Whilst the notion that a watch that retails for £8,600 would ever be the first choice for an MI6 agent is somewhat laughable, the No Time To Die Seamaster does incorporate many features that make it an excellent everyday tool watch.

Buy the Omega Seamaster 007 at Goldsmiths.

Specifications Of The Omega Seamaster 007 Edition

• Case Width: 42mm
• Case Thickness: 13.15mm
• Lug-to-lug: 49mm
• Lug Width: 20mm
• Crystal: Domed sapphire
• Water Resistance: 300 metres
• Movement: Omega Calibre 8806 Automatic. METAS-certified chronometer with co-axial escapement
• Power Reserve: 55-Hours
• Price: £7,600 on NATO, or £8,600 on mesh bracelet

A Very Military Watch

As befits a spy watch, the No Time To Die Seamaster looks every inch the tool watch. Unlike the standard Seamaster Diver 300m, the watch has no shiny surfaces whatsoever. The titanium case is completely brushed, and the bezel insert is aluminium with a matte finish. The dial is also matte and the markers and hands aren’t polished either. Both the dial and bezel are actually deep brown, rather than black, and whilst that might sound odd, it’s a very subtle colour that simply accentuates the warmth of the creamy lume. 

The lack of reflective surfaces is just what any spy wants. Even though I’m not a super-spy, I appreciate the functional aesthetic of the watch, and it’ll tick a lot of boxes for anyone after a watch with a strong military vibe. 

The Seamaster’s case back is pretty simple. Like the dial, it features the broad arrow symbol, along with a series of numbers that mimic those found on genuine British military watches. It’s a simple design, but again it’s in keeping with the concept behind the watch. 

The Seamaster has a healthy 300m of water resistance, which is plenty for a watch like this that’s marketed as a capable “go anywhere, do anything” piece. However, on that note, I find Omega’s choice of an aluminium bezel insert disappointing. They could easily have used a matte ceramic insert that would have been far more scratch resistant and not compromised the watch’s aesthetics. 

How Legible Is The Omega Seamaster 007 Edition?

The matte look, combined with the chunky hour markers, makes for a very legible dial. The overall design is very clean, and the red-tipped seconds hand and “Seamaster” text really pop against the brown and beige of the watch. I have just one small quibble, which is that the skeleton hands aren’t as legible as they would be if they were solid.

Just above the six o’clock marker, Omega added a broad arrow mark – something traditionally used to denote the property of the Ministry of Defense. But here it serves simply as a small nod to Bond’s rank of commander in the Royal Navy. 

To help give the watch something of a vintage look, Omega gave the 007 Edition Seamaster a domed sapphire crystal. It definitely helps make the watch look a bit retro, but I don’t think everyone will like the number of reflections that the curved edge picks up. On the flip side, the crystal doesn’t pick up much glare thanks to an anti-reflective coating on the underside. 

The lume on the No Time To Die Seamaster is really good, and the dial and bezel are easy to see in the dark. Omega has also made the minute hand glow green so that it stands out against the blue glow of the other lume. It’s a small attention to detail that demonstrates that this isn’t just a dive watch for show. 

How The Watch Wears

When it comes to how the watch feels on the wrist, I think that the Seamaster is surprisingly well-proportioned, despite its 42mm case size. And, as the case and bracelet are made from grade 2 titanium, the watch is incredibly light. For a tool watch, this is just what you want, and I could easily forget that the watch is even on my wrist. 

Somewhat unusually, the watch comes on a mesh strap, which makes for a refreshing change from the solid metal bracelets usually put on dive watches. It’s a look that I think definitely works, and the bracelet itself is very well made. The foldover clasp feels very secure, and it’s far nicer than the clasps seen on cheap mesh bracelets. 

The only negative thing I have to say about the mesh bracelet is that as the excess tail of the strap is passed under the bracelet, it can make the watch feel a bit awkward on the wrist. Though, if that’s something that really does annoy you, the Seamaster is also available on a NATO strap, which knocks a whole £1,000 off the retail price. 

Like a lot of people, I’m not the biggest fan of the helium escape valve at 10 o’clock. It throws off the balance of the watch’s design, and it’s also really not that useful for the vast majority of people. However, it doesn’t get in the way, and it doesn’t bother me enough to put me off the watch as a whole.

The Movement

Inside the No Time To Die Seamaster is Omega’s Calibre 8806. This 35-jewel automatic movement has a 55-hour power reserve and is resistant to magnetic fields reaching 15,000 gauss. It’s also a METAS-certified Master Chronometer, so it will be accurate between 0/+5 seconds a day. It’s a robust movement and its specifications speak for themselves. Sure, this watch may be pretty expensive, but you get a lot of technical sophistication for your money. 

Final Thoughts

Whilst Omega has gotten a lot of stick in the past for their James Bond pieces, I think that this 007 Edition Seamaster Diver 300m is one of their nicest models. Even without the James Bond tie-in, it’s a fantastic execution of the concept of stripping the Seamaster Diver 300m down to its tool watch roots. 

The biggest problem with it is the price. At £8,600 on a mesh bracelet, it’s a whopping 68% more expensive than the standard steel Seamaster Diver 300m. It’s a steep premium to pay for a titanium watch that shares the same specifications as the standard steel Seamaster, and which also isn’t even a limited edition. 

However, pricing aside, I think the No Time To Die Seamaster is a well-designed watch. You can see how Omega has taken that idea and ran with it. The elimination of any reflective surfaces, the oversized lume plots, and the lightweight construction are all very much on point for a military-themed watch like this one.

So whilst this is a watch made as a film collaboration, it really doesn’t feel like one. And that’s what sells this watch for me. It doesn’t shout that it’s a Bond watch, and I admire that restraint from Omega. 

You can read more about the Omega Seamaster Diver 300m 007 Edition on Omega’s website here. 

Buy the Omega Seamaster 007 at Goldsmiths.

The post The Omega Seamaster Diver 300m 007 Edition – James Bond’s Watch In No Time To Die appeared first on 12&60.

The blue dial Omega Aqua Terra was probably my first “watch crush”. About two years ago, I was obsessed with it – my download’s folder was full of internet screenshots of this model and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on one.

Luckily, a member of the Portuguese watch community (that later turned out to be a good friend) had the exact model that I craved for one year, the 38mm Omega Aqua Terra with the blue dial striped horizontally, center date and the caliber 8800 co-axial movement. I invited him to my house for a coffee and some watch pictures, so here are my impressions after a morning spent with the Omega I long lusted for.

DIAL

For me, the dial is the main reason why I fell in love with this watch. The horizontal stripes, raised indexes and subtle sunburst finish (in some angles the dial fades from black to bright blue) give the dial a lot of presence and really draw attention. The color matching date wheel is another nice touch!

CASE AND BRACELET

Being the 38mm case, it fits great on my wrist, with no overhang or without feeling too small. My friend has the same wrist circumference as me, so the bracelet was properly sized, which for me is really important when trying out a watch.

I have mixed feelings about the bracelet – I’m not a fan of the polished center links, the double deployment clasp is too wide for my wrist, and overall the watch is less comfortable on the wrist than the similarly priced Rolex Explorer I recently tried. It looks great, but I just wish it was as comfortable as the other bracelets from Omega (for example, the buttery smooth Speedmaster bracelet).

MOVEMENT

This watch features Omega’s 8800 Co-Axial movement, with some cool finishing and magnetic resistance. My friend is a pilot and constantly has to pass the X-Ray and metal detector, so this feature is definitely a must for him! You can see the movement through the caseback, and in my opinion, it looks very cool, especially the radial striping instead of the regular “Côtes de Genève”. I would love to see blued screws instead of black ones, simply because I’m crazy about heat blued steel! Overall, this movement looks and behaves like a champ, and it’s a perfect introduction to the world of fine watchmaking for those who really like to appreciate movement design and construction.

The Photoshoot

I only had the watch for a morning on my home studio, but it has so many thoughtful details that I could spend a few weeks photographing it, from the blue sunburst and “teak” pattern dial, the 3D “arrow” applied indices, to the beautifully decorated movement. I knew this watch matched the Sea theme very well (hence the name!) so I asked my friend to bring some nautical-inspired props to use as a background.

We chose a piece of decorative coral as the surroundings for the watch; and placed the Omega over some pieces of glue pads to prevent scratches on the case.

CONCLUSION

Overall, I’m very glad that I spent some time with this watch and that my friend is 100% happy with his purchase. Personally, this hands-on experience was really important to understand that this watch isn’t the best choice as my first “big boy” Swiss watch, as I didn’t fall in love with the bracelet, despite looking great on it. It serves to show that when considering a watch purchase it’s crucial to try it on, no matter how fine it looks on social media images or how much the reviews praise it. After all, it’s a very personal choice and one that you’ll have to live with for years to come!

The post Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra 38mm Watch Review appeared first on 12&60.