When I was growing up, I was obsessed with Rolex. Specifically, the blue, gold, and silver Rolex Submariner reference 16613.
Then, as I got older, I was fortunate enough to be able to start purchasing luxury watches. However, I wanted to purchase my first luxury watch brand new. I didn’t want to risk buying a used watch.
However, as we all know, purchasing a Rolex new isn’t exactly within the cards for most of us, and despite trying, it wasn’t possible for me either. Though I am still on that list, I suppose.
This inability to purchase the Submariner I wanted made me search for other options.
I quickly found OMEGA, and as I researched them more and more, I learned there is just as much history with OMEGA as Rolex.
OMEGA also seemed to have just as good of parts, and in some cases, actually exceed what Rolex was doing in terms of movements.
Needless to say, I was quickly hooked on OMEGA, and this led me to purchase this Seamaster Diver 300m reference 210.22.42.20.03.001.
This watch was exactly what I was looking for. Not to mention the fact that it has the OMEGA Master Chronometer Caliber 8800, which is one of OMEGA’s most innovative movements ever.
OMEGA Seamaster Diver 300m Specs
Diameter: 42mm
Case Thickness: 13.6mm
Functions: Hours, minutes, date, day
Water Resistance: 300m
Lug Width: 20mm
Caliber: OMEGA 8800
Power Reserve: 55 hours
Jewels: 35
Magnetic Resistance: 15,000 Gauss
Why I Purchased a Seamaster Diver
All of the work that OMEGA put into this movement blows my mind, and it was one of the selling points of the watch to me.
The biggest selling point to me, though, was the look. The smooth bezel, the laser-engraved waves on the dial, and the date window centered at 6 o’clock paired with the gold accents on the hour markers and gold hands. This spec of the Seamaster was everything I was looking for in my first watch.
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Pricing
The price when I purchased it in 2020 was just $5,200 – half of what a new Submariner would be if I could purchase one. This really drove things home.
It is worth noting, though, that the price has since increased to $7,300, and I’d still be more than willing to pay that for this timepiece.
The Downsides of The OMEGA Seamaster Diver 300m
While I love my Seamaster, I have a few gripes about it.
The main one is luckily an easy fix. You see, there are two versions of the Seamaster you can buy. One comes with a blue rubber strap, and the other comes with a two-tone metal band. I went with the rubber band option, and I must say this band sucks!
It pulls the hair on your wrist throughout the day, and if you are doing anything active in it, the rubber sweats like crazy.
The good news is that switching the band is super easy, and I run my Seamaster on a blue NATO from HODINKEE most of the time.
The other dislike I have about this watch is actually its size and weight. At 42mm, the OMEGA Seamaster Diver 300m is on the larger side of things.
For example, the Submariner that we’ve been comparing things to in this article is 40mm and weighs less than the Seamaster as well.
There have been times, especially when I first purchased the Seamaster, that it feels like it is weighing my left arm down it is so large.
I do, however, mostly wear watches under 40 millimeters these days though, as I do prefer smaller watches in general.
The Seamaster Diver 300m’s Long-Term Durability
What about durability? The thing about this review is that I’ve owned this watch for over two years. How has it held up over time?
Well, my Seamaster is still in incredible shape. There is some light scratching here and there, especially on the smooth stainless steel on the lugs, but overall, it looks brand new.
Now, I do take my watch off and throw on my beater HAMILTON while I’m doing work around the house, and the HAMILTON hasn’t fared nearly as well.
But, the Seamaster has stood up well against a few door dings and ‘I hope my watch is okay’ moments.
Wearability of the OMEGA Seamaster Diver 300m
Speaking of where I wear this watch, though, I’m by no means a formal guy. I have only suited up four times in my life, and only one of those was by choice.
Because of this, it’s important that the watches I own fare well in a casual and semi-formal setting. The Seamaster, even with its gold accents, does this very well for me.
Most days, I find myself in shorts and polo, and the Seamaster fits those outfits incredibly well. Even on a day when I’m just running to the store in a t-shirt, I can throw on the Seamaster and know that it won’t look too out of place.
Final Thoughts
So overall, the OMEGA Seamaster Diver 300m is, in my opinion, the perfect dive watch, especially for those who are just getting into luxury watches.
You can go on OMEGA’s website and purchase your watch brand new with a warranty, and rest assured that the watch you purchase will be real, all while getting a better movement than Rolex offers in the Submariner and, in my opinion, superior looks.
Nic King
My watch journey started when my dad gave me a quartz watch customized with the company he worked for on the face. From there, it evolved into other quartz watches and eventually to the world of mechanical watches. My first luxury watch was a 1960s vintage Omega, and the collection has only expanded from there.
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