Bond Seamaster Pro Divers - Some More Info

The GMT Master · Mar 31, 2011

Hey all,

Been having a chat with my boss today about his trip to Basel, and his impressions of the new models. One subject came up of which very little has been written about: the new Seamaster Pro. It has cropped up in a couple of pictures, and looks to be sharing some design cues with the Planet Ocean, retaining the classic Bond skeleton hands and bracelet, and details that hark back to some of Omega's classic Dive watches. I have some more information for you now:

Bye-bye quartz! Quartz models will no longer feature in this range, they will only be Co-Axial automatic - I don't know yet if it'll feature the cal. 2500 or cal. 8500 (probably the former), but I'll try and find out

Bye-bye smaller sizes! I believe this will only be made in the full size 42mm, although this again has to be confirmed

Bye-bye pin and sleeve! Omega have (wisely, in my opinion) decided to drop the fiddly pin and sleeve system with a much more user friendly screw system, as found on the Aqua Terra and the new Planet Ocean. The clasp has also been revised, especially the diver's extension link.

Bye-bye wave dial! Part of the look of the Bond Seamaster was always the wave dial - with the advent of anti-reflective coatings on the crystal, it wasn't as necessary any more. The new smooth dial looks very sleek.

The bezel will be ceramic, and the watch will be available, as is the case now, in blue or black. I look forward to seeing more of this watch, it's always been one of my favourites and a very strong seller in the range

Cheers!

Chris

dsio · Mar 31, 2011

The Quartz did have to go, and I'm glad they're continuing the Bond.

Also glad with the bracelet change. I adjusted mine once, no joke with a ball-peen hammer, and one of the spare pins to drive the one in the link out because no other tool worked. Trev actually paid a decent amount of money to Otto Frei for the correct tool and I think it still broke something when he sized it.

The wave dial will be missed though.

One other thing... WHERE are the new GMTs?!? We've been suffering from a lack of real GMT Omegas since the sword hand models died out, and the Bond GMT has the wrong bezel!

Trev · Mar 31, 2011

The GMT Master
Bye-bye quartz! Quartz models will no longer feature in this range, they will only be Co-Axial automatic - I don't know yet if it'll feature the cal. 2500 or cal. 8500 (probably the former), but I'll try and find out

Bye-bye smaller sizes! I believe this will only be made in the full size 42mm, although this again has to be confirmed

Bye-bye pin and sleeve! Omega have (wisely, in my opinion) decided to drop the fiddly pin and sleeve system with a much more user friendly screw system, as found on the Aqua Terra and the new Planet Ocean. The clasp has also been revised, especially the diver's extension link.

The smaller sizes and quartz movements only seemed to dilute the perceived quality of the brand and model. Nice to see they've dropped them from their lineup.

The pin and sleeves setup was a huge pain in the ass. I've re-sized this bracelet twice and never want to do it again. I didn't damage or scratch anything on the watch itself, but snapped a few of the pins that come with the tool (mostly due to my own impatience). Lining up the 2 little sleeves can be pretty painful, especially if it's an old watch and the pins are a bit more mangled than they should be.

Have any photos of the new Seamaster Pro been released?

The GMT Master · Mar 31, 2011

dsio
The Quartz did have to go, and I'm glad they're continuing the Bond.

Also glad with the bracelet change. I adjusted mine once, no joke with a ball-peen hammer, and one of the spare pins to drive the one in the link out because no other tool worked. Trev actually paid a decent amount of money to Otto Frei for the correct tool and I think it still broke something when he sized it.

The wave dial will be missed though.

One other thing... WHERE are the new GMTs?!? We've been suffering from a lack of real GMT Omegas since the sword hand models died out, and the Bond GMT has the wrong bezel!

They are pretty fiddly - I personally like to use a plastic bracelet adjustment square and a pin pusher, then a few firm taps with a watchmaker's hammer. I find getting the pins out much easier than getting them back in - the sleeves are the cause of much swearing at the shop whenever we adjust them!

As for the GMTs, at the moment, it looks like Omega are leaving the dedicated GMTs to Rolex - it's hard to beat the purity of purpose of the GMT II, even though the previous Seamaster based GMTs were very handsome indeed. It shouldn't be too much of an issue to make one - the cal. 8500 already has a jump hour hand, all they'd need was an additional 24 hour hand really! Still, I do rather like the Aqua Terra Chronograph GMT, although it is a little big on my puny wrists - the dial's a little busy, but it looks great in the flesh.

The GMT Master · Mar 31, 2011

Trev
The smaller sizes and quartz movements only seemed to dilute the perceived quality of the brand and model. Nice to see they've dropped them from their lineup.

The pin and sleeves setup was a huge pain in the ass. I've re-sized this bracelet twice and never want to do it again. I didn't damage or scratch anything on the watch itself, but snapped a few of the pins that come with the tool (mostly due to my own impatience). Lining up the 2 little sleeves can be pretty painful, especially if it's an old watch and the pins are a bit more mangled than they should be.

Have any photos of the new Seamaster Pro been released?

Have to agree really. It looks like Omega are really taking steps to move away from the company they were in the 80s and 90s, and starting fresh again. Other brands in the Swatch group are better suited to looking after the quartz side of things, Omega should be a premier brand and a byword for the highest levels of quality. With the recent changes to the range, they're really achieving this - I don't think you could argue that there was anything in real need of attention now, I don't think the same could be said about Rolex. I really think the changes Omega are making and the steps they're taking are the most interesting in the Swiss watch industry right now, it's great to see them create so many interesting and well made products.

As for photos, I've seen a few here, and I think there are more about as well - however, it seems that the Planet Ocean has stolen the show somewhat!

dsio · Mar 31, 2011

The GMT Master
Have to agree really. It looks like Omega are really taking steps to move away from the company they were in the 80s and 90s, and starting fresh again. Other brands in the Swatch group are better suited to looking after the quartz side of things, Omega should be a premier brand and a byword for the highest levels of quality. With the recent changes to the range, they're really achieving this - I don't think you could argue that there was anything in real need of attention now, I don't think the same could be said about Rolex. I really think the changes Omega are making and the steps they're taking are the most interesting in the Swiss watch industry right now, it's great to see them create so many interesting and well made products.

As for photos, I've seen a few here, and I think there are more about as well - however, it seems that the Planet Ocean has stolen the show somewhat!

I have a firm belief... that Omega is trying hard to recapture the golden era of the Constellations and Seamaster 300s of old. I sort of see the Cal 8500 as the spiritual successor to the Omega Cal 500 in-house movement that built their reputation as the brand to have in the 50s and 60s until they gave up in the 70s and handed the market and prestige to Rolex without a contest.

I really don't see what they're doing as a new direction but rather as a return to that golden era that many old people still remember when Omega held the high ground and Rolex was the new comer trying to take market share.

Bond Seamaster Pro Divers - Some More Info

The GMT Master

dsio

Trev

The GMT Master

The GMT Master

dsio

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