It may seem like a bit of a stretch to say this, but there are no Omega advertisements at all in "Chronos Japan" or "webChronos." (It's a mystery.) Despite this, we have quietly been covering Omega because the people involved are interesting and the watches have improved beyond recognition. In particular, their efforts with the exterior are unique and surpass those of other companies. I can't imagine there is any other manufacturer that changes the color of the waterproof gasket or movement holder to improve the appearance of the dial or movement.
Omega's latest release is the Seamaster 300 Master Chronometer. Incidentally, this is the Seamaster 300, not the Seamaster Diver 300M, which was highly praised in the Chronos. While the names are confusing, the two are different. While the previous model was good, the 2021 Seamaster 300 is even more impressive.
Text by Masayuki Hirota (Chronos-Japan)
Article published on June 2021, 4
The pioneer of retro-modern divers: the Diver 300
The Seamaster 300 Master Co-Axial, released in 2015, was a "modern" diver's watch modeled after the 1957 Seamaster 300. It featured the Cal. 8400 movement, which was resistant to magnetic fields of approximately 16,000 gauss. This watch, which anticipated the so-called retro-modern era, was a smash hit, even if it wasn't as successful as Omega had hoped. Personally, I love this model.
Regardless of its level of completion as a product, the Seamaster 300 was a difficult product to position. For connoisseurs, the "Trilogy" was more appealing, and as a practical watch, the lack of a date display made it difficult to use. Omega was considering improvements, and I had heard about them, but the base Cal. 8400 movement was a bit thick to accommodate additional mechanisms.
What's more, in a lower price range, there was the masterpiece of masterpieces, the Seamaster Diver 300M. This was originally a stylish and affordable diver's watch. However, the new model in 2018 was equipped with the Master Chronometer-compliant Caliber 8900 series. In addition, the quality of the exterior was completely renewed (the dial of the stainless steel model is actually made of ceramic), transforming it into a "giant killer" that could compete with watches in higher price ranges.
However, immediately after its release, it was expected that Omega would quickly update the Seamaster 300. This was not surprising, considering that they had declared that most of their models would be Master Chronometers.
Master the contents and make it a chronometer
This resulted in the new 2021 Seamaster 300. The movement is the Master Chronometer-certified Cal. 8912. In addition, the exterior has been improved. Furthermore, the case is slightly thinner, improving the fit. While the appearance hasn't changed much, the new Seamaster 300 has improved practicality and is more geared towards connoisseurs.
As a refresher, let's look at the differences between the Master Co-Axial and Master Chronometer. Both have the same magnetic resistance of approximately 15,000 gauss. However, the Master Chronometer standard also measures accuracy when the mainspring is at 66% and 33% remaining. Omega explains that "manufacturers outside the Swatch Group can also receive Master Chronometer certification," but the club tooth escapement (Swiss lever escapement) used in ordinary mechanical watches theoretically cannot achieve sufficient accuracy when the mainspring torque drops.
The reason why Omega deliberately added accuracy under reduced torque to the Master Chronometer standard is probably because it has a coaxial escapement with a theoretically high isochronism. The key point is that this is not a standard that can be achieved by simply trying hard.
Anyway, the new Cal. 8900 is a Master Chronometer version of the Cal. 8400 used in the previous model. Despite the double barrel, the power reserve is approximately 60 hours. This is due to the need to swing the heavy Co-Axial escapement. The vibration frequency has also been deliberately kept to 25,200 vph. Accuracy is likely the same as the previous Cal. 8400. I have previously tested this 8400, and the average daily rate was within +3 seconds. The automatic winding is a simple "wigwag" type (similar to Jaeger-LeCoultre's switching rocker), but I had no complaints about the winding speed even when working at a desk.
The highlight is actually the exterior
The highlight of the new Seamaster 300 is actually its exterior. As you'd expect from Omega, which continues to experiment with new exteriors every year, the watch has received detailed tweaks to its appearance. The most obvious feature is the so-called sandwich dial. The base dial is coated with Super-LumiNova. On top of that, a dial with cut-out indexes and numbers is layered.
Additionally, the movement and Master Chronometer markings have been moved from the dial to the case back. This is a modification seen in new models from 2021. The fact that there is no need to list the specifications may be a sign of confidence that the Master Chronometer has become standard. The dial is not polished, but rather has a matte finish with a roughened surface. Perhaps the roughening of the base and the application of the lacquer are done skillfully, so it does not become cloudy even when exposed to strong light sources.
