Meet The New Omega Seamaster Diver 300M “Daniel Craig” And Another One!
It’s finally here! The Seamaster Diver 300M watch spotted on the wrist of Bond actor Daniel Craig during the Olympic Games in Paris now makes its official debut. Showing the Moonwatch with a white dial on Craig’s wrist in 2023 worked miracles for its “preview” exposure, and that strategy worked again this year with the Seamaster Diver 300M.
The Seamaster Diver 300M dates back to 1993. At that time, Omega designed the watch from scratch rather than basing it on anything the company had made before. Alongside the Constellation ’95, the Seamaster 300M did very well for Omega in those days.
In 1995, the Seamaster Diver 300M appeared for the first time in a James Bond movie (GoldenEye). From that moment on, the secret agent has been associated with Omega. We featured the full history of the Seamaster 300M in the magazine we published in 2018. You can download the digital version here.
Two new Seamaster Diver 300M models
The Diver 300M has been a favorite of mine for many years. I purchased my first Seamaster Diver 300M (ref. 2531.80) in 2000. It’s a watch that, despite the design elements that indicate it’s from the 1990s, still looks good today. Several modest updates followed until a significant upgrade took place in 2018. That watch is still in production today, and these two new Seamaster Diver 300M models are variations of it — welcome variations, I might add.
We already reported the “spotting” of Daniel Craig’s watch last August, and it became clear it was a new 42mm Seamaster 300M with a smaller wave pattern on the dial and no date function — the perfect configuration for many Seamaster Diver 300M fans. It was just a matter of waiting until Omega officially introduced it, and that day is today!
Titanium and steel
Omega introduces two versions of the new Seamaster Diver 300M. One is the version spotted on Daniel Craig’s wrist, and the second features a titanium bezel and a steel dial with a vertically brushed finish.
The black dial of the steel model harks back to the first wave-pattern dials from the 1990s. It has a slightly finer wave motif than most current models, and it reminds me of the “Peter Blake” ref. 2254.50 from the later that decade. This is not the first time Omega has used a different wave pattern after 2018, though. You’ll also see this on the 007 edition from November 2022 (click here for our hands-on review).
Aluminum dial and bezel insert
The steel model with a black aluminum wave dial also has an aluminum bezel insert, just like the original models, the No Time To Die edition, and the 60 Years of Bond watch. The steel Seamaster Diver 300M with the brushed PVD-treated stainless steel dial has a laser-ablated titanium bezel insert, just like the one used on the Nekton edition. The titanium used is Grade 5, which allows it to be polished like stainless steel.
As you’ve probably noticed by the spoilers and the images, the new Seamaster Diver 300M models do not have a date aperture. Inside is the Omega caliber 8806, the company’s Master Chronometer-certified movement with a Co-Axial escapement. This movement can be admired through the sapphire window in the case back.
Both watches will be available with a steel mesh bracelet, which is also a feature of the 2019 NTTD (but in titanium) and 2022 60 Years of James Bond (steel) editions. Buyers can also opt for the comfortable black rubber strap with double ridges and an Omega tang buckle instead.
It’s a 300M!
What did not change is the typical Seamaster Diver 300M appearance. It still has the lyre-lug case, diver’s bezel with large numerals, skeletonized sword hands, and, yes, the manual helium escape valve. This last feature is only useful for those who need to be in a decompression chamber after a dive to keep the watch in one piece. I know many of you dislike the extra crown at 10 o’clock. To me, though, it is part of the watch’s design, and since it has been there for over 30 years, it has its place. We once photoshopped it off, for fun’s sake, and it looked weird to me. But hey, I can imagine not everyone appreciates this extra crown.
Initial impressions of the new Seamaster Diver 300M
As I wrote earlier, the Seamaster Diver 300M has a special spot in my collection. Currently, I have two of them. Neither is modern, and I have been going back and forth between several post-2018 models but haven’t made a decision. These new Seamaster Diver 300M models tick some boxes for me (no date, smaller wave pattern, new bracelet). Plus, they even have a new domed sapphire crystal. Omega chose aluminum instead of ceramic for the bezel of the black-dial version, and while I don’t care too much about this, I am sure some of you would have preferred scratch-resistant ceramic. For me, the upside to aluminum is that it will age over time, making the watch a bit more personal and visibly worn. My watches don’t need to stay looking new for the rest of their lives. Aging adds character!
We will soon get back to you with a long-term, hands-on review of these watches. In the meantime, what do you think about them?
