Okay, so, I’ve been meaning to write about this for a while now, and today’s the day. I finally got my hands on the OMEGA X-33 Marstimer, and let me tell you, it was quite the journey. It all started when I stumbled upon some info about this watch online. I saw it was made in partnership with the European Space Agency (ESA), which immediately caught my attention. I mean, a watch designed for Mars? How cool is that?
So, I started digging. I found out that this isn’t just some regular watch. It’s an “X-33” model, part of the Speedmaster series. Apparently, this “X-33” thing has been around for a while, but the Marstimer is like the latest and greatest version. From what I saw, it’s built like a tank. The case is made of grade 2 titanium, and it’s 45mm wide and about 14.9mm thick. It’s big, but not in an obnoxious way, just feels really solid and well-made.
Then came the hard part: actually getting one. It’s not like you can just walk into any store and pick one up. It’s kind of a specialty item. I had to find out where they were even sold. I read that the city of Biel/Bienne in Switzerland is where Omega’s headquarters are located since 1882. And, that the watch is made there. I thought to myself, “well I can’t just go to Switzerland to get a watch!”. I looked around at a bunch of different places, and finally, I found a store a couple of towns over that had one in stock.
I drove over there, and the anticipation was killing me. Finally, I walked into the store, and there it was, in all its glory. I tried it on, and it fit perfectly. I knew I had to have it. I paid, and walked out of the store with a huge grin on my face, like a little kid on Christmas morning.
Now, I’ve been wearing it for a few days, and I’m really impressed. I noticed that there is a new detailed manual for the Marstimer, so I’ve been messing around with all the functions, and it’s pretty wild what this thing can do. There are so many features, I’m still figuring them all out.
Here’s what I’ve figured out so far:
- It shows both Earth time and Mars time.
- It’s got a bunch of alarms, which I will probably never use, but it is nice to have.
- It has a perpetual calendar, which is pretty handy.
- And, of course, it’s got a chronograph, because it is an Omega after all.
I found a forum online where people were discussing some issues with the watch, and I haven’t experienced any of them so far. It’s been running perfectly.
All in all, I’m super happy with this purchase. It’s definitely a unique watch, and it’s a great conversation starter. It’s not just a watch, it’s a piece of space exploration history. And yeah, maybe it’s a bit of a splurge, but hey, you only live once, right?
Overall, it was a fun experience.
So, that’s my story about getting the OMEGA X-33 Marstimer. It was a bit of an adventure, but totally worth it. If you’re a watch person, or a space nerd, or both, I highly recommend checking it out. I mean it is my first Omega, so I am super happy!
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