Omega redesigned the Seamaster 300 for 2021, which is the more casual of their dive watch options.

Although, don’t let the looks fool you, both of Omega’s dive watch models — the Seamaster 300M and 300 — are water-resistant to 300 meters, which means they will function an impressive 984 feet below the surface.

While the Seasmater 300M case is large, modern, sporty, highly robust — and features a helium escape valve for saturation diving — the Seamaster 300 case is sleek, elegant, and has a retro aesthetic.

At 41 mm x 14.4 mm, the case of the Seamaster 300 has been slimmed down for 2021, thanks to a thinner, flat, slightly raised sapphire crystal. The Seamaster 300 has also received an upgraded Master Chronometer movement (which Omega has been rolling since commercially launching the technology in 2017 and that will soon power the entire collection).

Like the Rolex Submariner, which dates back to 1953, Omega came out with the Seamaster 300 in the same decade (four years later in 1957). Both are legendary dive watches with a history that includes professional military and civilian use. At the time, Omega’s first diving bezel was built with a special safety feature to prevent accidental turning during dives. That system has since been replaced by a unidirectional bezel that only rotates in one direction, so you cannot inadvertently add more time — and this is standard for most dive watches nowadays.

In 1957, not just the Seamster 300 but also the Railmaster and Speedmaster came out — which Omega built for professionals such as scientists, recreational divers, train conductors, and so on. Omega released the 1957 Trilogy Limited Edition collection of all three in 2017, which could be purchased as a full set, or separately.

While Seamaster dive watches date back to 1948, it wasn’t until 1957 when Omega made the first so-called “professional” divers’ watches, called the “Seamster 300,” and known for its luminous indices and large hands for excellent legibility.

Unlike the state-of-the-art Seamaster 300M collection, including the newly unveiled 300M Black Black, which features a ceramic bezel, the 2021 Seamaster 300 has an oxalic anodized-treated aluminum insert (more scratch-resistant than typical aluminum inserts). Although, it’s worth noting that the bronze-gold alloy case reference of the Seamaster 300 is in fact fitted with a ceramic bezel insert.

Perhaps most notably, the five new Seamaster 300 references all come with a sandwich dial, which has the same general aesthetic as the outgoing 300 collections but now with a multi-layer dial. The first layer consists of luminous material and a second plate over the top with cut-outs for the recessed hour markers and numerals. And as a nod to the original 1960s models, there are Arabic numerals at 12, 3, 6, and 9.

The clean dial, with no date or excessive font, has just the Omega logo and emblem and “Seamaster 300.” Dauphine-shaped hour and minute hands, including a huge arrow-tipped on the hour hand, indicate the time for all five new references. A lollipop-tipped center seconds hand populates the dial of all four stainless steel references. However, for Omega’s new 9K bronze-gold alloy Seamaster 300M, the center seconds hand is arrow-tipped instead of a lollipop. Moreover, the dial itself is made of standard bronze (CuSn8), versus brass, to offer a unique dark brown color that was created using a chemically oxidized aging process.

Speaking of the new 9K bronze-gold alloy case, Omega says “Bronze has a long and traditional history with ocean exploration, having been used in nautical applications such as boat propellers and diving helmets. There is also a historical reference to copper being blended with gold or silver to create an alloy once known as Corinthian Bronze. While details of its exact composition are limited, various ancient Greek texts reinforce the reputation of Corinthian Bronze as a highly prized metal for the creation of statues, vases, vessels, and more. Echoing its own Greek-inspired name, OMEGA has revived this classical art today in its own unique way!

Bronze Gold was specifically developed to produce a pleasing aesthetic and hue, while also offering a bronze alloy that could be worn with direct contact on the skin, thanks to its distinctive composition.

Used for the entire case and buckle, the one-of-a-kind alloy is enriched with noble elements such as 37.5% gold, hallmarked as 9K, as well as palladium and silver, to create a unique color which sits exactly between the brand’s 18K Moonshine™ gold and 18K Sedna™ gold.

As well as featuring a soft pink hue, during wear, it offers incomparable corrosion resistance without verdigris-oxidation, and will therefore age slowly and retain its natural and beautiful patina over a longer period of time. For fans of bronze watches and innovative materials, this is great news!”

Additional enhancements to the Seamaster 300 line include a larger dial opening (enlarged from 29.5 mm to 30.4 mm), and the crown now has a conical shape, which is arguably more attractive, and presumably a bit shorter for increased comfort.

The stainless steel bracelets now come with an improved fit and finishing and their shape has been ergonomically adjusted with streamlined fittings and a thinner, polished-brushed clasp. On the leather straps, a new buckle has also been included. Further, the bracelet has Omega’s patented screw-and-pin bracelet with a new integration to the case, and Omega’s patented extendable foldover rack-and-pusher.

As mentioned above, all five 2021 Seamaster 300 references now come with Omega’s Master Chronometer Certified caliber 8912. The automatic movements beat at 3.5Hz and has two-barrels mounted in series good for 60-hours of power reserve. Advanced technologies include Omega’s famous Co-Axial escapement, as well as a high-end free-sprung balance, and silicon balance spring. Finishing consists of a rhodium-plated rotor and bridges, Geneva waves in arabesque, as well as blackened screws, barrels, and balance wheel.

Vintage lume is used for all models, and the minute hand and 12H dot on the bezel of each Seamaster 300 have green emission — while the indices, Arabic markers, all three hands, and even the markings on the bezel all have a blue emission. The green emission marks the dive timer, distinguishing it from the rest of the indications, thus increasing focus on the most critical element of a dive watch underwater: the dive time.

Retail for the 2021 Seamaster 300 is $6,150 for the black or blue dial in a steel case on a leather strap or $6,500 with an integrated steel bracelet, and these will be available beginning in April 2021. The Bronze Gold Seamaster 300 comes with a leather strap for $11,600 and will be available starting June 2021.

 

Photos by Omega.