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The Seamaster Diver 300M is one of the most popular watches in Omega’s entire collection. Not only that, but did you know that the Seamaster Diver 300M and the Constellation ’95 also saved the company in the 1990s? Like most other watch companies, Omega wasn’t in the best shape. The brand’s 1980s catalog was as thick as a phone book, and Omega even considered dropping the Speedmaster Professional. Thankfully, with the introduction of the Seamaster Diver 300M and Constellation ’95, the brand received a lot of interest (again).
Three generations of Seamaster Diver 300M watches
The Omega Seamaster Diver 300M
Today, the Speedmaster and Seamaster Diver 300M are Omega’s best-selling watches, and the latter was designed completely from scratch. There were no heritage models with similar case shapes or dials. The quirky-looking helium valve, the wave-patterned dial, and the bracelet with nine rows of links all added up to the design codes of the Seamaster Diver 300M.
The 1993 Chronograph in gold/titanium/tantalum next to the 2019 model
Diver 300M variations and updates
In the 25 years that followed, the Omega Seamaster Diver 300M became a star on the wrist of James Bond (first with Pierce Brosnan and later, Daniel Craig), and many variations were introduced. With chronographs, GMTs, and even regatta timers, the Seamaster Diver 300M became a proper “family” of watches in Omega’s catalog. The watch received a few cosmetic updates in all those years. The movements remained ETA-based Omega calibers, while most other watches were upgraded to in-house-developed movements.
The new Seamaster Diver 300M
In 2018, 25 years after its introduction, Omega finally introduced an updated Seamaster Diver 300M collection with the in-house-developed caliber 8800. You have seen these watches by now, I am sure. We covered all the details concerning these updates in this article.
In 2019, I wrote an article about the Omega Seamaster Diver 300M that I liked best, and I called it the best all-arounder I had worn in a long time (you can find this article here). It was the bicolor 300M, so stainless steel and Sedna gold. Sedna is Omega’s alloy for rose gold, as explained in this article by Sky Sit. The version I liked best was the reference 210.22.42.20.01.002, which comes on a black rubber strap.
Seamaster Diver 300M Nekton edition
Meanwhile, Omega has introduced several variations of this watch as well. Soon after its introduction, there was the Seamaster 300M Nekton, and at the end of 2019, Omega unveiled the Seamaster 300M “Bond” edition.
They are beautiful watches (both models), but I would like to add a regular 300M to my collection at some point. I have my classic Diver 300M models from the 1990s and would like to add a new version for daily wear, holidays, and so on. If I were only looking for one perfect watch to wear (and no others in the collection), I’d definitely consider the Seamaster Diver 300M as my “one good watch”.
Upon release, the retail price of the steel/Sedna version I liked so much was €6,100. I don’t have the original price in USD at hand (sorry). However, after the recent price increases, this very same Omega Seamaster Diver 300M now has a price tag of €8,200 / $7,300. This price increase of €2,100 makes me want to reevaluate my earlier statement on this watch. Although I still love the look and feel of this Seamaster Diver 300M, I think there are now different variations that I prefer.
The current bracelet is in the center
Always on rubber
Also, when the Diver 300M came out in 2018, I wasn’t overly excited about the new bracelet. There was no doubt that the quality had improved, and the original 1990s 300M bracelet had started to look outdated at some point. Nevertheless, the new model is still a bit too flat (the top surface) and bulky for my taste. I always would wear the Omega Seamaster Diver 300M on a rubber strap, but just to be safe, I’d order it on a bracelet and get the rubber strap separately. If you start to long for the stainless steel bracelet and need to order it separately, it’s going to cost you a pretty penny.
Green with envy
This year saw the introduction of the green Seamaster Diver 300M, and I would immediately call it one of my favorites. Green is a nice color, and when we had the watch in for review (click here), it left a good impression on everyone from our team. The color works incredibly well for the 300M, something I wouldn’t have imagined upfront. The classic blue Seamaster Diver 300M is something you can’t go wrong with either, of course.
But the best Seamaster Diver 300M to me is…
Although the green Seamaster Diver 300M gets me every time I see it in the flesh or on Instagram, there’s another 300M variation that I just can’t get out of my head. Back in 2000, when I purchased my first Seamaster Diver 300M ref. 2531.80, I had also been looking at the 2254.50, and today, I regret not buying it a little bit. In hindsight, that was an amazing watch. And so was the Seamaster GMT “Great White” ref. 2538.20.00 with its white dial and GMT complication (Nacho wrote about it here).
That was a beautiful watch, and the white dial looks badass on the Seamaster Diver 300M. It doesn’t appear as “hard” as on the Rolex Explorer II, in my opinion, or the Milgauss, for that matter. It took me a few moments to realize why that is, but it’s because of the wave pattern. This texture gives some depth to the dial, whereas on an Explorer II, it’s just a flat white surface.
Buy it on a bracelet, wear it on rubber
The white-dial Seamaster Diver 300M on a bracelet (ref. 210.30.42.20.04.001) bracelet has a retail price of €6,100 / $5,400. The version on a rubber strap (ref. 210.32.42.20.04.001) costs €5,700 / $5,100. The black ceramic bezel provides a great contrast to the white ceramic dial, and especially on the rubber strap, the watch simply looks ace.
Like all the other current Seamaster Diver 300M models, the movement inside is Omega’s 8800. This is a Master Chronometer-certified movement with a Co-Axial escapement and silicon balance spring.
The perfect all-arounder
Even at the new (higher) retail price of €6,100 (or €5,700 if you can live without the bracelet,) the Seamaster Diver 300M is one of the best watches in its league. The 300M always was, but with the 2018 upgrade, Omega made it ready for the next 25 years (or at least for the next ten). It is a perfect do-it-all timepiece with proper water resistance, an accurate movement, and good dimensions (perhaps not for all, but the rubber strap helps). The helium valve is a thorn in the eye for some of you, but when I saw 300M variations without it, I felt something was missing. It has become part of the Diver 300M DNA.
300M with PVD chrome ceramic dial
You can’t do wrong with any variation if you’re looking for that one do-it-all watch. The classic blue color, the envy-green one, or even the version with the (PVD) chrome-colored ceramic dial… It’s just up to your taste. However, in my opinion, the white-dial version just pops. Furthermore, in my experience, finding the right white-dial watch is not easy. I think Omega absolutely nailed it, though. The other variations of this watch, including the chronographs, James Bond models, and Nekton, are also very interesting but come at a higher price.
Make sure to download our free digital Seamaster 300M magazine here.
Which Seamaster Diver 300M is your favorite? Let us know in the comments!
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