As the name begins to imply, the Seamaster is a diving watch. If it looks familiar already, it is — Omega’s famous Seamaster sat on Pierce Brosnan’s wrist throughout his multiple turns as James Bond. The watch featured in newer Bond movies, too, though only in small scenes (as an apparent homage).
For style’s sake, you don’t get much stronger of a start than a watch that’s known across the industry as “The Bond” or the “Spy Watch.”
First debuted in 1993, the Seamaster isn’t a gimmick or movie prop at all. Meant to compete with the similarly iconic Submariner, the Seamaster had to have luxury, durability, usability, and style in the bag in order to work.
It has all of those things in spades, and has become something of a staple among watch enthusiasts. At one point or another, if watches are an interest of yours, you’re going to come across the technology-rich, classy, and functional Seamaster.
Here’s a rundown of the more notable features found in Omega’s Swiss masterpiece.
As mentioned, the Seamaster is a diving watch. An appropriate color scheme is applied, with light blue and silver grabbing most of the attention. A scratch-resistant sapphire dial window protects the face of the watch, promoting easy readability at a glance.
Numerals and indexes sit upon a metal bezel, which provides contrast and further improves the user’s ability to operate the watch with ease. Luminous dials and points on the face of the watch ensure it is also easily usable in the absence of light.
Continuing its simplistic and sleek motif, the Seamaster features a very sturdy, yet thin band made from stainless steel. The pins and clasp here are extraordinarily well made, featuring ceramic pins in the clasp that won’t wear out over time. With care, it’s possible to keep a Seamaster in top condition for years.
Most luxury watches leave a lot to be desired when it comes to durability and functionality during heavy use. Omega’s watch was built to hold up under a wide range of circumstances, most notably up to 984’ underwater. Bearing that in mind, it’s hard to imagine an activity or daily routine that could wear out the Seamaster before the user.
There are some features built into the watch that make it a proper diving watch in more than name. A crown sits at the 10 o’clock position for helium release, which might be a bit of overkill if you’re not going near the water, but it is a feature that fully qualifies the Seamaster as a professional diving product. An easy-to-use calendar and crown both sit at the 3 o’clock position.
On the reverse face, Omega typically include an impressive engraving exclusive to the Seamaster brand.
There is a little bit of play in the bezel, and when using the dials, they have a feel to them that some users report to be a bit of an acquired taste.
All told, the Seamaster is an enduring and timeless piece, having graced the silver screen on numerous occasions and captured the attention of watch enthusiasts everywhere. Omega’s diving watch is practical, very attractive, and easy to maintain over long periods of time.
For these reasons and more, it’s one of the industry’s favorite pieces.
