Summer Splash: What Is The Best Summer Watch? Semi Finals — Omega Vs. Doxa
We value your opinion, dear readers, and you should let us know what the finals are going to look like. In this round of the Summer Splash, it’s the Doxa Sub300 Carbon versus the Omega Seamaster Diver 300M. The choice is up to you, dear Fratelli, so cast your vote at the end of this article. Your pick will potentially go on to win it! So who will it be? The great white shark or the cheeky yellow tropical fish?
Omega Seamaster Diver 300M
The summer is coming to an end this week in The Netherlands, where I live. Temperatures are dropping and I noticed I am picking business shirts and sweaters over my polo shirts again. It makes the white dial Seamaster Diver 300M even more versatile, as I can’t see wearing a carbon watch with a yellow dial with some of my long sleeve wardrobe. For the Seamaster Diver 300M it is possible to swap the summer-ish black rubber strap for the very comfortable stainless steel bracelet, but that will cost you, of course. If you can stretch your budget a little bit, I would perhaps go for the stainless steel and add the OEM rubber strap later on. Or find some nice-looking alternative. Not everyone is in favor of the standard Omega rubber strap, but let me tell you there’s nothing much that comes close in terms of comfort.
Bang for the buck
Both the Omega and the Doxa won in the previous round over much cheaper opponents. An unfair battle, perhaps, but when it comes to summer watches, the fun factor also weighs in. But apparently, that alone is not enough, as both the Doxa and Omega were relatively easy wins. The Doxa Sub 300 Carbon with a price of €3,790, is not that far away from the Omega Seamaster Diver 300M with its €4,800 price tag. At least not compared to the previous competitor for the Doxa (Dave’s Zelos at $549) and for the Omega (Jorg’s G-Shock at €1100). But here’s the thing, now that the prices of these Omega and Doxa watches are more serious, I also expect the specifications to be a bit more on point. No more joking around, because I don’t know about you, but €3,800 and €4,800 is serious money.
So when I purely look at what you get for your hard-earned cash, I think the Omega knocks it out of the park. Where Doxa adds carbon to the game (I am not a fan, so it doesn’t do anything for me), they are still relying on a fairly simple but effective 2824 (or Swiss clone) movement with chronometer certification. Nothing wrong with that, but either €3,800 is a bit steep for that watch or the movement is a bit too inexpensive for a watch with that price tag. As you might know, in general, the movement is the most expensive part of a watch.
In-house goodness
Enter Omega. They’ve been using ETA movements for a long time as well, also for the Seamaster Diver 300M, but at least with their own Co-Axial escapement. It changed in 2018, with the introduction of the current Seamaster Diver 300M collection. They added the caliber 8800 to their best-selling diver’s watch. An in-house developed movement that is anti-magnetic up to >15,000 gauss, having an accuracy of +5/0 seconds per day on average (so no slow running watch), keeps its accuracy with low power reserve, has a Co-Axial escapement and silicon balance spring, and has been Master Chronometer certified by Metas. Magnetism is one of the biggest issues for mechanical watches today, and by using non-ferrous materials for its movement, you will be fine with this Seamaster Diver 300M. And, Omega is not shy of hiding its movement. You can witness the beautiful decorated caliber 8800 through its display case back.
Long term winner
Even though the Doxa is certainly not a bad pick or a bad watch, I do wonder whether you will still like that watch in the summer of 2031, for example. I am convinced I will not mind wearing the Seamaster Diver 300M in 10 years from now, whether it is summer or winter. I have a couple of Seamaster Diver 300M watches in my collection, from 1994 and 2004, and they still get quite some wrist time. Although I had set my mind initially on the steel & Sedna gold edition of the Seamaster Diver 300M, my appreciation for the white dial version has grown since I put it for the first time on the wrist during a 2019 presentation by Omega. So to Balazs, I say: may the best watch win. Regardless of the result here I will be getting this Seamaster Diver 300M with white dial any way at some point. I absolutely love it. To me, fun is not only in colors but also in long-term wearability and quality. And there, dear readers, Omega has an edge over the Doxa.
Doxa Sub 300 Carbon
RJ is right, it was a rather easy win for both the Seamaster and the Doxa. Now we will separate the men from the boys. Both watches can get the job done, there is no question about that. The purpose is the same, the look might not be too similar albeit both come on a rubber strap. I might even agree with you that if you want a dressy piece the Seamaster is the way to go. However, the name of this contest is Summer Splash and as such I’m looking for a great (might I say) perfect summer watch.
Any timepiece can fulfill that purpose of course but in my book, a summer watch has to be bold. A bit different and somewhat loud. Still, it should not be too tacky and the Doxa is that watch for me. Not to mention that this is a piece you won’t see too often in the wild. That’s absolutely not the case with the Seamaster. Doxa has always been an underdog compared to Omega, no question about that. Yet, sometimes underdogs can take over the favored ones and I’d love to see this happen in our Summer Splash article. It possibly won’t happen but hey, one can dream, right?
A lot of money or even more
Yes, my pick is not a cheap alternative by any means. For close to €4k you really should get something for your money. Now, at this point, it makes no sense to put both watches on the scale and start measuring them pound for pound. Chances are, the result will be that the Omega is superior. RJ listed the pros and cons and I can’t argue with his reasons. The Doxa Sub 300 Carbon has a rather “generic” albeit COSC certified movement. Still, it has nothing on the Co-Axial wonder that Omega uses in the Seamaster. But do Doxa lovers consider this when opting for a Sub 300 Carbon? I don’t think so.
You need to have a trusty caliber inside your timepiece, that’s a given. And Doxa gives you just that. I think that the average Sub 300 Carbon is a person that likes vintage DNA mixed with new materials. Someone that can appreciate the look and feel of a forged carbon case of the watch with a shape coming to form the late 1960s. If you are that person, I know where your vote goes to. If you are not, you should stop reading this and vote for the Seamaster because nothing that I say will ever persuade you.
As fun as it gets
Would I wear this Doxa Sub 300 Carbon with a shirt and chinos? Not at all. This is a fun piece, something that you can strap on at the beginning of summer and keep on wearing it until it’s time to put the shorts away and pull out the flannels. Due to its black case and strap the watch works with most casual outfits. The yellow dial adds a pop of color to the otherwise generic (boring?) black case. Furthermore, the weight is super comfortable, whether you are in the pool or running errands around the city. Like most of us here at Fratello, I’m a die-hard Omega fan, no doubt about that.
Still, I firmly believe that this Doxa is much more fun than this Omega Seamaster. And it is fine like that. So, add the price difference to the discussion and you the Doxa is back in the race again. After all, it is still €1k cheaper than the Omega Seamaster. Now that, as RJ said, “is serious money”. You can spend on the kids, vacation, or perhaps on a new watch. Go for the Omega and vote for the more conventional catch of the pair. Or choose the Doxa and have a splash of summer on your wrist all your around.
