OMEGA Seamaster Professional Review: A Bond Watch You Can Buy

In 1995, OMEGA introduced the Seamaster Professional 300M in James Bond: 007 GoldenEye. For almost 3 decades, 007 has worn an OMEGA Seamaster on his wrist. While there have been many iterations, I want to review the one that started it all. You can get this second hand on eBay and various grey market sites for $1000 and up (depending on the condition)

Here are the specs:

Case Size: 36mm

Thickness: 11.2mm

Lug to Lug: 43mm

Lugs: 18mm

Weight: About 120 grams

Movement: OMEGA Calibre 1538 Quartz

Battery Life: 42 months

Water Resistance: 300m or 1000 ft

Features:

Jumping Hour Hand

Date Window

Screw Down Crown

Helium Escape Valve

Sapphire Crystal

Aluminium Unidirectional Rotating Bezel

5 Link "Tank Track" Bracelet with Diver's Extension

Green Swiss SuperLuminova

DESIGN

There's no denying that it is a beautiful watch. The blue wave dial, bezel and the combination of brushed and polished finishing gives it a luxurious look and feel. It's so iconic that it can be seen from a mile away. It's a flashy watch but it doesn't scream douchebag energy. However, some may find the looks to be overdesigned. OMEGA tried very hard to make this look different from other dive watches. Some will say they went too far. Criticisms has been made about the skeleton hands, 5 link bracelet, scallop bezel and the Helium Escape Valve. This will boil down to personal preference.

FUNCTIONALITY

The OMEGA Seamaster Professional is a dive watch with 300m of water resistance. I've taken it to the pool and the beach and it's overkill! It also has a 120 click unidirectional bezel. It's pretty inconsistent. Sometimes, it is so easy to grip. Other times, it's a pain in the ass. It becomes problematic when it's wet. The movement is the OMEGA 1538 Calibre. It ticks one time per second. The seconds hand do line up perfectly and there's no audible ticking. Accuracy is +3 seconds a month. There is a date window at the 3 o'clock position. While this is handy, some people would prefer to have a no date. In addition, they have a jumping hour hand instead of a quick set date. I like the former because it makes changing time zones a breeze without stopping the watch. However, some people would like to just fix the date without having to move the minute hand multiple times to pass through a day or two. Personal preference will play a role here. The lume is green Superluminova. It charges really fast and stays bright for hours! You'll have no problem reading this watch in low light conditions.

WEARABILITY

On my 6.25 inch wrist, it's perfect! At first I thought it was going to be tiny. However, the small case size and skinny 18mm lugs make it very wearable. In addition, the small and thin nature makes it light and comfortable to wear. I don't find it chunky and thick at all, but some may find the non-tapered bracelet off-putting. The clasp has a diver's extension, which makes it handy to wear over a wetsuit or heavy jacket. However, there are no micro adjustments. This isn't a problem for me since I can get a perfect fit, but it can be a problem for some people. Fortunately, the more modern versions of the Seamaster Professional does have on the fly micro adjustment on the clasp. In any case, the Seamaster Professional is versatile on a variety of aftermarket bracelets, NATOs and rubber straps.

VERSATILITY

It looks good on a variety of straps and bracelets. Given the small size and reputation of being the Bond watch, you can wear it for a variety of occasions. From swimwear to a tuxedo, the OMEGA Seamaster Professional will look the part. If it's good for Bond, it's good for us.

LEGIBILITY

I find the Seamaster Professional very easy to read. The hour markers are big and clear, the hands line up the markers perfectly, the dots on the bezel makes reading the minutes and using the bezel very practical. The lume is very bright and long lasting. Very easy to charge and stays glowing for hours! Some may find the overall design of the Seamaster Professional make it hard to read but that's really up to the user.

DURABILITY

This is a tough watch! I've taken this swimming, hiking and playing sports. It held up very well! Given that it is quartz, you don't have to worry so much about shock and magnetism. Maintenance will be very easy. Just a battery and gasket change every 42 months. Plus, any decent watchmaker can do this. If any parts need a replacement, they are readily available given that the Seamaster Professional is one of the most iconic watches in the industry.

CONCLUSION

Overall, this is a great choice if you are looking for an entry level luxury dive watch. Bond fans and movie lovers would enjoy this. There is a lot of value in this watch. Plus, this model is readily available on eBay and various grey market sites for $1000 and up. Just do your research and ask the seller for any questions and concerns you might have. For the OG OMEGA Bond watch that is affordable by OMEGA standards, this is a must buy!! I wouldn't recommend this watch if you are not a fan of 007 or OMEGA's design language of the Seamaster Professional. If you want a more timeless design, look into the Seamaster 300 Heritage or the Planet Ocean. In addition, Tudor's Black Bay will give you that vintage Bond Rolex vibes for around $3000 if that's your preference.