Omega’s New Special Edition Seamaster 300M For The Paris 2024 Olympics
One year before the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Omega has released a beautiful two-tone special edition Seamaster 300M to hold fans over in the meantime.
Commemorating the upcoming Games of the XXXIII Olympiad in 2024, Omega has introduced a new special edition Seamaster 300M precisely one year before the start of the competition. On 28 different occasions dating back to the Summer of 1932, Omega has served as the official timekeeper for the prestigious Olympiad.
Sharing identical dimensions to the non-special-edition Seamasters, this ‘Paris 2024’ edition is adorned by a fully gold-tone diving bezel made using Omega’s proprietary blend of 18K Moonshine Gold. Presented in a contemporary 42 mm stainless steel construction, the timepiece’s uni-directional rotating bezel is fully graduated and lumed. The gold accents carry on throughout the white ceramic dial as well, used for the entire handset and to accent the large white indices. Omega’s iconic polished waves motif flood the laser-engraved matte white dial. A small ‘Paris 2024’ emblem can be seen on the watch’s central seconds hand, while the 6 o’clock date window and other dial text remain standard to the Seamaster 300M line.
As the name suggests, the watch carries a 300 meter water resistance rating – this coupled with the fully graduated diving bezel make this a true tool watch option. Ticking away at a 3.5 Hz beat rate inside of the timepiece, the automatic Omega 8800 calibre is a 55-hour power reserve METAS certified master chronometer movement.
In place of the Seamaster’s usual sapphire exhibition caseback, this special edition is decorated by an array of Olympic symbols. At the top lies an the ‘Paris 2024’ emblem resembling an Olympic flame in 18K Moonshine Gold. Text reading ‘Paris 2024’ with the five iconic Olympic rings is stamped below, all against a sand-blasted backing.
The watch’s release was accompanied by a collection of five Olympic-themed NATO straps featuring stark polyamide white material with a variety of accent color choices – blue, green, black, yellow, and red.
Omega says the timepiece will be available exclusively in Paris boutiques at a price of $8,700 USD.
The Complications
In addition to the common date window and seconds hand complications, diving watches are inherently a complication in themselves. In this format, the rotating diving bezel is an ingenious piece of practical engineering that has been used since the 1950s.
One of the most historically significant complications ever, the rotating diving bezel is an iconic visual trademark for the modern sports watch. Pioneered by Blancpain, Rolex, and Zenith circa 1953, the rotating diving bezel was invented to serve as a visual marker and reminder of diving start time, meant to prevent divers from exceeding their diving time limit. By rotating the unidirectional bezel to align the zero-marker with the diving start time, a diver could easily track how long they had been underwater and act according to the remaining oxygen left in their limited tanks. Despite its substantial presence in the popular-as-ever sports watch segment, the diving bezel remains an extremely functional complication that can be used in professional environments in addition to day-to-day tasks.
Our Commentary
Omega has cemented the Seamaster 300M as an absolute icon over the last several decades. Gaining popularity as the ‘Bond’ watch in the 1980s, the Seamaster in 2023 is one of the most popular sport watches in the world, rightfully so. Omega spares no expense with their robust construction and highly-tested and reliable movement technology. This ‘Paris 2024’ special edition is a strong release, though a little phoned-in.
Out of honesty, I must admit that I have high standards for Omega’s watchmaking and their limited editions – they are (and always have been) a sort of underdog in the watch world, mostly due to the constant comparisons with Rolex. Because of this, Omega has always worked a little harder for your cash than other brands in the same market segment and has consequently amassed their set of die-hard fans over the years.
I feel that Omega didn’t do quite enough to warrant the collaboration. A timepiece commemorating an Olympic games is no small release – introducing a two-tone variant with small Olympic-themed touches is ultimately underwhelming. The timepiece is available on the clunky standard Seamaster un-tapered stainless steel bracelet, the watch offers a significant wrist presence – at a thick 42 mm case size, this watch is still not highly wearable on smaller wrists or ladies wrists. Despite this, it must be noted that Omega’s 18K Moonshine Gold is one of the most beautiful gold-tone blends in the watch world. The bezel’s honey-like warmth dominates the watch’s appearance, serving as the main point of attention. Covering the Seamaster skeleton hands in gold elevates their appearance to new heights while the dial itself still retains its sporty aesthetic with the Seamaster-style indices and large polished waves. By Omega’s standards, this special release is nothing unique nor exceptional, though still beautiful.
Omega’s new special edition Seamaster 300M ‘Paris 2024’ is a beautiful variation of the standard Seamaster, commemorating the upcoming Olympic games subtly and underwhelmingly.
