Omega launched the fourth generation of its Seamaster Planet Ocean collection this week, 20 years after the original, with a new case, updated movement, new bracelet, and a brighter shade of orange for the ceramic bezel. The Swiss watchmaker even enlisted new ambassador, Glen Powell, to officially introduce the new release at a gala party in Miami. One thing the new Planet Ocean doesn’t have compared to previous generations of the model is a helium valve, which, along with a flatter crystal, enabled Omega to shave 2.31 mm off the watch’s case thickness. It now measures 13.79 mm compared to the previous 16.1 mm thickness. The diameter is 42 mm (like the original version), while the outgoing model measured 43.5 mm.

“It’s a generational change with some quite clear differences, but in keeping with its original signature,” Omega CEO Raynald Aeschlimann told Robb Report. “We were pioneers of diving watches in the 1950s and we have continued to build on that, so we have proven we have the technical credibility and capability, but we wanted to create a dive watch that is also very good looking and easy to wear. Most of these big diving watches are not really wearable. The new Planet Ocean is still a diving watch but it’s also an elegant watch. And that’s what is happening a lot in the luxury world. If you think about cars, for example, [the makers] are very proud of all the technological aspects, but it still has to look great and not be too much of a machine.”

Seven new models replace the previous Planet Ocean collection, with a redesign that Omega kept close to the original, launched in 2005. That model was inspired by the Seamaster 300 from the late 1950s, but like all Planet Oceans, it was rated at twice the depth—600 meters—positioning it as the brand’s go-to dive watch for professionals. A version of a later Planet Ocean model even descended over 6,000 meters into the Mariana Trench. The second-generation Planet Ocean, launched in 2011, introduced ceramic bezels (but not orange), open casebacks, and a new movement with a silicon balance spring. In 2014, Omega added orange ceramic, and the third generation, launched in 2016, was upgraded with a Co-Axial Master Chronometer movement.

The fourth generation relaunch maintains the 600 meter depth rating, but the redesign gives it more of a chic sports vibe than hard core dive watch. The elimination of the helium valve has a lot to do with that, and the case is more angular, with sharp edges, like a Tesla Cybertruck. The caseback is now closed and made of titanium, as is the inner case ring, so the watch is not only thinner but also lighter. It feels less substantial than your average 600-meter dive watch, but that’s the idea. The steel bracelet was redesigned to fit the new case, with three flat links, brushed on the outside and polished in the center, and it meets the lugs in a way that makes it seem fully integrated to the case. It’s still a dive watch, though, so the clasp is adjustable in six positions and can fit over a dive suit.

The dials are all black, with the model’s signature arrowhead hands and applied indexes—all glowing with Super-LumiNova. The numerals are open-worked and squared, like on the original 2005 Planet Ocean, so if you look closely at the 9 and 6, the lines curving inward don’t completely touch the edges. It’s a subtle change, but it gives the watch a modern retro feel. The numerals on the bezels are enameled, except for those on the orange bezel, since enameling them would have altered the carefully formulated color of the ceramic. The orange hue is extremely hard to produce in the material and was first introduced to the collection in 2014 in a timepiece limited to eight pieces. It was refined and added to the full collection in 2019, and then tweaked again for this new generation, using a formula that produced a more vivid shade of orange. The watch is powered by the Co-Axial Master Chronometer caliber 8912, with a silicon Si14 balance spring, and two barrels for a 60-hour power reserve.

The seven new models were displayed on a ship moored off the coast of Miami to symbolize the brand’s dive-watch legacy. Also on view were vintage models from previous generations of the Planet Ocean, along with some of Omega’s landmark dive watches. One of them was the Marine—Omega’s first water resistant watch for civilian divers, launched in 1932, with a rectangular shape reminiscent of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso. Instead of swiveling like the Reverso, the case is doubled with an inner case that fits tightly within a larger case. They come apart by clicking a hinge near the lower lugs on the outer case. Enthusiasts fawned over the Marine at the launch, and there’s a possibility they’ll get a chance to own one in the future.

When asked if the Marine would be revived by Omega, Aeschlimann told Robb Report: “We are thinking about creating more historical pieces like this, and there are two reasons for that. First, because a lot of people looking for these kinds of special watches that are part of our heritage and, as the biggest watch group in the world, we have the technological capability to reproduce one that can be worn today.” In other words, people want it, and Omega can do it. “So I’m not going to tell you it’s going to be for next year, but we’re thinking about it.”

On hand to help launch the new collection was actor and freshly minted Omega ambassador and Running Man star, Glen Powell. “We’ve been friends for quite a long time and now it’s time to create with him the personality of this watch,” said Aeschlimann. “The new Planet Ocean is modern but it’s not new— a lot like him. He is not a newcomer. He is not an 18-year-old influencer. He is experienced, with an established career, and is celebrating his success today, like Omega.”

Pricing for the new Seamaster Planet Ocean starts at $8,600 for the black and blue bezel models on a rubber strap and $9,200 on a bracelet. The orange model is $8,900 on a rubber strap (in black or orange) and $9,500 on a bracelet.