One of the great things about being a fully independent watch website: we don’t have to worry about OMEGA “punishing us” for revealing their first-ever bronze watch. And there it is: the new-for-2021 bronze-cased 41mm OMEGA Seamaster 300 Heritage, reference number and all. It’s a limited edition version of the forthcoming OMEGA Seamaster 300 re-do, with one crucial difference – aside from the bronze case . . .
The video above gives you the inside dope on the new 300 Seamaster Heritage. Playing spot the difference between old (2014) and new (2021)? Clock the crown changing from barrel-shaped to conical. Big whoop, right? The controversy to come: the sandwich dial that “swoopifies” the numerals and the lollipop second hand. It appears the limited edition bronze 300 will dodge the second hand bullet, sticking with the old arrow-shaped second hand.
Otherwise . . . the new 300’s domed crystal is more domed and the bezel switches from ceramic to more scratch resistant oxalic anodized aluminum. The new watch replaces the 8400 Master Co-Axial movement (no-date 8500) with the 8912 METAS certified Master Chronometer engine (no date 8900). The new bracelet reverses its predecessor’s brushed outer and polished inner links. The dial simply says OMEGA at the top and Seamaster 300 at the bottom.
And there you have it. I agree with The Surrey Watch Guy: the 2014 Seamaster 300 Heritage’s dial (above) is better. Cleaner. Bolder. The new dial is way too Panerai. But . . . bronze! In case you didn’t know it (so to speak), bronze watches develop a variable patina that [eventually] makes each piece unique. Better yet, it makes the heritage-minded watch look old.
The success of the $4150 Tudor Black Bay Bronze (200m water resistance) tells us the six grand-ish OMEGA (300m water resistance) will be a hit. Then again, OMEGA is late to the horological bronze age. One thing’s for sure: I won’t be getting a review watch from OMEGA before it drops. The things we do for love.
Bronze watches: buying their own family heirlooms isn’t just for the middle class anymore!
But it loses its luster, which is awesome! The bezel resists scratches, which is also awesome for a different reason. I wish I understood it, but apparently it’s all the rage. I am still waiting for anyone to explain the appeal of the two stitch watch band as well.
I do support crystals being domed, so credit where credit is due.
. I am still waiting for anyone to explain the appeal of the two stitch watch band as well.
I’m with ya on that one! I’m seeing it a lot, and I don’t get it at all. Looks cheap / home-made to me.
Two stitch watch bands (like those Marine Nationale straps) insist upon themselves when the watch is brand new and clearly sells for more than $1k, but if the leather has that rough, unfinished look, it can really spruce up the right kind of vintage or “budget” watch. One of the two broke watch snobs put a Soviet doctor’s watch on a red two stitch strap and it looks fantastic.
You said the magic word, vintage. What is the origin of this, as it seems like a recent contrivance to me. Are we supposed to believe that this is all a throwback to doughboys cobbling together something to keep their pocketwatch on their wrist? It’s one of those things I went through decades never seeing, then suddenly it appeared out of nowhere. I thought they were just unskilled Etsy DIY jobs, but apparently not.
LMAO at the doughboys reference…”Your grandfather put this watch in a coffee can…”
It looks like a recent contrivance. It looks like it started in 1989 with a high end fashion designer, and hipsters 10-20 years ago leaned into when buying vintage watches. I still like the look, but with an emphasis on the right context. I hate hate hate it on the Omega.
Up until a few months ago, I thought “California dials” looked stupid and thought they were (relatively speaking) new, but nope, I was really wrong about that and now I’m expecting a package to arrive in the mail sometime in February with a watch sporting that “stupid” dial.
It is amazing how the words “art deco” can transform the stupid into the sublime. Context is everything!
Up until a few months ago, I thought “California dials” looked stupid and thought they were (relatively speaking) new, but nope, I was really wrong about that and now I’m expecting a package to arrive in the mail sometime in February with a watch sporting that “stupid” dial.
OK… I had never even heard of a “California” dial, so I Googled it. Ummmm… yeah…. I REALLY don’t “get” that. LOL! But, whatever floats yer boat, eh? Californians are a fruity bunch. Maybe that’s where it got the name.
It dates back to 1943, when Rolex patented the dial design, and depending on who you ask, it picked up the nickname because it was popular in California in the 1940s, or because of California collectors (who loved the dial) in the 1970s. I’ve always liked unusual watch designs, but as I disappear down the rabbit hole of this hobby, my definition of unusual has expanded a bit: snowflake hands, art deco designs, etc. Unusual design doesn’t always have to hit you in the face, like a TokyoFlash watch. As long as it has some interesting history to go with it, more less obvious design hooks can be just as interesting.
The California dial is a perfect example of how I’m willing to accept things I have an initial distaste for if there is a history or story behind it. First time I saw one, here of course, I thought it was strange and a new gag. I irrationally warmed up to it after learning more, and now sort of want one too.
If there is a story to make me hate the snowflake hand less, well I may be overestimating my flexibility. Never mind.
Snark aside, I do like the idea of patina as I look at watches as wearable works of art. The lume on my vintage Hamilton field watch has acquired patina due to age, and it looks fantastic. I like the idea of a bronze watch acquiring patina, but I don’t know if any “homage” I bought online would last long enough to acquire that patina, even if the ever reliable NH35 is ticking away inside the case. I think it takes ten years to acquire that green patina, and the one automatic I’ve had for that long is starting to show signs of slowing down. And speeding up the process just seems like cheating on many different levels.
Acrylic crystals on the other hand, that kind of patina I can do without. Even if scratches and scuffs can be buffed out, it still looks kind of off, although one solution is to take the watch with an acrylic crystal off it’s leather strap or stainless steel bracelet, put it on a NATO strap and voila…instant wabi sabi.
Wow there are so many stupid comments here hey…
Thanks for reading. Do you have a favorite?