For five years the Omega Seamaster 300 Master- Co-axial was the watch I wanted to purchase more than another watch available on the market. I first saw its look-a-like presented with the release of the movie Spectre, and I fell in love with the idea it presented. Considering the Neo-vintage vibe it presented and its ability to be a more durable and function based design than the originals possessed; it seemed to be the perfect watch for everything I was looking for.
I was able to handle the Spectre watch at the Omega Boutique in Scottsdale, AZ shortly after the movie came out, and I remember being a little less impressed. I still loved the idea of the watch and my one interaction with the watch at the boutique was not enough to taint my dreaming. I saved for five years and purchased an example in used, but excellent condition.
I received the watch and was favorably impressed, although, I was not head-over-heels in love with it. I figured all the years of dreaming about it possibly tainted my initial impression, and I was willing to take some time to get to know it and hope my love would grow. That being said, it was a beautiful watch. At 41mm wide it was perfectly sized for my wrist. It was a thick, beautiful piece of steel with a great dial and a very tech-forward movement.
I wore it for months hiking in Grand Canyon, Sedona, Phoenix, and Montana. I wore it everyday at my players service job at the local private country club; it was smashed by golf carts, hit with a golf club and a hammer (not on the same day), and sweated on a lot. Every scratch made it look better, and it kept great time; +3 seconds a day, every day. But I never connected with it.
First off, the polish on the center links of the bracelet are not my thing. A tool watch can have shiny parts to it, but the whole blinged out bracelet and lugs was just too much. I felt self conscious wearing it around Arizona and I would cringe every time I hit it against something.
I did get the links and the lugs brushed; after which it looked much better and I worried about it less. The lug width, at 21mm, was a most frustrating feature as well and I could not find straps for it anywhere. Well, other than Omega OEM, but I did not have $300 to spend on a nylon strap. Instead, I bought 20mm straps and dealt with the gap or I would buy 22mm straps and trim them down enough to get them to fit; a process which worked but was a pain in the ass. One might ask “Who cares? Couldn’t you just wear it on the bracelet?” A great question, and yes, I could and did. But, the bracelet was not the most comfortable.
I do not know what it was exactly; maybe it was the fact it didn’t taper much from the lugs to the clasp. Maybe it was the way it fell over my wrist or held the watch head; whatever it was I never felt it was as comfortable as it could have been. I tried everything: adjustments of the links, micro-adjustments of the clasp, switching links from one side to the other. Nothing worked other than making the bracelet large enough so it fit my wrist loosely, but then it flopped around all the time and drove me crazy.
I grew to dislike the sapphire display case back. Omega movements are amazing and I loved looking at it, but the sapphire stuck to my wrist when I would sweat and stopped the watch from being comfortable. I was forced to constantly shift it around on my wrist in order to keep it conformable. I grew to dislike the clasp as well; it dug into my wrist every time I would move it around.
Despite all the things I found I didn’t like on this watch, I really enjoyed owning it. I loved the way the dial and hands looked and the faux-tina of the lume did not bother me at all. The bezel was great; it was thin and easy to read, easy to grasp and turn, and clicked into place with authority.
In the end I decided to sell this watch and move onto something different. Omega makes amazing watches, and I have enjoyed everyone I have owned. While this watch wasn’t for me, I really appreciate the design, technology, and beauty it offered.
Check it out online at https://www.omegawatches.com/en-us/watches/seamaster/seamaster-300/the-collection/product
EscapementSV 