Omega’s New Seamaster Is Surprising in the Best Way

I just can’t figure out what’s going on with Omega’s flagship dive watch, the Seamaster Diver 300M.

In 2018, the brand completely revamped the “Bond Watch.” Omega kept the same basic design cues from the ’90s while making the watch more contemporary with a larger case, a laser-etched ceramic dial, a ceramic bezel insert and a Co-Axial Master Chronometer movement visible behind a sapphire caseback.

That watch became an icon in its own right and remains in the brand’s catalog, unchanged, seven years later. But over the past year, it appeared Omega had been phasing out the ceramic Seamaster in favor of one inspired by the No Time to Die 007 Edition introduced at the end of 2019.

Photo by Johnny Brayson for Gear Patrol

The America’s Cup Edition, launched last summer, was the last new Seamaster that I know of to feature the old ceramic dial and bezel style, though the dial was a bit different with its waves in relief as opposed to laser-etched.

In the year since, Omega has debuted five new Seamaster Divers by my count. All of them follow the NTTD template with aluminum bezel inserts, aluminum-wave or waveless no-date dials, massively domed crystals, and come on either a mesh bracelet or a rubber strap fitted with a deployant clasp.

But over the weekend, Omega quietly dropped a new Seamaster that represents a surprising return to form, proving that the tried-and-true ceramic style isn’t quite dead yet.

The Ceramic Seamaster Lives

The new Seamaster Diver 300M is the reference 210.62.42.20.01.003, and it looks, frankly, like a Seamaster Omega would have released a couple of years ago rather than in 2025.

It brings back the ceramic dial with the larger waves, the ceramic insert on the bezel and the 6:00 date window that I thought — erroneously — had been phased out. The watch comes exclusively on a black rubber strap, and even that is old school, as it’s equipped with a pin buckle rather than the deployant clasp we’ve seen on all the recent aluminum Seamasters.

Omega

The new Seamaster isn’t exactly for the masses due to its Moonshine Gold case pushing its SRP above $30,000. Still, its combination of black and yellow gold looks spectacular, and the bigger story here is the confusion that this new release has added to the Seamaster line.

Omega released this new Seamaster Diver 300M alongside a new version in Sedna Gold that follows similar design cues, but it swaps the usual ceramic wave dial and bezel for a ceramic wave dial with positive-relief waves (like on last year’s America’s Cup Seamaster) and Sedna Gold bezel, also in positive relief. All other features are in the same 2018 style, without any NTTD influence.

Omega

A Seamaster Date?

Omega hasn’t come out and declared the old Seamaster generation dead, but it has hinted that the NTTD style is the way forward, with a press release for one model released in December stating, “In keeping with the latest Diver 300M update, the new watch moves away from the familiar ceramic style of recent years — and instead — takes inspiration from the Seamaster Diver 300M 007 Edition, which was worn in the James Bond film, No Time To Die.”

But what if the plan is for both Seamaster Diver 300Ms to exist side-by-side in the catalog as two separate models?

Hear me out. The Seamaster Diver’s biggest rival is the Rolex Submariner, which is produced as two distinct models: The Submariner and the Submariner Date. What if Omega is setting up its aluminum and ceramic Seamaster Divers to function as the brand’s Seamaster Diver and Seamaster Diver Date?

Omega

Granted, the two Subs are much closer in style to each other, with the date really being the only difference between them. Omega’s two Seamaster styles, by contrast, have several differences beyond the date window, with the ceramic version being flashier and more contemporary and the aluminum style offering up vintage-inspired vibes.

I have no idea if Omega actually plans on having both styles of Seamaster live side by side in its catalog, or if the brand is simply biding its time by cobbling together new watches from existing parts while working on a separate major revamp for the line. But as a fan of the ceramic style who also appreciates the aluminum versions, I sure wouldn’t mind keeping both around for a while.

Omega

Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Moonshine Gold Black Ceramic

Specs

Case Size	42mm
Movement	Omega Cal. 8801 automatic
Water Resistance	300m

• $30,800 at Omega

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