Affordable alternatives to the Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra

The Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra 150M Chronometer with blue guilloche dial was worn by James Bond in SkyFall (ref nr 231.10.39.21.03.001), SPECTRE (the updated Master Co-Axial, ref nr 231.10.42.21.03.003) and again in No Time To Die (exact model nr not known) and is a classy dress watch worn by the secret agent, in comparison to the more sporty diver's watches like the Seamaster 300m or the Rolex Submariner.

In this article you can find affordable alternatives to the James Bond Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra watches. Only very similar wristwatches to the Aqua Terra are mentioned, but of course there are many other budget options - please write a comment below or send a message via the contact form if you have another suggestion.

Let's first take a look at the Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra watches worn in the movies.

In SkyFall (2012), James Bond, played by Daniel Craig, wears an Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Chronometer. The watch features a chronometer, blue guilloche dial, date window at the three o'clock position. It houses Omega's Co-Axial Automatic movement. According to Omega the watch it the film has the 38.8mm case size, reference number 231.10.39.21.03.001.

In SPECTRE (2015), James Bond once again played by Daniel Craig, wears an Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra 150M Master Co-Axial 231.10.42.21.03.003, which has a case size of 41.5mm and an updated Master Co-Axial Automatic movement. Note that this bigger and newer watch doesn't have the chrome border around the date window that the Aqua Terra seen in SkyFall has, and it mentions "Master Co-Axial" instead of "Co-Axial" on the bottom half of the dial.

Compare the Aqua Terra from SkyFall (left) and SPECTRE (right)

The Co-Axial was sold for approximately €4800 / £4500 / $5500 and can currently be found second hand for the same price or a bit less. The Master Co-Axial cost around €5000 / £4750 / $6000 in 2015 and will probably cost around the same or a bit less.

Now let's see what the more affordable alternatives are for this watch.

Most similar

Stuhrling Forte 3953 Quartz 42mm Classic

The Stuhrling Forte 3953 Quartz 42mm Classic is one of the most affordable (find it on Stuhrling.com for $95) and similar watches compared to the Aqua Terra from SkyFall.

The watch has a dark blue dial with vertical lines, date window at the 3 o'clock position, crown without crown protectors, small minute indications on dial, triangular hour indicators, similar hands.

Don't expect the best quality case for this Stuhrling watch, but visually this is a very close match. It does come on a metal bracelet, but also looks very good on a blue Nato strap. The dial is very dark, almost black in normal light, and becomes more blue in brighter light.

The Stuhrling has a 42mm case, 20mm lug width (in case you want to change the strap), and has a slightly domed crystal. Also note that the movement in the Stuhrling is not an automatic movement, but a quite reliable, accurate Quartz movement from Miyota.

The Stuhrling 3953 watch is available at Stuhrling.com for $95.

You can also look on Amazon, but the blue dial version seems to be sold out there, and mostly black or white dial versions are available: Amazon US for $75 or Amazon UK for £65 or Amazon DE for €75.

Hugo Boss The James 1513533

Another good alternative comes from Hugo Boss, and coincidentally (or not?) it is called Hugo Boss The James 1513533.

Omega Aqua Terra from SPECTRE (left) and Hugo Boss The James (right)

It's a Quartz watch with 42mm case - roughly the same case size as the SPECTRE Aqua Terra which measures 41.5mm. The dial color and texture and steel band are also similar. The Hugo Boss watch doesn't feature a chronometer, and it has a day window next to the date, while the Aqua Terra only has a date window.

Hugo Boss The James is available for around $170 / £170 at Amazon (USA, UK), Amazon.de (€209, Germany), eBay or Christ.de (€279, Germany).

Rotary Havana Automatic GB05077/05

Another similar watch comes from British brand Rotary. The Rotary Havana Automatic GB05077/05 has the blue dial (but without the striped guilloche texture), stainless steel case and band and a date window with chrome border. With a 40mm case it's right in between the size of the SkyFall and SPECTRE Aqua Terra.

Omega Aqua Terra SkyFall (left) compared to the Rotary Havana GB05077/05

The minute markings are similar to the Aqua Terra, but the hour markers are more straight than pointy. It has an Automatic movement (which you can see through the glass case back), making it slightly more costly. Available at Ernest Jones (UK) for £239 £129 (on sale now!) or The WatchShop (International).

Pulsar PS9603X1

The very affordable Pulsar PS9603X1 is a new addition to this article (added in 2021, thanks to Daniel Schroeder via bondonabudget on Instagram for the alert). This is another brand with a James Bond link: Pulsar watch was worn by James Bond in Live And Let Die.

The polished bezel, vertical striped blue dial, minute markers and date window are similar to the Aqua Terra.

The yellow seconds hand is different, but gives a nice touch, and is reminiscent of the Limited 007 Edition of the Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra 150M Master Co-Axial (released at the time of SPECTRE), that's why in the image below I'm using the special edition for comparison.

The Pulsar has a stainless steel case and screw case back, is 100m water resistant

The Pulsar PS9603X1 is available on sale at Watch Nation (UK) for £49 and can also be found on Amazon UK for approx. £42 or Amazon Germany for €60. In the USA this watch is harder to find, but Watch Nation ships to the USA for £10 or you can try eBay.

Seiko Alternative

The Seiko suggestion is the Seiko Presage SRPB41J1 with 40.5mm case and blue dial: not as similar as the Boss, but as mentioned, the Seiko brand is strongly connected to James Bond and the quality of the watches is very high.

The Omega Aqua Terra from SPECTRE (left) and Seiko Presage Automatic (right)

It has a stunning blue dial with a different but beautiful guilloche lines and a curved (domed) glass. It has a date window and large crown without crown protectors. The movement is Seiko 4R35 Automatic (it winds itself when you wear the watch, like the Aqua Terra), hence a higher price than the Quartz alternatives, which are battery operated.

This one is a more expensive than the Boss and the Rotary, at around $270-360 / €360-420 available at Amazon or eBay, and for £349 at Ernest Jones (UK) and for €420 at Christ.de (Germany).

Festina F20357/3

Another great alternative is the Festina F20357/3 watch (thanks to Bernard for the suggestion).

The Festina has a very similar look and size. It has a Day Date (instead of just Date window on the Aqua Terra), and it has prominent crown protectors compared to the more smooth side of the Aqua Terra.

The Festina brand is a trusted and well-known brand from Switzerland, that produces watches since 1902. It can count actor Gerard Butler as its brand ambassador since 2016.

The Festina F20357/3 watch is very affordable for example on Amazon UK (£87) and Amazon DE (€85). It's not as easy to find in the USA, but via eBay you can have it (including shipping) for around $115.

Most affordable

Casio MTP-1183A-2A

The most affordable option is this Casio MTP-1183A-2A from the Enticer Series, with case size 42 x 38.5 x 8.7mm.

For the extremely low price this is a nice looking watch. It has the date window, nice case, a blue dial with beautiful shine to it (but no guilloche), steel case and is water resistant. It has similar minute markings as the Aqua Terra (05-10-15 etc). The watch band of the Casio is more similar to the band of the Seamaster 300m than the band of the Aqua Terra. Note that the band does feel quite cheap and light. If you want the dress watch look but have less than $40 to spend, this is a great choice from a world renowned watch brand with a Japanese Quartz movement.

Available for only $30 / €35 / £28 at Amazon or eBay (make sure to get the right version: the Gents version shown above has reference number MTP-1183A-2A, but a smaller Ladies version is the LTP-1183A-2A).

If you have any suggestions for Aqua Terra alternatives, please leave a comment below or contact Bond Lifestyle.

See more Affordable Alternative articles:
Seiko watches