about $1,500 - $2,000, depending on their condition.

Additional Resources:

• The Omega X-33 Product Page.
• A Pilot's Impression of the Omega X-33.
• Review of the Omega Speedmaster Professional X-33.

By Paul Hubbard

View the Oceanus OCWM700TDA-1AV Photo Gallery (silver titanium).

View the Oceanus OCWM700TBA-1AV Photo Gallery (black titanium).

Announced in July 2007, the sleek and professional Oceanus OCWM700TDA-1A is the latest addition to the Oceanus line of classically styled quartz watches with leading-edge technical features. This Oceanus (which I'll call the 5 Motor Tide Graph) is similar to the OCW600TDA-1AV previously reviewed, however the 5 Motor Tide Graph seems a little more geared toward the worldwide business traveler; not only can it receive atomic time calibration signals in the US, but also in Japan, Germany, and England.

The feature of the Oceanus 5 Motor Tide Graph that I find most interesting is, well, the tide graph. At the top of the multi-function dial at the 3 o'clock position is a small tide chart. Moving from right to left, it indicates local tide height based on latitude and the intertidal interval. Since tides vary with local geography, you can calibrate the watch to match your local cycle.

What sort of globe-trotting person needs a tide graph? My personal theory is new managers who still surf, sail, or dive. I have a co-worker in exactly that role, and he really likes this Oceanus. Combined with the non-corroding titanium case and 100M water resistance, it can go from surfing to staff meeting and look great both places.

Sometimes all you want from a watch is the time and date in a nice, readable format. Not too fancy, not too cluttered, not too expensive. Even us gadget freaks get the urge to strap on a simple watch with a clear face sometimes. Allow me introduce the Citizen BM6400 watches, available with either a canvas strap (BM6400-00E, retail $175) or a bracelet (BM6400-51E, retail $225).

The list of features is as simple as the face of the watch itself:

• Time.
• Date.
• Non-reflective mineral crystal.
• Eco-drive solar powered.
• 200m water resistant (about 650 feet).
• All stainless steel.

I really like the clarity and readability of these watches, and the prices are even lower than retail if you search a bit. An excellent watch for those times when you Just Need A Watch.

By Paul Hubbard

I created Watch Report over three years ago because there wasn't enough of the right kind of watch information available online. My goal was to produce the best and most helpful online watch publication, and to help as many people as possible find the same kind of passion for watches that I have.

It wasn't long before emails started rolling in, and over time, I found myself spending as much time responding to emails as producing and editing content. I really like interacting one-on-one with Watch Report readers, but after three years, the amount of email I get has finally become overwhelming. Rather than give up, I decided to create the Watch Report Forums.

The Watch Report Forums will hopefully allow Watch Report readers to get personalized advice not only from me, but from other Watch Report readers, as well. And the best part is that, unlike individual emails, thousands of readers will benefit from every post.

I'm really anxious to see what kind of community builds up around Watch Report. There isn't much content in the forums yet since I just launched them today, so I encourage you to go check them out and jump right in to a new or existing discussion. See you over there!

Christian

The Tissot Seastar 1000 is an entry-level Swiss automatic in the diver segment. The most current version dates back to 2004, but the Seastar name has been around for more than 30 years. Currently, the Seastar is offered in the following versions:

1. Silver dial with a stainless steel bracelet.
2. Blue dial with a stainless steel bracelet.
3. Black dial on a rubber strap.

The review model is a custom combination of the black dial with an upgrade to the stainless bracelet.