This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Omega Seamaster Diver 300M collection, so to commemorate the occasion Omega refreshed their popular dive watch collection. Let’s find out what the new changes are and how they compare to the
preceding versions of the Omega Seamaster Diver 300M. Plus, in honor of Earth Day (Sunday, April 22 in case you forgot) we also take a quick look at Omega’s other dive watch lineup, the Planet Ocean.
What’s New with the Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Design?
As always, Omega like to go big so they released no less than 14 new Seamaster Diver 300M watches at Baselworld 2018! These new models come in a range of material choices and color options ranging from full steel to two-tone steel and gold (yellow or rose) with familiar blue, black, and silver shades. [caption id="attachment_724" align="aligncenter" width="600"]
New Omega Seamaster Diver 300M (Image: Omega)[/caption] While the new Seamaster Diver 300M watches retain the overall recognizable style of the longstanding Omega dive watch, there are a few notable changes. First, the size of the case has increased slightly from 41mm to 42mm. Omega seems to be bucking the trend of scaling down case sizes and proudly going bigger this time around. [caption id="attachment_726" align="aligncenter" width="600"]
New Omega Seamaster Diver 300M (Image: Omega)[/caption] Another modification found on the new Seamaster Diver 300M is the use of ceramic for the bezel, replacing the once-favorite aluminum material. This isn’t much of a surprise as ceramic has become a darling in the luxury watch space. Cherished for its striking looks and robustness—especially resistant to scratching and fading—it makes perfect sense that ceramic is becoming the go-to material for high-end sports watches. As a dive watch, the ceramic bezels on the new Diver 300M models only rotate in one direction to prevent divers from overestimating their immersion times.
Ceramic continues on to the dials of the new Seamaster Diver 300M and fans will be delighted that Omega revived the wave pattern on the face of the watch. The signature pattern was a distinct feature of this collection for a long time, such as on this
Seamaster Diver 300M 2531.80 circa 2007, but Omega did away with it for a few years. But it’s back, and even more prominent now thanks to the use of ceramic. Moreover, Omega kept the characteristic skeletonized center hands but they have been reshaped ever so slightly.
The Omega Seamaster Diver 300M’s New Movement
[caption id="attachment_728" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Master Chronometer Calibre 8800 (Image: Omega)[/caption] For the first time in the Seamaster Diver 300M’s 25-year history, Omega has equipped the new models with their new generation METAS-certified Master Chronometer 8800 automatic movement, ramping up the watches’ precision, accuracy, and durability. Omega’s modern self-winding anti-magnetic caliber—visible from the exhibition sapphire caseback—offers 55 hours of power reserve and operates at a frequency rate of 25,200 beats per hour (3.5 Hz).
As a result of the new caliber, the date window has moved from the traditional 3 o’clock position as found on the older
Omega Seamaster Diver 300M 2532.2000 to a new position at 6 o’clock. Of course, as the model’s name suggests, the Seamaster Diver 300M retains its water resistance to 300 meters. Also continuing on the watch is the customary helium escape valve protruding from the case at the 10 o’clock position. The valve permits built-up gases to release from the watch during decompression periods, thus avoiding the crystal to pop off from pressure. All in all, Omega did not drastically change the Seamaster Diver 300M but rather, added a few modern enhancements that’ll surely be welcomed by many.
What’s the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Watch?
One of the newer collections from Omega, the Seamaster Plane Ocean made its debut in 2005, positioned as the Seamaster Diver 300M’s bigger, bolder, and more robust brother. Take for example the
Seamaster Planet Ocean 2200.51.00, flaunting a hefty 45.5mm case! Boasting double the water resistance of the Seamaster Diver 300M, the 600-meter rated
Seamaster Planet Ocean is built for professional divers who love to explore underwater worlds.
Emphasizing Omega’s commitment to marine sustainability, the watch brand joined forces with the GoodPlanet Foundation in 2011 to raise awareness of the conditions of our oceans and to promote feasible ways to preserve their wellbeing. Omega has continuously produced special edition Goodplanet watches, including Planet Ocean versions along with Aqua Terra models, where a portion of the proceeds from these watches is donated to the foundation. While
Omega may be famous for having created chronographs for astronauts to take on space explorations, the Swiss watchmaker is clearly as dedicated to crafting impeccable dive watches for marine exploration too. And this is why we have chosen the Omega Seamaster Diver 300M (and its buffer brother the Planet Ocean) as our Watch(es) of the Month.
