By Cody D. Smith
This year at Baselworld, Omega has unveiled 14 new Seamasters into the market. This is the classic Omega Seamaster that we have come to love for the past 25 years, but these models host an array of updates that make for a more attractive option to many modern buyers. Six of these new models will be in steel while the other eight will be two-tone. The new updates that Omega has introduced are likely to be well received by many, as they feature newly sized 42mm cases, ceramic features such as the bezel and the dial (which now happens to have the wave pattern from many moons ago), and the engine to power the newest incarnation is a Master Chronometer Caliber 8800 housed in the back.
Personal Take
As far as the aesthetics of the newest Seamaster, there isn’t anything that has been particularly reinvented in its principal of design. It still features skeleton hands and retains the polished twisted lugs that we are very familiar with when we think of this line. The helium escape valve has been slightly updated with a conical shape; something that Omega said would help make the operation of it easier with underwater use. I cannot think of a single reason why someone would want to use it underwater, but we did get a slick looking release valve. They simply did it because they could. The new ceramic bezel on the Seamaster 300M is a welcome update, with the choice of Ceragold or white enamel inlays depending on which reference you happen to choose. The wave dial is something I must admit that I truly enjoy, and it has been executed beautifully with the use of a new ceramic dial. The date wheel has also shifted to the six o’clock position, another move made simply because they can (they will be color matched to the dials, however). Let’s get on to where the new Seamaster 300M really shines.
The Movement
Under the hood, there is a newly introduced movement that really shows us the direction that Omega plans to head in the future. It is a METAS-certified Master Chronometer 8800, beating at 25,200vph and running on 55 hours of power reserve. The automatic movement can be viewed through its exhibition sapphire caseback. A chronometer grade movement is a sensible and mature step forward for Omegas Seamaster line.
In Closing
Omega has really pushed to the edge of their more modern technologies with this updated Seamaster 300M. It features a handsome number of small yet important updates that make this every bit more wearable. The past few years have been a bit cloudy for the company, but after seeing what they put into the Seamaster 300M, I have no doubt that we can expect more and more updates across the board from them. For more info, visit Omega online.
