The Watch Hall of Fame: The Omega Seamaster
Yes, we’re back again with the next instalment of our blog mini-series “The watch hall of fame” and in this week’s blog we will be shining the spotlight on the one and only Omega Seamaster. If you didn’t catch the first instalment of this mini-series we looked at the Tag Heuer Monaco and discussed the criteria we think needs to be met for a watch to be “iconic”. In "The Watch Hall of Fame" blogs we will be taking a deep-dive into the world of watch icons and discussing what really makes them iconic. I would definitely recommend checking out the first instalment so you can get some background info. Without further ado, let's jump straight in to discussing why the Omega Seamaster is the next watch to earn a place in our hall of fame.
The Omega Seamaster
Introduced in 1948, the Seamaster is the longest running design in Omega’s current collection. It’s long life means it’s had quite a few makeovers through the decades, but it has never lost its classic Seamaster swagger. Iconic watches have an iconic history to go along with them, so let’s give a very quick overview of the evolution of the Seamaster.
Produced to celebrate Omega’s 100th anniversary, the original design of the Omega Seamaster was advertised as a dress watch for “town, sea, and country”. Its unique selling point was that it had the adaptation of brand new waterproof technology, which Omega had originally designed for British military diving watches during World War 2. From what I could find, these watches were said at the time to be water resistant up to 70 meters. In 1955, the Seamaster was used by diver Gordan McLean to carry out a record breaking 62.5 meter dive.
The Seamaster 300 was the next model to be introduced in 1957. With its design visibly becoming more recognisable to the Seamaster we know today, Omega transformed the previous “dressy” Seamaster into a more geared up diving watch, following the increase in people taking up diving recreationally. The new and improved Seamaster 300 increased the water resistance of the watch up to 200 meters. You may be wondering why it’s called the Seamster 300 and not the Seamaster 200, but it’s simply because the equipment for measuring water resistance at that time was only capable of measuring up to 200 meters, but Omega believed their watch was more than able to reach depths of 300 meters.
In the 70s the Seamaster was given its most extreme makeover, when Omega partnered with a French diving company to produce the Seamaster PloProf. This watch was made for serious divers with a water resistance of 600 meters. The watch was never a massive hit, probably because of its very chunky and asymmetrical look, but that didn’t stop Omega from creating another version of the PloProf a few years later which could reach depths of 1000 meters, and then, yes you guessed it, AGAIN but this time up to 1200 meters!
The 90s saw the creation of the Omega Seamaster Professional Diver 300M, which became synonymous with the iconic James Bond movies (but more on this later). Along with this new model, the iconic wave dial pattern which we all know and love was also born. This Seamaster quickly became a fan favourite and rocketed the popularity of Omega. And this leaves us where we are today. There are of course many other models in the Seamster family which have been created since, such as the Planet Ocean, the Aqua Terra, and many vintage reboots. In May 2019, Omega produced a special Seamaster Planet Ocean to assist Victor Vescovo with his world record dive of 10,935 meters in the Marianas Trench. Pretty impressive.
When people imagine an Omega Seamaster, many will think of the incredible blue and stainless steel Seamaster Professional Diver 300M. This version of the Seamaster is unquestionably iconic. It features a navy blue unidirectional bezel with scalloped edges. The blue is also carried through to the dial which sports the much-loved laser engraved wave pattern. Another iconic feature is the red Seamaster logo on the dial. The blue stands out so nicely against the stainless steel case and bracelet, overall giving a sporty yet sophisticated appearance.
It’s not only the Seamaster’s gorgeous appearance or its extensive history and astonishing accomplishments which get this watch a place in our hall of fame, but also its career as a Hollywood A-lister. I’m of course talking about its many cameos in the James Bond movies. The Seamaster Professional Diver 300M was first seen as Mr Bonds watch of choice in the 1995 Goldeneye movie, where Pierce Brosnan played the 007 agent. Omega wasn't always James Bond's watch of choice though; before the Seamaster, James Bond was seen to wear watches such as Rolex or Seiko. The Omega Seamaster has been worn in 8 Bond movies since, and I’m sure we will see it in many more to come too.
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The Omega Seamaster is a beloved watch and is a staple for collectors all around the world. From it's involvement in pop culture to breaking world records, this watch is definitely iconic and I hope you can all agree. If you've enjoyed this post, subscribe to our blog newsletter so you don't miss the next instalment of "The Watch Hall of Fame"! I wonder which watch will take space number 3?