Omega is one of the world’s best luxury watch brands. Not only is it known for its attractive, high-quality timepieces, but it boasts international visibility, adorning the wrists or astronauts, presidents, Olympians, and even James Bond himself. Through its classic offering of the Speedmaster, Seamaster, and Constellation, Omega has achieved legendary status.

If you’re in the market for a watch, arguably any Omega is worth owning. Yet it’s the Seamaster that is one of the brand’s best and most iconic. The elegance of the Seamaster’s stainless steel case and signature bracelet with Omega symbol clasp is a favorite of Prince William, Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, and former Vice President Joe Biden alike, while its functionality made it the watch of choice for the British military. This is a wonderfully durable yet stylish watch with practical features that make it indispensable to the modern man.

The Seamaster Watch

Omega produces its iconic Seamaster in numerous models in variations of bracelet, color, movement, and casing sizes.

The brand first began making the Seamaster in 1948. It was intended to serve as a solidly made yet attractive timepiece. That original purpose is still evident in the watch’s typical stainless steel case and bracelet composition. The Seamaster is also known for its winding chronometer and quartz construction, screw-in crown and case back, water resistance (up to 1,200 meters), unidirectional bezel, luminescent hands, dial with orange accents, anti-reflective sapphire crystal, helium release valve, and engraved Omega logo.

Special Co-Axial Movement

What makes an Omega Seamaster really special is its co-axial movement. This specialized watch escapement is unique to Omega. It was developed in 1970 by George Daniels, a British watchmaker, as an alternative to the Swiss Lever escapement that had been used in traditional horology for centuries. The traditional escapement allowed for a release of energy from the mainspring into the going train to control the watch’s timekeeping elements and complications. Yet it required considerable lubrication which in turn caused a lot of wear and tear that prompted frequent servicing to clean, lubricate, and replace parts of the watch.

Daniels’ solution for Omega solved some of this with the co-axial escapement, which reduces the amount of slide needed to produce the same effect. In the Omega watch, this work is done by two major wheels in the escapement. The brand became a front-runner in the industry by adopting Daniels’ work in their innovative watches.

The move ultimately made Omega one of the largest Swiss watchmakers in the world. More importantly, it situated the brand as an innovative vanguard committed to technological advancements that made their attractive timepieces even better. The co-axial implementation allowed the brand to rise to the top of the watchmaking food chain and to become the second largest manufacturer of Officially Certified Chronometers (COSC).

Today, Omega continues to improve on their original co-axial movement. Recent variations have allowed the brand to develop more efficient three-tier in-house movements. They have also made significant steps to improving watch accuracy and function impacted by magnetized movements by using iron cages, silicon hairsprings, and nonmagnetic materials. The outcome is a watch that can be enjoyed and then handed down to the next generation. This continued commitment to the best of watchmaking makes Omega and the Seamaster a fine choice for both the beginning watch buyer and seasoned investor.

James Bond’s Watch

Perhaps the greatest testament to the Seamaster’s appeal is that it is known the world over for being James Bonds’ watch of choice. When Pierce Brosnan took over the role in 1995, he did so wearing an Omega Seamaster Professional Diver 300M Quartz on his wrist in GoldenEye. The watch’s signature helium release valve was also used throughout teach film’s storyline to deliver special gadgets that got Bond out of numerous sticky situations.

Daniel Craig has also popularized the Seamaster in his portrayal of Bond, wearing the Seamaster Planet Ocean and the Seamaster Diver 300 M in several films. The brand also released special limited editions of the Seamaster to commemorate the partnership.

James Bond producers chose the Seamaster to bring the character into the modern world with a more European look that was both functional (through the use of the watch’s features) and sophisticated enough to be dressed up. The choice has proved successful, with the Seamaster featuring in eight Bond films to date.

To learn more about how you can own a Seamaster for yourself and to browse our pristinely curated collection, contact us at DavidSW today.