The age of exploration gave birth to watches built for specific purposes and for specific professions. The evolution of the Seamaster is a testament to the human spirit that pushes us higher, faster, and most importantly deeper. They offer considerable value as well, as you can find examples for less than EUR 1 000.Ĭalatrava alternative: both light-dial and black-dial Seamaster variants in 18k yellow or pink gold can be found The first Omega Seamasters were dressy affairs, which is what makes them such classic timepieces, suitable for both formal attire and casual wear. In fact, Omega was so convinced of its waterproof technology that a Seamaster was attached to the outside of a Douglas DC6 aircraft in 1956 on the Polar Route over the North Atlantic. The technology was the same used in submarines at that time and remains in use even today. What made the Seamaster revolutionary at the time was its use of a rubber gasket for its water resistance. The model, when released, was to be a tribute to the 100 th anniversary of the company. The rest of the modern line encompasses dedicated diver’s watches: Seamaster Professional 300M Diver, Seamaster 300, Seamaster Professional Planet Ocean 600M, and the Seamaster Ploprof 1200M.īut back to 1948, the birth year of the Seamaster CK 2518. It was designed for “town, sea and country” and is a far cry from what the line has developed into today, with the Seamaster Aqua Terra 150 M being the closest to the intent of its forebearer. The original Seamaster was a gentleman’s watch, designed to stand up to the rigors of daily life. Other technological innovations for the time were the inclusion of a sapphire crystal, one of its first uses in a wristwatch. Additionally, the crown was placed on top of the movement, inside the outer case, to prevent damage from shearing. As Rolex had by that time already patented its waterproof winding system for wristwatches with its Rolex Oyster from 1926, the Marine had to resort to a different means of guaranteeing hermeticity: the watch had an outer case that was clipped onto an inner case, creating a seal, which would become tighter as external pressure increased. The Marine was the first watch specifically tested and approved for diving at significant depths (135m, in the Marine’s case). It was modeled after watches designed by Omega for use during WWII and can trace its lineage to the Omega Marine, ref 679, from 1932. The watch was originally a humble dress watch that happened to be dust and moisture-proof. But it is the Seamaster, and not its cosmic cousin, that is the oldest watch in Omega’s catalogue. The Seamaster is one of the pillars of Omega’s collection and possibly one of the company’s most popular watch lines, along with the Speedmaster. The gentleman’s watch: a collection of light-dial Seamasters from the 1950’s and 1960’s showing dial, lug, and hand variants The following article is not meant to be a comprehensive analysis of the entire Seamaster range, as an exhaustive list would surely put the average watch enthusiast to sleep, such would be its length! Written by Anthony Tyme on August 19, 2018
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |