Two Broke Watch Snobs
Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Review | Is It The Perfect Luxury Dive Watch?
Are build quality, dive watch legacy, and memorable aesthetics enough for the Omega Seamaster Diver 300M to be counted among the greats?
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Two Broke Watch Snobs
Are build quality, dive watch legacy, and memorable aesthetics enough for the Omega Seamaster Diver 300M to be counted among the greats?
Worn & Wound
The Omega Seamaster has a rich and complex history that encompasses a broad range of styles over the generations. Odds are strong that each of us conjures a slightly different image upon hearing the word Seamaster, from the Bond examples of the ‘90s, to the PloProf of the ‘60s, or even the quaint, near formal examples from the ‘40s. That breadth is reflected in the modern Seamaster collection, which currently encompasses the Aqua Terra, the Diver 300, the Planet Ocean, and a range of Heritage models that include the likes of the Railmaster and the PloProf. This diversity of options has meant plenty of great references have come and gone, and a few may have even slipped through the cracks through no fault of their own. This Missed Review will focus on one such reference, the titanium Seamaster 300 2231.50.00 from the early ‘00s. The modern Seamaster 300 picks the story up in 1993, sporting the word ‘professional’ on its dial and a helium release appendage at 10 o’clock. The new watch was about to get the boost of a lifetime thanks to a placement on the wrist of Pierce Brosnan in his portrayal of fictional British spy, James Bond in the 1995 film GoldenEye. It is this reference, the steel 2541.80.00 with quartz movement that generally pops into my head when I think about the Seamaster. It’s not a watch I find particularly attractive, but it is one that I associate with a specific era perhaps more than any other watch. There is something truly unique about t...
Time+Tide
I never thought these words would come out of my mouth, but I am letting go of one of the holiest grails in my collection, my near-mint Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch. If you know me, you’ll know this is one of the most out of character things I have done in all my time collecting … ContinuedThe post Letting go of a grail: Why I am selling my near-perfect Omega Speedmaster appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Worn & Wound
It’s a fact of life in the watch world that every big brand is going to leverage corporate partnerships, celebrity endorsements, product placements, and other various synergies to get their name, and watches, out into the public square. I’ve always been fascinated by how watches are marketed and sold to us, and there’s one brand in particular that has been particularly adept at familiarizing the public with their product in a very specific, high level way. Omega seems to be everywhere. They have arguably the most famous celebrities in the world on their billboards (George Clooney and Nicole Kidman top the list), they’re part of one of the biggest film franchises of all time, and, oh yeah, there’s that whole bit about the moon landing. I guess a watch was involved? Anyway, they seem to have a presence in every corner of the culture that is watch adjacent, and nowhere, in my opinion, does it make more sense than their long standing relationship with the Olympics. We’re a year out from the 2024 summer games in Paris, France, and Omega is taking the opportunity to remind us of this particular partnership with the release of a watch meant to start the countdown to next year’s games, the Seamaster 300M “Paris 2024” Special Edition. What we have here is an execution of the current generation Seamaster Diver 300M in stainless steel, on a bracelet, with a white ceramic wave pattern dial and a Moonshine Gold timing bezel. The watch has a resemblance to another re...
Time+Tide
These last seven days have been full of events in the watch industry, from controversial, vintage-inspired releases, to Omega starting the countdown to the 2024 Olympics. And for the first time, a furniture and lighting company surprisingly joins the list: we are very curious to see how that one will evolve. Enjoy! Raymond Weil Freelancer … ContinuedThe post New releases from Studio Underd0g, Omega and more appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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SJX Watches
As the Summer Olympics in Paris approach, Omega introduces a special edition of the Seamaster Diver 300M. Limited editions for the event are a given, but this latest Olympic edition is dressed in unusual livery for a Seamaster. The brand’s Moonshine Gold alloy is used for bezel, while the dial is bright white ceramic. Initial thoughts Considering Omega’s long association with the Olympics stretches back 91 years, the number of limited editions for the games is numerous. Many were regrettably rather mundane in design, featuring the customary dial colour changes and Olympic markings. However, this particular edition stands out with its lighter tones, a departure from the typically dark hues of Omega’s dive watches, which was also the usual look of previous Olympic editions. And because this is an Omega, the colours are as much about aesthetics as materials. One aspect that particularly appeals in this release is the Moonshine Gold bezel. The golden insert complements the white ceramic dial and the stainless steel case and bracelet. This gives the watch a sense of visual luxury, making it different from the typical diver special edition without being gimmicky, which arguably gives it more longevity in terms of style. The price of this special edition stands at US$8,700, notably higher than the standard steel model, which is rationalised by the gold bezel no doubt. It will only be available, for the moment, at Omega boutiques in Paris. That said, the brand has not yet ...
Time+Tide
While the Omega Seamaster 300M Diver 60 Years of James Bond Edition in stainless steel was a visual tribute to various Omega watches worn by James Bond, particularly the first wave-dial Seamaster worn by Pierce Brosnan and the tenure-ending No Time To Die Edition Seamaster worn by Daniel Craig, this Omega Seamaster 300M Diver 60 … ContinuedThe post The Omega Seamaster 300M Diver 60 Years of James Bond Edition in Canopus gold is for the Bond villains appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Deployant
Whoa! Omega does a big time 75th Anniversary celebration of their iconic Seamaster collection with 11 new watches in Summer Blue.
Worn & Wound
The Seamaster turns 75 this year, and if you thought Omega was going to let the anniversary pass without a major celebratory release, well, needless to say you’d be sorely mistaken. Today, the brand unveiled an 11 watch collection, covering the expanse of the Seamaster range to pay tribute to all aspects of what many would argue is a brand within a brand. More than anything, the new suite of Seamasters is a reminder of the diversity of watches made with the “Seamaster” name on the dial. Even more than the Speedmaster, the Seamaster collection represents the core of what Omega is as a brand today, a fully integrated manufacture that makes tech forward, accessible, heirloom quality watches for every possible scenario. Omega has developed a remarkably coherent conceit behind this release, which they are subtitling “Precision at Every Level,” a reference to the brand’s high spec METAS certified movements and the range of depths Seamaster watches are certified to. The idea here is that Omega is using a shade of “Summer Blue” on each dial, but in lighter or darker gradients depending on the depth rating of the watch. The Aqua Terra, rated to 150 meters, has a dial that appears light blue with a subtle gradient effect, but once you get down to the depths of the Ploprof and Ultra Deep, the dials get darker with a more pronounced gradient. The blue used here is distinct from other shades of blue used throughout the Omega catalog, so these watches should be immedia...
Time+Tide
A gradient of 11 new “Summer Blue” configurations for the 75th anniversary of the Seamaster that darken as the depth rating increases Each model has a commemorative caseback with the signature Poseidon, trident, and two seahorses motif The previously discontinued Ploprof returns to the catalogue with a new resized monobloc case There are countless brands … ContinuedThe post Omega celebrates 75 years of the Seamaster with 11 new “Summer Blue” models across the collection (Live Video & Pics!) appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Time+Tide
Omega celebrates 60 years of Bond with a new stainless steel Omega Seamaster 300M 60 Years of James Bond Edition.The post Everything you need to know about the new Omega Seamaster 300M 60 Years of James Bond Edition appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Earlier this week, leading Swiss-German newspapers Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ) published a lengthy story about the possible fraud behind the record-setting sale of an Omega Speedmaster ref. 2915-1 at Phillips in 2021. Mystifying at the time, the CHF3.12 million result was a huge number that far exceeded past records for that particular Speedmaster. As NZZ revealed in its story, the Speedmaster in question was a “Franken” watch pieced together from assorted vintage components – and some fake parts – and it was purchased by Omega itself, on the advice of its then museum head. The allegations are that the then museum head was in cahoots with the seller of the watch. Omega has gone to the police with this, and also released a statement, noting in part, “Omega and Phillips were the joint victims of organised criminal activity involving the selling of this specific watch by auction.” The Omega Museum, which fortunately has enough correct and legitimate vintage Speedmasters on display. Image – Omega Both Omega and Phillips should have done more due diligence, but it appears a few bad actors were diligent in allegedly defrauding Omega. For more on the matter, Dutch watch publication Fratello published an excellent examination of the happenings. The alleged fraud has been covered widely in the mass media, from Bloomberg to Fortune, ironically the same publications that last year touted the success and value-appreciation of the Speedmaster. Mountains and molehills The ...
Deployant
Omega releases three new worldtimer watches to update their 2023 Seamaster Aqua Terra collection. One in titanium and two in steel cases.
Time+Tide
It’s fair to say that the Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch is one of the most famous watches of all time, up there even in the minds of the uninitiated. As the watch that went to the moon and thrived on racetracks, it’s cemented a strong legacy within horological history and has become a stylistic icon. As … ContinuedThe post 5 reasons you need to be familiar with the Omega Speedmaster Reduced appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Three new configurations for the Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Worldtimer Titanium makes its debut in the collection, new green dial for stainless steel, all use coloured ceramic bezels for the first time Titanium model is US$2.6K more expensive than the original steel, new steel models US$1K more expensive due to new bezel and 18K moonshine gold … ContinuedThe post Omega revisits the Seamaster Aqua Terra Worldtimer with new titanium and steel models with coloured ceramic bezels appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Worn & Wound
Omega began teasing a new watch on their social media channels in the last few days, and while it was immediately pretty clear we’d be getting a new Worldtimer of some sort, the finer details were very much left a mystery. The existing Worldtimer has become a bit of a cult favorite since its release. It has a truly useful complication, and a dial that is undeniably stunning when you see it in person. The representation of earth as viewed from above the North Pole is a worldtimer trope, and there are a lot of ways to execute it, but few brands give you the detail that Omega can. That said, the watch has always been a little on the large side, and a new colorway is always welcome. Speculation ensued that a smaller version of the Worldtimer might be hitting boutiques, but what we got instead is a material change, along with a hard lean into green, which might no longer be the color of the moment, but seems to suit this particular watch just fine. What we have in this release is actually a trio of new watches: two references in stainless steel (one on a bracelet, the other a strap), and a completely new version of the watch in titanium. Let’s tackle the steel watches first. These follow the same 43mm format as the existing Worldtimer (the Seamaster Aqua Terra Worldtimer, to be more precise), but substitute the familiar blue dial for one in a PVD coated green. The dials here have a light sun-brushed finish, and dial accents (hands and hour markers) are in Moonshine Gold. ...
Time+Tide
The 2023 Academy Awards was held this past weekend, but just prior to the ceremonies I flew out to California to join Omega for a pre-Oscars celebratory dinner for one of their latest ambassadors Ariana DeBose, who won the Oscar for best supporting actress last year for her portrayal of Anita in Steven Spielberg’s West … ContinuedThe post In conversation with Ariana DeBose, Oscar winner and Omega ambassador appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Deployant
Deployant Friend tells the story of his love of the Omega Seamaster. And how he started with an heiloom watch which grew to an small collection.
Time+Tide
Ok. So we just published a story on the new Swatch x Omega MoonSwatch Moonshine, honing in on the reactions we compiled upon its unveiling. In the story, Zach touched upon a cheeky FAQ list we shared on Instagram. Interestingly, while we disclosed this was genuinely a Swatch-supplied frequently asked questions list, its rather playful … ContinuedThe post The Swatch x Omega MoonSwatch Moonshine FAQ is not a joke. Here’s proof appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Oh, the Swatch x Omega MoonSwatch. Around this time last year, the unveiling of the concept and original collection was a massive moment for the watch space – the ripples of which extended far beyond the niche of watch enthusiasm. Massive queues, a lack of accessibility, while the launch certainly stirred up a lot of … ContinuedThe post Your reactions to the Swatch x Omega MoonSwatch Moonshine – the good, the bad, and the indifferent appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Revolution
At the launch of the new Speedmaster Super Racing at Omega’s HQ in Bienne, Wei speaks with VP of Product, Gregory Kissling, to learn in detail about the brand’s latest groundbreaking invention, the Spirate System. Kissling gives a masterclass on the unique geometry of the Spirate’s silicon hairspring that has been formed through Deep Reactive […]
Revolution
Technical innovation has always been at the heart of Omega. From the Speedmaster being the first watch to be flight-qualified by NASA for manned space flight to the industrialisation of the co-axial escapement, Omega remains at the vanguard of pushing the boundaries of watchmaking. 10 years in the making, Omega’s new Spirate hairspring system takes […]
Time+Tide
Rolex and Omega are the Coke and Pepsi of the watch industry. As two of the biggest brands in the world, they are constantly pitted up against one another head to head. Since the brand’s inception, Rolex has been known for incremental progress and updates. Omega, on the other hand, has taken more risks and … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Omega Speedmaster Super Racing is the brand’s most accurate watch yet appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Having teased about a new innovation on social media for several weeks, specifically a “tiny device” that would be a game-changer for the Speedmaster, Omega has finally revealed the Speedmaster Super Racing. But the star of the show is not the watch but actually the technology in the all-new silicon hairspring within the latest Speedmaster. Known as Spirate, a portmanteau of “silicon” and “rate”, the new hairspring has a proprietary form that allows a watchmaker to vary the tension along its length, theoretically enabling fine adjustment of up to a tenth of a second. The result is a watch certified to have a daily rate of 0/+2 seconds, the most stringent timekeeping criteria amongst Omega watches. Initial thoughts While it is a given that Omega debuts a new Speedmaster every year, several of them at a go in fact, the revolutionary innovation in the hairspring was unexpected (though anyone who was trawling the Swiss patent registry would have gotten some hints). The patented Spirate hairspring The technical innovation behind Spirate is unquestionable, though the benefit to the wearer is probably less than the advantage it brings Omega in terms of streamlining regulation during production and assembly. And when Omega starts equipping its offerings with Spirate on a large scale, it will be an achievement from the perspective of industrial production. As for the Speedmaster Super Racing itself, well, the watch is less than spectacular. Visually it’s sim...
Worn & Wound
Today, Omega has unveiled a new Speedmaster that their social media team has been teasing aggressively for the past few weeks. They promised a “tiny device” delivering a “massive change,” and to that end the announcement today is really more about mechanics than a new watch. There is a new watch, of course, but to the extent that today’s news excites you, it will almost certainly be a result of a very small component that Omega has completely rethought. The Speedmaster Super Racing is the first timepiece from Omega to feature what they’re calling “Spirate” technology. Spirate is essentially a new method of movement regulation by way of a small knob connected to the balance that allows a watchmaker to adjust the rate in increments down to the tenth of a second. Omega claims that the end result is a movement that’s accurate to within 0/+2 seconds per day. Again, this is a mechanical movement that is, yes, METAS certified to be within two seconds per day. That’s Spring Drive level accuracy, without the benefit of quartz derived regulation. Assuming Spirate works as advertised (there’s no reason not to assume that given Omega’s proficiency in making highly accurate movements at a large scale) this is an enormously impressive accomplishment. How does it work, exactly? Omega had to develop an entirely new silicon balance spring that can be adjusted for stiffness via a mechanism connected to the balance bridge (easily visible through the sapphire caseb...
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