If your head is spinning from all the integrated-bracelet steel sports watches, then, first, we feel you, and, second, you might be relieved to hear Omega is rushing to your rescue with the Omega Seamaster Diver 300M watch in titanium and bronze gold that offers none of those things. It has no steel in it, and its mesh bracelet is less integrated than iMessage on Android.
Following hot on the heels of late November’s releases of no-date Seamaster watches, this latest Omega Seamaster Diver 300M spices things up after those decidedly color-absent models with a novel palette applied to what is a selection of exotic materials. Well, not exotic in that you have never seen any of these in a watch before, but rather that you might not have ever seen them in the same watch until now.
So, what is this latest Omega Seamaster Diver 300M 210.90.42.20.10.001 made from? The case, brushed mesh bracelet, and clasp are all in grade 2 titanium, which Omega touts as a material that is “lightweight, corrosion-resistant, biochemically inert, and able to withstand extreme temperatures.” I sure hope it won’t be exposed to extreme temperatures on my wrist — the rest of the listed properties we could call practically beneficial.
The crown, helium escape valve, and bezel are crafted from Omega’s exclusive Bronze Gold, developed to retain its natural patina over time, without turning green due to layer oxidation. So, if you are one of those who likes to play Victor Frankenstein on their bronze watches, turning them into variably deformed and discolored objects that likely no dermatologist would ever recommend to wear against your skin — you may be out of luck with Bronze Gold. Definite pros include that it is nickel-free, making it anti-allergenic, and iron-free, improving magnetic resistance. The hands are in PVD Bronze Gold, too.
The oddest choice of material on this new Omega Seamaster Diver 300M watch in titanium and bronze gold is actually found on the bezel insert and the dial itself. Traditionally crafted from ZrO2 or, if you like, highly scratch-resistant ceramic, this time around they are in oxalic anodized aluminum. Aluminum used to be a popular material for bezel inserts — you can still find it on plenty of relatively more affordable dive watches — but it is rare to see a brand undo its glossy, pretty, and resistant ceramic in favor of aluminum.
Aluminum arguably has a vintage flair to it that some will appreciate, and Omega has doubled down on this vibe with the use of what it calls “vintage Super-LumiNova” inside not just the blackened indexes but also on the diving scale of the bezel ring. The beige colored paint appears to nicely complement the green of the textured dial and bezel, as well as the Bronze Gold of the aforementioned components. Grade 2 titanium (as seen here) is a bit less muddy in its color than Grade 5, although that also varies depending on surface treatments and decoration.
The new Omega Seamaster Diver 300M watch in titanium and bronze gold measures 42mm wide, 49.7mm lug-to-lug, and 13.8mm thick. While its proportions are well-judged — nigh-on perfect — the 42mm Seamaster 300M looks, at least to my eyes, a bit bloated nevertheless. Much of that is offset by it being water resistant to 30 bar (300 meters or 1,000 feet), and it weighs 109 grams (3.85 ounces) on the bracelet. The front features the highly domed sapphire found on other similar references and it sports anti-reflective treatment inside.
A sapphire crystal caseback reveals Omega Calibre 8806 — actually, the Co-Axial Master Chronometer Calibre 8806. As that name clearly indicates, it is a highly specified movement that renders this Seamaster 300M a Master Chronometer watch that passes the more stringent tests performed by Omega and certified by the Swiss Federal Institute of Metrology (METAS). To refresh your memory, or clarify any misunderstandings, the quality control procedure is certified by METAS, and not each and every watch. The watch is resistant to magnetic fields reaching 15,000 gauss thanks in no small part to a free-sprung balance wheel in silicon. The Omega Caliber 8806 has an operating frequency of 25,200vph over the course of its 55-hour power reserve, which, in turn, is replenished by a bi-directional self-winding system.
The Omega Seamaster Diver 300M watch in titanium and bronze gold is priced at $9,900 USD on a rubber strap (reference 210.92.42.20.10.001) and $10,700 USD on the titanium mesh bracelet (reference 210.90.42.20.10.001). You can learn more on the brand’s website.
