I was recently perusing HODINKEE and saw an article concerning an IWC Chronograph and the experience the author had while wearing it out to eat. While the concept of wearing a watch to an overpriced New York City restaurant didn’t resonate, it did give me an idea. These watches are meant to be used in a world that is active, dirty, full of bumps, nicks, cuts, scrapes, four-wheelers, and guns, not just restaurants or office buildings. All the conjecture about what it must be like to use a tool watch for something other than walking to the train station is confusing for people who are trying to decide whether a watch is useful or just jewelry (nothing wrong with jewelry watches, just a different use). No amount of thinking or arguing about something can replace actually experiencing it. So in response, I decided to take my new Omega “No Time to Die” Seamaster 300 Pro as far away from Cafe Society and COVID restrictions as possible, the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness, to do some hiking and shooting. What started as one adventure, quickly turned into multiple sessions, and through these sessions I feel I gained a better understanding of what this watch can do.
The Elephant:
This watch has more than a few critics; it has received more than its fair share of shit from the watch community since it was released. People decry it as another piece of Omega blasphemy. Something about it being a watch made for a fictional character, being made of Grade 2 titanium, coming on a Milanese bracelet, having MOD markings, being too expensive, and so on and on. I hear the complaints and I understand them. However, this watch has merit as an actual hard use watch. For those who are active and tough on their watches but don’t want to wear a digital watch, this Omega is a great choice. If one doesn’t like it, then they do not have to buy it.
It is a Bond watch, and that is okay with me. I owe Ian Fleming a debt for all the hours of entertainment his character has provided me with, both with the James Bond books and the movies. I do not see what the issue is with wearing a Bond watch, especially since it doesn’t have any logos on it that a casual observer could see. I am not trying to be Bond so I don’t feel this watch has any baggage attached to it. Obviously this is different for others. Owning it has made me want a Walther PPK/S, though. I’m currently looking…
I had no intention to buy this watch when I did. I was at my AD looking for something else, and this was presented to me as an option to the Rolex I was looking for, which they didn’t have. I tried it a bit reluctantly. The Seamaster 300 Master Co-Axial I previously owned was not a comfortable watch and I haven’t given Omega a serious look since getting rid of it. However, this watch is something different than my last Seamaster. It is light; it is thin-ish; it wears really well on the NATO strap. It is easy to read and it doesn’t flop around on my wrist like a brick when I walk. In short, it is almost everything the Seamaster 300 Master Co-Axial isn’t (although I am interested in seeing what the new model is like). Wearing it changed my mind as to the merits the watch had, and I decided it was a much better buy than a Submariner (although I am still on the waitlist. Good luck, right?).
The watch is not polished and it doesn’t reflect the sun back into my eyes while I hike, or scratch every time I look at it. I appreciate the fact that it has a matte brown bezel and tan lume as it matches the clothes I wear. As a piece to wear outdoors in a desert environment like my hometown, it is perfect. Oh, the lume works well and it is easy to see in the dark. The lumed bezel is particularly good.
The light weight is one of the more noticeable aspects of the watch. Recently, I had given up on larger watches, as I could never get over the weight and thickness. My Tudors, as much as I liked them, were tiring to wear. The Black Bay 58 is an exception, but my father is wearing that right now so it is a moot point. At 42mm it isn’t small, but it wears wonderfully because it weighs very little. I feel none of the fatigue my Tudors, Seamaster 300 MC, or Planet Ocean would bring on. It never gets tiring, and it never gets uncomfortable. Maybe this would change with the Milanese bracelet, but I doubt it. It seems that the weight of a watch needs to be discussed with just as much gusto as the diameter and lug-to-lug length when it comes to understanding how comfortably it will wear. I do not have a scale which I could get to measure the weight of the watch, but comparing it next to head of my Rolex OP 36, it seems to weigh a little less. Not an empirical proof of the weight comparison I know, but still worth noting.
The NATO is awesome, as all the Omega NATO straps I have owned have been. It is comfortable, wears well, and looks good. I like that the hardware is brushed titanium and the color of the stripes works well with the watch. For those who have not used Omega NATO straps, they are worth the price of admission for where the buckle sits on your wrist alone. No more off-center buckles or too short straps. It is standing up to wear well: I have dragged it across some basalt formations, through more than a few spiny bushes and willows, and against my rifle and various parts of my 4-wheeler with no noticeable wear. Time will tell how long it can keep this up, but my experience has shown they last for years. I may try another Crown and Buckle Chevron for it, but I am still on the fence. I will buy the mesh bracelet someday…
Shooting:
I do not go to gun ranges anymore. I do not like having big-brother standing around waiting to pounce on anyone who puts a toe out of line while I shoot. It is for safety, I get it, but screw that. When I go shooting now I make sure I can get a hike in as well as getting as far away from people as possible. In the mountains here I have set up targets on some of the hillsides and in the valleys, and that is where I took the Omega. Dive watches are for more than just diving. What makes them good underwater also makes them good watches for many other activities like hiking, shooting, police work, and the military. Contrary to what many people on forums think, there are plenty of people who wear mechanical watches while they do hard work. A few people I knew while I was in the military wore Speedmasters. I wore an Explorer II, an Omega Seamaster Pro, and a Planet Ocean while I was in my scout unit and during my short time as a police officer.
Because the watch is brushed, I do not worry about it banging against my rifle, which it has done frequently with no noticeable scratches. I like the NATO as it flexes with my wrist when I go into a prone position or when I have to carry my rifle in awkward positions as I climb up to my shooting locations. It is easy to read, easy to set, and the crown doesn’t rub against the back of my hand when I am shooting. The bezel is the one downside as it is more difficult to turn than other dive watches I have owned. It is not the end of the world since I won’t be diving anytime soon, but it is noticeable. The helium escape valve is something I do not notice, and I forgot the watch had one until I was editing the pictures for this piece. It doesn’t bother me. I don’t think it should stop you from enjoying the watch.
As for the act of shooting itself, a watch really doesn’t add anything. An uncomfortable watch, though, can take away from the experience. After several hours, and around five hundred rounds, I can say I barely noticed the watch, unless I needed to check the time. I never even thought about it. I believe this a sign of what makes a watch great to wear: one can forget about it until one needs it, unlike uncomfortable watches.
While wearing it I shot the following: LWRC M6IC w/PSA 10.5 inch upper, Noveske 12.5 inch upper on Aero Precision Pistol Lower, Noveske 14.5 inch Afghan, Heckler and Koch VP9SK, Heckler and Koch VP40, Les Baer Thunder Ranch Special .45, Wilson Combat CQB .45 Lightweight 4″, and a Smith and Wesson M&P 9mm compact. Targets were anywhere from 3 meters to 500 meters away.
I am impressed with everything this watch has to offer. I enjoy how it feels, I enjoy how accurate it keeps time (3 seconds a day fast), I enjoy the weight, and I enjoy how it doesn’t stand out like a highly polished watch does. The power reserve works for the stated time. I have had it next to magnets with no ill-effect. The strap is very comfortable. It is a great active watch: dirt enhances how it looks, it doesn’t scratch easily, and it is comfortable all day. It’s the perfect watch for someone who appreciates mechanical watches and loves to spend time outside. It may not fit in a boardroom (I honestly wouldn’t know what the norms are for this. I would wear it with a suit, but it may be different for others). Wearing this watch does not make me feel like James Bond, but it does provide me with peace of mind. I know it will work every single time I go out.
Visit https://www.omegawatches.com/en-us/ or your local boutique/AD for more information. Don’t let the watch trolls dissuade you, it is a great watch. One I am happy I spent my money on.
Get Outside!
EscapementSV 