Omega Seamaster Co-Axial Master Chronometer

You remember that Omega used to make a watch called the Seamaster 150, and we all thought it was their James Bond diver? Well, the ‘Bond’ Seamaster is actually called the Omega Seamaster Diver 150m; the OG Seamaster 300 was a handsome diving watch that got overshadowed by its bigger and meatier Seamaster brethren. But, in a world where people are more aware of the increasingly popular trend of mindlessly buying something expensive and flashing it on Instagram, more and more seek alternatives that have meaning. The Seamaster 150 is a viable alternative to Omega’s popular watches, and it’s just been updated.

At first glance, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Omega hasn’t changed anything, but it takes a keen eye and some side-by-side comparison photos to spot the differences, and there are quite a few.
Let’s start with the most obvious. Omega likes to polish its dressier watches, and while this is still a Seamaster through and through, it’s definitely aimed at the less active side of diving (if there is such a thing). Omega’s changed the polishing around on the new watches, so now, if you have one on a bracelet, the outer parts of the links are polished, and the centre is brushed. They’ve also changed the shape of the lumed triangular markers very slightly, although you’d be forgiven for not noticing. What you will see is the lollipop seconds hand, a unique feature of the special edition ‘Spectre’ Seamaster 150, is now standard on the updated range. Omega has also removed the ‘Omega Master Co-Axial Chronometer text in favour of a cleaner vintage-inspired cursive ‘Seamaster 150’. They’ve moved to a traditional ‘Sandwich’ construction for the dial, the same that Panerai uses on its watches. A layer of lume is applied to a plate, and then a dial with cutouts shaped like markers is placed on top resulting in more depth.
They’ve also changed the shape of the crown. I’m not sure why they did this as it looks a little weird given this watch is all about graceful curves and straight lines. Maybe it’s an easier shape to grip while wearing gloves. Omega hasn’t changed the width of the bezel, which is perfectly matched to the design. It’s made from aluminium that’s been treated for increased hardness, and the numbers now have lume in them too for a remarkable appearance.
Inside the 41mm diameter case sits the calibre 8912, a no-date version of the METAS-certified calibre 8900. For a mass-producer of watches like Omega, it’s a pretty rare movement as its only uses thus far have been in the updated Seamaster PloProf and the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Ultra Deep. It beats at 3.5Hz and has a 60-hour power reserve and a co-axial escapement.