Is The Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Due For An Update?
The Omega Seamaster (Professional) Diver 300M has been around since 1993. It has seen several revisions and a major overhaul in 2018. With the current generation turning six this year, we wonder: is it due for an update, or is the 300M still one of the best dive watches under 10 grand?
Join us as we wonder what a revised Omega Seamaster Diver 300M might look like.
Is an update to the Seamaster Diver 300M necessary?
Let’s start with the core question: is the current form, now six years old, due for an update? I feel that I need to touch upon monetary value here to set some context. In 2018, the starting price for the Seamaster Diver 300M was €4,400, which is €5,453 today, corrected for inflation. The current price sits just under €800 higher at €6,200. Now, the core issue is that it broke the psychological €5,000/US$5,000 barrier. This would have happened even if it had just been corrected for inflation, but I feel it sets new expectations, especially when the price hike exceeded inflation by a significant margin.
Admittedly, in terms of specifications, build quality, and finishing compared to competitors, the price is still defendable. Omega’s caliber 8800 is still powering the brand’s new releases, so that’s not exactly outdated either. Sure, you get a little more power reserve elsewhere, but how much is that worth? Simply put, the higher price may have changed our perception of the Seamaster Diver 300M, but it hasn’t rendered it priced out of the market. However, it opened the field even more for Tudor.
Technically speaking, then, the answer seems to lean toward “no, the Seamaster Diver 300M is still good to go.” Why did I feel the urge to pitch this article, then? Well, that has to do with aesthetics and size. A lot has changed in the watch world since 2018, and from a design perspective, the 300M could perhaps use a little facelift.
Improved ergonomics for the Seamaster Diver 300M
One update that was already against the trend in 2018 was the upsizing of the watch. This wasn’t the type of reproportioning that the Rolex Submariner went through. That, too, saw its diameter grow by 1mm, but it was part of a suite of interventions in the proportions that led to an improved stance on the wrist. The Seamaster Diver 300M just got bigger, both in absolute dimensions and in perceived wrist presence.
Now, 42mm doesn’t sound very big for a diver. I own significantly larger watches. But the fact is that on smaller wrists, the ergonomics of the current 300M are lacking. I have tried it on my 17cm wrist several times, and it is just too clunky for me, especially for an everyday diver. This is due to its thickness and case shape. Caliber 8800 is only 0.5mm thicker than the older caliber 2500. The watch got almost 2mm thicker, though. I guess that the display case back and thick dial have something to do with that. But even more than the thickness, the flat profile makes it wear large for its absolute dimensions. It sits very differently from a Speedmaster Professional, which also has lyre lugs and a 42mm diameter.
At 41mm wide and 11.8mm thick, Nacho’s neo-vintage 2254.50.00 and Morgan’s 2531.80.00 are a different story altogether. Those cases sit beautifully on small and large wrists alike. I would love for Omega to either revert to those proportions and shapes or add a smaller alternative. How about a 38–39mm Seamaster Diver 300M?
A new bracelet
The Seamaster 300M bracelet has always been somewhat controversial. Some love its ’90s styling, while others feel that it ruins the watch. Consequently, whatever we suggest will likely be met with mixed reactions. Still, I think there are some possible routes to consider.
Omega flattened the links for the 2018 update, modernizing the look. The most important next step, in my book, would be to add a taper. Remember, the 300M is the brand’s daily diver, not the hardcore tool diver, which is the Planet Ocean. For some added comfort and elegance, a tapered bracelet would work miracles.
Another cool option would be to see the 1610/930-style bracelet of the 2254 and its contemporaries make a comeback. This would be historically justified, and it would surely draw in a broader audience. It is a little less daring but, as a consequence, far less divisive.
Simplifying the Seamaster
Now, we have spoken about how we fear many brands have priced themselves out of the market. Big price increases were planned when the market was booming, and now the world looks a bit different. Unfortunately, brands cannot just come back down in response.
So what if Omega offered a slightly smaller Seamaster Diver 300M and, taking advantage of the opportunity, simplified it a bit? It could be a more back-to-basics version positioned below the 42mm current model. I think it could be a potential sales hit.
Here’s my dream configuration — 39 or 40mm in diameter and 12mm thick (max) on a modernized 1610/930 bracelet. A matte ceramic bezel insert would be great, as we saw on the Frogman Corps version recently spotted on Danish King Frederik X. I’d take a simplified matte dial with perhaps a shallower wave pattern (we need to down-spec for the lower price point, after all), and a solid case back would be just fine. I think a configuration like this would speak to a lot of enthusiasts.
What do you think?
What do you make of my suggestion, Fratelli? Would you be interested in the watch that I just described? Alternatively, what updates would you like to see on the Seamaster Diver 300M, or do you feel that it is perfect as is? Let us know in the comments below!
