Introducing the Omega Seamaster Diver 300M: James Bond Limited Edition

With No Time to Die, the upcoming 25th James Bond film, set to be released in April of next year, Omega has introduced what could potentially be merely the first of several new Bond-themed watches. The particular Seamaster that was announced this week is actually a bit of a throwback, however, to the one and only time George Lazenby portrayed the British super-spy, in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. A bit of a curiosity more than an all-time classic, Omega nevertheless has created a watch that pays fitting and appropriate tribute to the film, with all the flourish we’ve come to expect from this type of Omega special edition. Let’s take a closer look at this newest entry into the Seamaster Diver 300M lineup.

Omega Seamaster Diver 300M James Bond Limited Edition

• Case Material: Stainless steel 
• Dial: Black 
• Dimensions: 42mm
• Crystal: Sapphire 
• Water Resistance: 300 meters 
• Crown: Screw down 
• Movement: Calibre 8800
• Strap/bracelet: Rubber 
• Price: $6,500
• Reference Number: 210.22.42.20.01.004
• Expected Release: Available to pre-order now, delivers October 2019

First things first, it needs to be said, the latest iteration of the Diver 300M that this watch uses as a base is a phenomenal sports watch. For the money (retail on the standard, non-limited watch is $5,200 on a steel bracelet), this watch is among the best you can buy if you’re after a tech-forward Swiss diver from an established brand. The co-axial movement is outstanding, too, with a long power reserve and better-than-advertised accuracy for many, and the materials used have a premium feel and appearance that seems a level up from the $5,000 watch tier.

So what makes this Seamaster 300 different? A quick look at the dial should answer that question pretty easily. The familiar appearance of the gun barrel motif seen in virtually every Bond film is an obvious visual cue, and likely the most visible Bond reference on this particular watch. It’s not the kind of thing that someone who isn’t into Bond is going to tolerate, but that’s obviously not the target audience here. The dial is black ceramic with black PVD, and if the etching of the gun barrel was done in the same way as the iconic wave patterns on the standard release, it’s sure to be impressive in the metal.

There are other subtler tributes to Bond and On Her Majesty’s Secret Service as well. The 12:00 marker, for example, is inspired by the Bond family coat of arms. There’s a hidden “50” within the Super-Luminova of the 10:00 index, paying tribute to the anniversary of the film (but only at night). Also, and cleverly, the calendar’s “7” numeral is in the iconic font used for years in the 007 logo. Seeing this, it’s somewhat surprising it hasn’t been done on a previous Omega Bond watch. Each watch is individually numbered on an 18k gold plate attached to the left case flank. Gold is used throughout in small doses — for example, on the hands and hour markers — which isn’t a Bond tribute per se, but still somehow feels appropriate for a watch like this.

Since Omega took over as the official Bond watch, there’s a been a huge range of tones used in how the brand ties themselves into the films through their products. Some of these special watches are subtle and quite tasteful (the Spectre edition Seamaster 300 with lollipop seconds hand comes to mind) while others feel just a little too contrived (looking at you, Commander’s Watch). This one seems to be somewhere in the middle. It’s explicitly Bond through and through with some very obvious branding, but the choices are generally good, I think, and haven’t made a mess of the excellent source material, the tried and true Diver 300M. Omega