VSF New 8900 Aqua Terra Master Chronometers

[kaddy]

Thanks to everyone in this thread - just ordered the AT 8900 black from a TD. This will be my first rep. 2 rookie questions: 1) What kind of spring bar do people use to change the straps or remove links? Anything specific (bergeon tool?) anyone could recommend? 2) I was looking at croc leather straps in black - has anyone tried removing the deployment clasp from the rubber and trying it on leather?

Thanks in advance.

Can't go wrong with the Bergeon tool. Beware that the rubber strap is a very tight fit to the case. At least mine was. Can't comment on the croc but can't see why it wouldn't work ... just need the right thickness strap to fit through the clasp.

 

[nivlek]

Stainless bracelet feels same as gen to me.

It’s designed to be light as per omega design intent

Does this model have a purple tint on the crystal sapphire glass?

Thank you.

Kind Regards,
Kelvin


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Kayjay]

Does this model have a purple tint on the crystal sapphire glass?

Thank you.

Kind Regards,
Kelvin


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The purple tint is quite obvious to me. It's even more obvious on some other pictures with different lighting and angle.

 

[processengr]

Untitl[url=https://flic.kr/p/2gSEoWH] [/URL]

 

[hung123]

These are georgous ! Do you think we'll ever see the 38.5mm version ? I tried both sizes at an AD and the 38.5 is pure class.

I haven't made it all the way through the thread yet, but has this question been answered? 38.5mm is an automatic buy for me in white dial + rubber strap. But since 41.5mm is the classic size (and probably in higher demand), it's unlikely that factories will put in the time and R&D to build a smaller case?

 

[Razorig2]

VSF need to make a V2 of these, they screwed up with the purple dials and the blue dials which look purple. Also hoping the attempt to make the 38.5mm version.

 

[fspot]

Right, I think we've seen so far that the new blue and grey versions are way off the gen.

What about the white dial one? Have any white dial owners seen the gen in the flesh and share there impression on how close to gen the rep is?

 

[Kayjay]

Right, I think we've seen so far that the new blue and grey versions are way off the gen.

What about the white dial one? Have any white dial owners seen the gen in the flesh and share there impression on how close to gen the rep is?

White and black dials are considered the best and very close to gen. Take yourself some time and search this thread for pictures, the white dial is awesome.

 

[Thatwatchguy]

The white dial is stunning, I’ve switched to a gen tan leather and deployment and it’s stunning. Old pic on the bracelet

 

[fspot]

Yes, this white dial is excellent, but this is the old white dial version. I have the old grey dial version, which is the best looking rep I've seen.

I'm talking about the new white dial Aqua Terra with the orange seconds hand. I've seen all the pictures in this thread, just asking if some of the new white dial owners has seen the new white dial gen in the flesh. Seeing pictures of it is one thing, seeing it in person is another.

 

[fspot]

since I'm only interested in a blue dial, would you recommend the older VSF 8500 Aqua Terra over the newer VSF 8900 to avoid the purplish hue? Or do they both have it (to a certain degree)?

I had the old 8500 blue dial AT and I can tell you that it has no purplish hue whatsoever. It is not as close to the gen as the old grey dial AT 8500, but I think the new blue and grey dial 8900 ones are further apart from the respective gens. I have seen the old and new blue and grey gens in the flesh and I can tell that the old grey AT 8500 rep is as close to the gen as you'll get. I still have my 2014 grey AT 8500 and it is an amazing rep.

 

[BloodGore]

I recently bought the old model (8500) Golf Green Hand Version.

Though the build quality overall feels very good, i am disappointed of the hour and minute hands quality. If you look at the watch from an angle, at the thin side of the hands, uneven lume (or something white) can be seen, in some light it is very obvious. And, in general, the finishing of the shiny chromed hands (and some indices too) looks just terrible to me, they look "smudged" on the surface and very rough cut and kind of unpolished. I do not have access to a gen, but i can just not imagine a gen would look like this (see picture).

It is hard to capture it on a photo, but in direct lighting or in a well lit office for example this is just so obvious to the naked eye (also from quite a bit distance) that it totally ruins the look (and so the purpose) for me. If you hold the watch in your hands, just look at it from a usual distance, and tilt it a bit in the light, this becomes obvious. Even friends or colleagues who don't know a single thing about watches sure might wonder how a watch at this pricepoint could have such an issue. Also, this is nothing visible on QC pictures where everything is evenly lit.

What is your experience on this, do you have this issue on your watches (8500s or 8900s)?

I have had a JF OP (also considered Super Rep) before, and it had the same problem, just not that much. I have the feeling most rep watches with shiny surface hands or dials have this issue, however my Seiko for 100 bucks does have chrome hands and indices, and no matter in what light, i can not spot a single flaw on them, everything is perfectly shiny and polished. So i think it's not a matter of cost.

Please note, I don't want to offend anyone (Users, Owners, Dealers, Factories) by this, i'm just curious to know if any of you also have/see this problem or what can be done about it, because other than that, i really like the watch and it would really be worth the money without the hands flaw. Would polishing help with that? Would a Watchmaker "fix" that? Do Gen Hands fit on that movement?

https://imgur.com/a/gcdRnX7

 

[Thatwatchguy]

I recently bought the old model (8500) Golf Green Hand Version.


https://imgur.com/a/gcdRnX7

There have been numerous quality issues with wonky Omega logos etc so it looks more like batch issues, I had the same one a while back and ther ere no such issues. And no issues with my white dial one...when you get a good one they are just stunning!

 

[Phongnal]

I just received the Aqua Terra 8900 VSF with blue dial. The watch is gorgeous!

 

[Kayjay]

I just received the Aqua Terra 8900 VSF with blue dial. The watch is gorgeous!

Thanks man, you made my day!
I always pay attention to the often mentioned purplish hue on the blue dials but yours look awesome.

 

[Kayjay]

I had the old 8500 blue dial AT and I can tell you that it has no purplish hue whatsoever. It is not as close to the gen as the old grey dial AT 8500, but I think the new blue and grey dial 8900 ones are further apart from the respective gens. I have seen the old and new blue and grey gens in the flesh and I can tell that the old grey AT 8500 rep is as close to the gen as you'll get. I still have my 2014 grey AT 8500 and it is an amazing rep.

Thanks man. I appreciate that you took some time to answer my question from days ago.

TBH I'm still torn between the older VSF 8500 blue dial and the new 8900 dark blue.

Personally I like the aesthetics of the AT 8900 more, mainly because of the horizontal teak pattern and the date at 6. Not to forget the beautiful and well made rubber strap.
Dark blue and white dial are my favorites and while the white 8900 dial is considered to be very close to gen, the blue dials are considered to be way off because of the purplish hue.
Maybe I'll go with the white 8900 and the blue 8500 until they introduce a V2 of the 8900 blue dials.

BTW: Did your 8500 blue dial AT have the so called skyfall blue colour?

 

[fspot]

Did your 8500 blue dial AT have the so called skyfall blue colour?

I'm not sure what a skyfall blue colour is. My 8500 blue dial AT had a date frame. The later models (gen and rep) have no date frame. It looked perfect on diffused light conditions and cheap on harsh light conditions, like direct sunlight. Btw, the gen 8500 blue dial AT looks cheap on direct sunlight as well. That's why I went for the grey dial, which looks great on any light.
Here is a nice review of the model I used to have:

https://www.rwg.bz/board/index.php?/...ion-pic-heavy/

You may notice some pink tones in the pictures but they are only in the pictures. The video gives a pretty good impression of what the dial looks like. It is not a static colour, it changes all the time, depending on the viewing angle and light. It can be deep navy with some grey in diffused light, which I liked very much, and it can be bright cobalt blue on direct light, which I didn't like much. Same with the gen blue dial 8500 AT.

I'm not familiar with the white dial reps, but I have to say they (old and new models) look very good on pictures.

I see a lot of people here want to convince themselves that their 8900 blue and grey dials look good, but all the pictures of the 8900 blues and greys in this thread look like very cheap reps to me. Mind you, I haven't seen the 8900 gens in the flesh. Gens might look cheap as well, just like the old blue dial did on some light conditions. Not all gens are successful.

 

[Kayjay]

I'm not sure what a skyfall blue colour is. My 8500 blue dial AT had a date frame. The later models (gen and rep) have no date frame. It looked perfect on diffused light conditions and cheap on harsh light conditions, like direct sunlight. Btw, the gen 8500 blue dial AT looks cheap on direct sunlight as well. That's why I went for the grey dial, which looks great on any light.
Here is a nice review of the model I used to have:

https://www.rwg.bz/board/index.php?/...ion-pic-heavy/

You may notice some pink tones in the pictures but they are only in the pictures. The video gives a pretty good impression of what the dial looks like. It is not a static colour, it changes all the time, depending on the viewing angle and light. It can be deep navy with some grey in diffused light, which I liked very much, and it can be bright cobalt blue on direct light, which I didn't like much. Same with the gen blue dial 8500 AT.

I'm not familiar with the white dial reps, but I have to say they (old and new models) look very good on pictures.

I see a lot of people here want to convince themselves that their 8900 blue and grey dials look good, but all the pictures of the 8900 blues and greys in this thread look like very cheap reps to me. Mind you, I haven't seen the 8900 gens in the flesh. Gens might look cheap as well, just like the old blue dial did on some light conditions. Not all gens are successful.

You are a lucky man because the date frame ATs are no longer available (gen and rep) and are widely considered as one of the most beautiful ATs ever (at least in gen).

BTW: In the review you mentioned, the colour is also called skyfall blue. It's because the watch was featured in the James Bond movie "Skyfall". In gen it has more of a teal or petrol hue on it and looks fantastic. As far as I know no rep was even close to this hue but I might be wrong.

But yeah, you're right. I always hope to see a non-purplish blue dial 8900 AT and convince myself that it's worth to spend the money on it. I think Phognal posted some nice pictures of the dark blue one today. As to me it doesn't look way off in daylight..

Unfortunately the latest blue dial 8500 AT (without date frame) seems to have the same purplish hue as the new blue dial 8900 ATs (as seen in the corresponding thread here on RWI)...

 

[fspot]

I went through my old orders and I can tell you that my 8500 grey dial AT is V6 factory, 8215 Miyota movement, and I got it from Sead back in 2015.
My 8500 blue dial AT was from Ryan in 2015. That's all I know.

 

[monstermunch]

Have people had issues with the omega logo not being aligned correctly? On my 3rd QC now and all 3 have had issues.