The Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Nekton Edition Pops Up On My Radar Screen
The hype is real. Although it’s a mini hype because the craziness is limited to Fratello HQ, it is still very real. Morgan recently bought one, Nacho can’t stop wearing his, and that led to RJ wearing his more and more often. And if that weren’t enough, all the team members started studying the collection to pick their favorite iterations. The object of our obsession is the Omega Seamaster Diver 300M, and the one that caught and held my attention was the Nekton Edition on a black rubber strap (ref. 210.32.42.20.01.002). That’s the one with the titanium bezel instead of a ceramic one. After receiving it at HQ and strapping it on, I began to understand why this is the “SMP” for me.
Not long after joining Fratello in 2021, I wrote about an early 2000s watch that caught my eye on Zeitauktion. It was the Omega Seamaster Professional Automatic Chronometer 300M Diver (ref. 2652.50.91), a midsize watch in white gold. That 36.25 × 11.5mm watch mixes tool-watch qualities, such as its ability to dive deep, with a moderately sized case in precious metal. It’s a pre-METAS, pre-Co-Axial model powered by the 23-jewel, rhodium-plated caliber 1120. That’s an ETA-based, COSC-certified automatic chronometer movement with a 44-hour power reserve. So, the watch is a precise and elegant timing instrument with one aesthetic feature that speaks to me — a “bare” bezel. A non-ceramic bezel with indications in relief also appears on the Seamaster Professional 300M Nekton Edition, which sparked my interest.
The Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Nekton Edition pops up
The Nekton, a watch that debuted in 2020, was the final push that got me on the “SMP” bandwagon, even though “Professional” is no longer part of the official name, and we should use “SMD” to be factually accurate. Anyway…
“Naked” bezels… What can I say? I have a thing for them. Ceramic bezels are not for me, and colored ceramic bezels in particular do not get my blood pumping. I have a love for metal bezels with contrasting markings, just like the one on my Speedmaster Replica as well as the Rolex Explorer II and the Grand Seiko “Mist Flake” that I’ve been eyeing for some time now. I also like those with markings engraved in relief. The most famous example of such a bezel is the platinum one on the Rolex Yacht-Master. And what about a bezel that has both color and relief, like that of the Yacht-Master 42 in RLX Titanium? Well, that’s an exceptional combination of a sober, matte color and three-dimensionality that’s just sensational. But let me get back to the Seamaster Diver 300M, an Omega watch that I never liked all that much. But why?
Know when to stop
The Seamaster Diver 300M is a watch that has a lot going on. Some brands stop designing when 90% of the work is done. With some Omega creations, I get the feeling that the design process only stops after 110% of the job is completed. In other words, some Omega watches look overdesigned in my eyes. The current models, with their ceramic bezel inserts showing white enamel diving scales and their glossy ceramic dials with laser-engraved waves, are very “in your face.”
There is also the very large, distinct skeleton handset and applied, rhodium-plated indexes filled with Super-LumiNova. And that’s just the dial. The visual spectacle doesn’t stop there. Who could miss the conical helium escape valve sticking out of the case? And if you opt for a bracelet over a rubber strap, you get a bold, non-tapering one with both polished and brushed surfaces. Everything is fighting for attention. I didn’t even mention the date at 6 o’clock.
Full disclosure
There’s just a lot going for a 42mm watch. This makes it look bigger than it actually is. It looks more like a 43.5mm watch, a size that Omega also has in its catalog. But although it looks big, the smallest of modern SMP models wears just fine. The 42 × 49.9 × 13.7mm case, which weighs 115 grams, sits quite nicely on my 18cm wrist. Having said that, Nacho’s GADA watch, the SMP 300M ref. 2254.50.00, with its 41 × 47 × 12mm case, is even better on the wrist. The 1.7mm difference in thickness is notable and important when it comes to how the watch feels. And I mean this not in a strictly physical sense but, rather, more in the emotional sense. A 41mm watch that’s only 12mm thick feels more luxurious and sophisticated than a 42mm evolutionary version of it that’s almost 2mm thicker.
The Nekton is different
So why do I find myself developing a strong interest in the Nekton? It’s not the story of the watch, although you can’t have anything against a not-for-profit research foundation committed to the protection and management of the world’s oceans. The case back, showing a medallion with a Nekton submarine, is also pretty cool. I won’t complain that it covers the nicely decorated Master Chronometer caliber 8806 inside. Instead, I will just enjoy this movement’s accuracy and 55-hour power reserve.
My interest in the Nekton is because of its matte ceramic dial with subtle, polished waves in relief, the absence of a date (although I am certainly not a member of the “Date Police”), and the unidirectional Grade 5 titanium bezel with a laser-ablated diving scale. And the case-hugging black rubber strap with a no-nonsense, polished/brushed pin buckle is also part of the appeal. By the way, the little detail of a rubber pin inside the second keeper to keep it in position on the strap is both very neat and practical.
The Nekton Edition is a bit of a mix between the unobtainable Seamaster Diver 300M that King Frederik X of Denmark wears — a fully brushed, no-date, matte-dial tool watch with the insignia of the Frømandskorpset on the back — and the titanium “No Time To Die” 007 Edition (ref. 210.90.42.20.01.001). The Nekton name also has a nice ring to it, I think — a bit Transformer-ish, don’t you agree? These factors combine to create a timepiece hovering between fantastic fiction and instrumental reality.
Two issues with the Seamaster Diver 300M Nekton Edition
There are just two issues that I have with the Seamaster Diver 300M Nekton Edition. First, there’s the price. The Nekton on a rubber strap will set you back €7,500. That’s €1,300 more than a standard Seamaster Diver 300M with either a black, white, blue, gray, or green dial. That’s quite the markup for a titanium bezel instead of a ceramic one and a decorated case back instead of a transparent one.
The other issue I have is a minor visual one — the all-red seconds hand. I would have preferred the subtler red-tipped seconds hand of the standard model. But I guess since the Seamaster Diver 300M Nekton is a special edition, the watch needed a special seconds hand. However, I do think that the all-red seconds hand proves my point that over-designing is a real thing at Omega. Do you agree? Let me know in the comments, and also feel free to share your favorite Seamaster Professional/Diver 300M. Did I hear anyone say “Great White,” or was that just the voice inside my head?
