Friday 22 July 2011

Omega Seamaster 300: modern re-build of a Sixties model




The middle of the crystal has the Omega logo etched into it. You can see it reflected also on the steel section of the minute hand. Nifty.
This watch is powered by the Calibre 552 Omega movement. I have two other vintage Omegas with the 5XX series movements in them. They are accurate, rock-solid and one of the finest watch movements ever produced by any Swiss brand.




I had it on a mesh bracelet earlier this week to give it a real early '70s 'Burt Reynolds-in-"Deliverance"' kind of vibe, but I've since fitted a nylon NATO strap to it.
This watch measures about 42mm in diameter, making it a classic size for this type of watch. I've been selling watches for over ten years now and I have seen various brands bring out larger and larger watches, to the point of ridiculousness. A watch is an understated accoutrement used for telling the time. Not something that announces to the world "Hey, look at me!!"
Just my take.



An early l950s Blancpain Fifty Fathoms. Picture courtesy of http://www.rruegger.ch/

And...

The first Rolex Submariner.

And below, my Seamaster 300 on a NATO strap. If you ever come across original models of these three watches, then you'll have seen what's been often regarded as the Holy Trinity of Dive watches among collectors.



The deeply notched bezel makes it easy to turn with wet hands.


The strap itself is threaded underneath the case. These straps are very comfortable to wear. And if they get dirty, you just thrown them into the washing machine.




The arrow-shaped hands on the modern iteration is a throw-back to Omega models from the '50s, like the first-generation Speedmasters and the classic Railmaster model.


Works very well on a kevlar-style strap as well.


This model has the later version of the winding crown which screws down against the case for optimal water-resistance. Notice also the markers on the dial and the numerals on the bezel, which glow quite brightly after exposure to light.
I also had the option of purchasing the date model of this watch, but felt that the non-date version had more balance and clarity of form.





Thanks for reading!


4 comments:

  1. I got one of those NATO straps for an old watch I found (a Seiko Quartz I have worn since, daily) out mountain biking, but I found it really uncomfortable. I think they work OK on a 'manly' wrist, but mine are, well, skinny to say the least. I think that's why I don't get on with bracelet types. So I have reverted to the latest in a long line of dark brown leather straps. I don't expect people with skinny wrists make ideal watch collectors :-)

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  2. On the contrary, Rob, small wrists are perfect for vintage watches. My wrists are 6.5 inches...just like a school girl's.

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  3. Hi, just stumbled across your blog when searching for pics of the seamaster 300 with NATO strap. I bought the same watch about six months ago and just got it back from being restored by swatch group. Got to say, it looks and feels pretty special. I have the same mesh bracelet and also a black NATO, and at the moment I prefer the NATO for everyday wear. Thanks for posting your pics and comments (very stylish type written). It is comforting to know that there are others out there that share my fixation on classic wristwatches. Cheers, Dan

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    1. @ Dan, it's a phenomenal watch. If only Omega had kept it in uninterrupted production, it would have been their equivalent of the Rolex Submariner. If you check out some of the Omega Forums, you'll find quite a afew folks out there who love this particular watch. Congrats on yours and enjoy it!

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