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As one of the pioneers in the field of premium watches, it comes as no surprise that Omega would be trying out all sorts of new and even unusual stuff. In 2009, however, they probably did a couple of unusual things too many for their latest update to the Omega Seamaster brand – the new Aqua Terra collection.

Before going on, it must be noted that the Seamaster brand is already one of the most popular in the Omega portfolio. It’s due in no small part to the fact that this is one of the standard watches that the character James Bond wears in most of the James Bond movies from the last couple of decades. It does, however, have a good number of its own merits aside from just having star status on the silver screen.

Now, the fact that the new Aqua Terra collection is largely mechanical didn’t raise a lot of eyebrows, or at least not as much as it did when Omega began the trend several years ago. They’re still at it, and some of ladies’ mechanical from this collection will be the first to have the new Si 14 balance springs made from silicon. Engineers at Omega see it as the next big thing in watchmaking because the non-magnetic property of the silicon allows it to perform much better than the typical materials.

Unsurprisingly, the hour markers and hands were all made from brushed 18-karat gold. What was unexpected, though, was the use of teak in this collection’s concept dials. Using teak, according to Omega, harks back to the materials commonly used in yachts and sailing boats. Considering that, these new concept dials are an even more faithful tribute to the nautical lifestyle.

This new collection of luxury watches comes in two flavors. The 38.5mm Co-Axial watches are available in 18-karat red or yellow gold, or with a blend of gold and stainless steel. The 41.5mm models have about as many options, except that yellow gold is not available for the latter. There’s also a choice of matching bracelets or brown straps made of alligator leather, which really complements the color of the gold.