The Head and the Heart ❤️

HEV.

/thread.

The Rolex Submariner has plenty of history and Sean Connery in Dr. No popularized it. Omega Seamaster when it first came out had a caliber movement that won many awards. It also has history and when the 300M came out initially in a quartz version and then the 2531.80 automatic version came out worn in the last three Brosnan Bond films, that saved Omega. Co-Axial, Series 8000 movements and now METAS the Omega movement is hard to beat including the 8900 series twin barrel METAS COSC. Value for money for a high level of specification and quality control, the METAS 300M makes it for me but I would prefer the 1957 style modern 300 (similar to the one worn in SPECTRE) worn by IDGuy. For image and iconic purposes only, the Rolex Submariner takes it and there are some that will take that cheese regardless and all the rest that can do is feel sorry for and not want to be associated with them!

Smh 😔

The sub is such a paradox for me. I wonder what will happen if you can just walk in and buy one.

Surely the hype would drop. As you pointed out in your video technically the Sub isn’t better than the Omega, and personally I prefer the look of the Seamaster, so a big part of the appeal is how hard it is to come by.

I love the Sub so I wouldn’t be sad if the hype died down and you could get one for a reasonable price.

SMP is a lot less "serious" of a watch, it's more fun

Submariner form has been slowly honed over decades. Every millimeter is purposeful

I’ve literally just come home from buying my SMP300 in Green, was offered a deposit on a Sub no date but I still made the decision for the Omega, your new video was aptly timed (excuse the pun)

The Sub will come at some point and I’m so happy with my new addition.

Can't go wrong with either. You went with your heart 👌

I’d buy the Sub, sell it and then buy a new 40mm explorer, a used NTTD Seamaster and take my wife out to lunch with whatever money was leftover. 🍔🍺 😉

@Max You have a good point there! Those of us who are in The Know, there are good alternatives to Rolex out there. I had 4 OPs from 1985 to 1994 at different times, all of them had to be sent back as the tolerances were exceeding -4 +6 seconds per day COSC and there service center were a mile from my offices in The Westend of London to be re-regulated. Quality control issues for sure. Rolex have their place and for what they have achieved, I will never slag them off but for me personally, I do not see myself ever having one again. The last one was in 2015, a Deep Sea Sea Dweller and sold it to move onto something more worthwhile for me. I get more enjoyment from my two Tudor Black Bays; 1) 925 Silver 2) Ceramic which is a METAS COSC and also two Ginault OR 1 & OR 2 models. The Mercedes hour hand on Rolex models do not have a great affect on me. I do like the Tudor Snowflake one though!

As usual, excellent video !

Omega SM 300 or even better SM 600 PO models, if you can find one you like, grab it before the price increases. Dollar for dollar, it is a better build watch, especially the SM 600 PO models than the Rolex Subs or Blancpain 50F, at a fraction of the price. I know because I own all three.

Omega SM 600 PO is the best value performance pick now, 2nd by the SM 300. You can’t go wrong with either.

That PO is fire 🔥. iconic diver collection

I had my worst ever retail experience (overall, not just watches) at a large Rolex AD here in Germany where they made me clearly understand “we don’t want your money, we don’t care about you as a customer”. I will never buy a watch from them and if this is “the Rolex game” I will have a damn hard time to ever buy a Rolex watch.

Omega as a brand is something I can touch and identify with, Raynald Aeschlimann even interacts with customers i.e. on Instagram (is he here already?).

I’m not in this for the money, so @Max I think you’re right when you say which watch to buy with the heart 😉

Nice lume shot! Love the story.

Great video Max!

Showing that animation on the back of the Seamaster has my wife telling me I need to get one...not again 😂 She just pestered me to get the Snoopy...

But seriously, the poll I ran on the Crunch two months ago, with 565 Crunchers voting, clearly puts Omega on the top of the heap over both Rolex and Blancpain.

Omega stayed in the lead the whole way ending up with 36.3%

With Rolex and Blancpain tied for second place - having traded the lead numerous times during the poll - Rolex finished at 27.6% (after a last minute rush of Rolex fans to put them ahead of Blancpain) and Blancpain at 26.4%.

Here is the link:

Let's see if we can't get some debate going on a Friday night...what's your favorite dive watch? | WatchCrunch

So you can safely say your heart is in line with the Crunch when it comes to the Seamaster and dive watches.

Top watches... somehow I would still go for that particular Blancpain...

For those saying "All the bashers would go buy a Rolex if they were available", I offer a counterpoint.

About 5 years ago, when many now-scarce Rolex models were plenty available at retail prices, I opted for other brands. Had many chances to get the white OP, explorer dial OP, Milgauss at retail from an AD, neo-vintage explorer 2's at under 5k, etc. However, I still opted to buy new Tudor, neo-vintage Tag Heuer, and Grand Seiko because that was more interesting to me.

That wouldn't change if Rolex was more available today. Honestly with all of the other baggage surrounding Rolex that Max mentioned, along with the sheer commonality of certain models noted by LeoTam99...my interest in the brand has dropped further.

There are just too many other interesting watches out there for me to allocate resources towards Rolex...unless there was a quick buck to be made. And I imagine that's actually more common that the "repressed love for Rolex" perspective offered by a few folks here.

I've had both and the Sub was a hype watch for me...sold it. My Seamster is so much better to look at with the intricate details, not to mention the technical specs.

I guess your wife has a style.

I also didn’t know the animated Bond was linked to the movement, I thought it was one of those “magic eye” things. Still gimmicky, but less cheap in my eyes.

If given the opportunity, might get it anyways.

Such a great video. Loved it

Nice review, you’ve hit the points that I like about my Omega, now a couple of years in. I wasn’t drawn to the movie reference, but the more subtle face and bezel, the great bracelet (for me, I know it’s got to work for your wrist) and the titanium made it my choice. I think the new steel has picked up most of these design points nicely. No hate for the Sub, great watch and history, but the Rolex hype actually makes it a no for me. I’ve not yet sold a watch, so resale and depreciation don’t factor in my equations, YMMV. So yes, most of my purchases are for the ❤. This could easily be my daily wear.

Your friend wasn't very excited to pick up the watch because he ordered a watch he didn't really want but he bought it because he could make money on it.

He could make money because there was a guy before him who wasn't very excited to pick up his watch as he ordered it even though he didn't really want one but he bought it because he could make money on it.

The next guy won't be very excited to pick up his watch as he ordered it even though he didn't really want one but he bought it because he thinks that like your friend he can make money on it.

I don't judge but that's why I don't think this Omega can give the Rolex a run for its money. The Rolex's, and many other watches primary appeal lies in the underlying potential for profit. These days people tend to buy watches that are less too big for their wrist but too big for their bank account and so value retention is a property of similar importance to colour or diameter... brands these days have to work just as hard on value rendition as they have to make a decent movement.

The SMP Quartz is my go to these days. My old Man got a sub No date recently, 1 of 2 his AD is getting in this year. After seeing and handling the Sub, There is something about it. I'd maybe like one some day, Today though I'm happy with my Omega as my go to dive watch. Though I need a link put in. Summer Wrist is definitely in Full Swing up here in Alberta.

My dad gifted me an Omega Seamaster circa 1960s one summer when I started middle school, wore that talisman watch for a long time until I did not. I have been disloyal to my first fierce love on many occasions with other watch brands including Rolex but lately have been buying Omega models again, purchased the white dial Seamaster 300 black bezel last summer, love the movement but I feel the bracelet falls short, seems too complicated in my opinion would benefit with a bracelet more like the PO bracelet. I suspect that is why so many Seamaster 300 owners have ordered a new OEM mesh bracelet according my regular multi brand ad here in Toronto. 1k is not unreasonable for a well finished bracelet but I may just save for either a PO or even the really thick Deep Sea iteration which I have examined. Unfortunately Omega watches are no longer being sold with substantial courtesy discounts, the enthusiast needs to be more cautious.

It was a long time ago, that I jokingly complained to my Rolex ad at the time that while my Rollies were bullet proof, timekeeping was a bit curious. He said that the beauty of any Rolex watch was its attractive resale potential, that you could always resell the watch. Nice to know that certain truths do not change. However I believe the modern day Rolex watches are superior to one’s that I sold off back in the late 1980s.

A now age-old question: SMP vs Sub. I agree with you on this one in two respects:

1. Myself as a watch nerd, I am more likely to get a vintage sub.

2. I really wish the SE SMP was just a normal SMP...I mean why do they have to make it all kitschy with the case back?! 🙄

Rolex is missing out on the sub; they offer the DD and DJ with different bezel options. Why not keep offering an aluminum bezel on the sub for tool watch folks?

Omega is missing out on the SMP; they have a slight edge on Rolex movements if they only streamlined their bracelets and made the case a tad slimmer...more aluminum bezels too haha.

I know, people always tell me: "they don't make watches for nerds, they make them for the masses". But if it's of no difference to the masses, why not make the nerds happy as well?! 😀🥺

TBH i don't see the SMP300 as a direct competitor to the Sub. It's a completely different design.

If you want a Sub competitor from Omega, check out the normal Seamaster 300.

The (tapering!) Bracelet is way better than the one on the SMP300, Movement is the same as in the Ploprof Flagship. Sandwich dial. And it looks just amazing and classic.

The two things that keeps me away from the current seamaster are the bracelet and hands. Yes hands. 😅 I know it’s one of things that makes the seamaster. But I find it hard to read in a glance. 2254.50 is hot tho!

Im always let down by Omegas bracelet tbh, I think they’re terrible.. and that bezel action is one of the worst at any price range. Rolex all the way for me head as well as heart

Like I always say, I'd choose the sub, in order to sell in and buy Omega, and spend the difference on a vacation 😉