By ASHOK SOMAN

Swiss watchmaker to James Bond, Omega recently announced the development of a new alloy in watchmaking with the arrival of the Seamaster Planet Ocean Liquidmetal® Limited Edition.

According to the brand’s prepared statement, this is the world’s first watch to bond ceramics and Liquidmetal®, an amorphous metallic alloy (zirconium, titanium, copper, nickel and beryllium) with a disordered non-crystalline atomic structure.

While Liquidmetal® is three times as hard as conventional stainless steel, it also boasts a fusion temperature less than half that of titanium. Its unique properties allow it to bond seamlessly with zirconium oxide (ceramics).

The limited edition 42mm timepiece features a diving bezel executed in ceramic, where the numbers and scaling are in Liquidmetal®. The case and bracelet are in stainless steel while the dial is ceramic. The watch is limited to 1,948 pieces.

Omega