Convince Me it’s OK to Wear and Enjoy My Watch as a “Daily”

This may seem like an odd post, but please bear with me.

To preface, I am a strong proponent of “using your tools.” I know automatics can take a decent amount of abuse, and I know with proper maintenance, even a “daily beater” can outlast me and probably my son and grandkids.

That being said, I have an Omega Seamaster SMPc 300m non wave dial. It’s the generation that was produced from 2012-2018. I bought it new from an AD in 2019, and I have no idea when it was actually manufactured. After buying it, I wore it nearly every day until I had to send it in under warranty last summer due to running erratically. I was told by Omega that it was just bone dry and needed a full service, which luckily was covered.

Ever since I got it back, I’ve been afraid to wear it other than special occasions. With modern synthetic oils, I expected it to last more than 3.5 years before needing a service, even if it did sit on the AD shelf for a while.

I have Seikos that are over 15 years old and still going strong with no service. I wouldn’t push my Omega to that length, but I expected it to last at least half that amount of time.

My Seamaster is my absolute favorite watch and has sentimental value. I hate seeing it sitting in my watch box while other watches I don’t like as much get more wrist time.

My brain logic tells me it is absolutely fine to wear daily, but my heart just won’t let me.

Please help convince me that I can wear and enjoy this watch again! Anecdotal comments of what your watches have survived are welcome 😀

Wear that bitch everyday.

That's my daily beater since July 2022. And it's gonna stay that way.

You don't know how long it really was on the shelves of that AD.

Your seikos might be 15 years old with no service but do you really look at the real power reserve or accuracy on those watches?

Wear your SMP as you did before and if five years from now it needs a service, send it to Omega (or an independent) and have it done. Enjoy your watch everyday.

Nice watch by the way!

Edit cause I didn't see the last bit about what our watches have gone through: I'm doing construction work with it, swimming everyday, some light mechanic, moving stuff around and even mowing the lawn! (I know the last bit is supposed to be Speedy only but hey, I don't have one as of now so I make do with what I have.)

Outstanding reply.

And agree with the previous post too—wearing it won’t dry out the oils.

These watches are overengineered and can handle whatever it is you’re likely to do with them. (Maybe not mowing the lawn—touchy subject here on the OF.) Scratches only add character.

I’m serious: you want to deepen your sentimental bond with the watch, you have to wear it. Make memories with it. That watch is not an “investment” piece. You’re not going to cash in big someday if you keep it in pristine condition. It’s a mass produced run-of-the-mill diver.

And even if it does have a mechanical issue or gets scratched, just get it serviced and refinished by Omega. No big deal. It’s not an original work by Picasso.

Wear it, maintain it, enjoy it. With proper care, it’ll outlive you.

By the way: I live by these words, and my “daily” is a bit more fragile and nearly irreplaceable—but it’s still just a watch. It belongs on a wrist, not in a drawer.

This topic (and you’re hardly the first to raise it here) reminds me of a Hodinkee podcast episode from a couple years ago. I think it was called “watches and the great outdoors” or something like that. (Just confirmed with a quick Google.)

Being Hodinkee it’s a bit heavy on the Rolex-worship, but I think Omega gets a nod too, once or twice.

The reason I mention it, though: one of the guys makes the point that watchmaking standards are generally so high nowadays across brands and categories that almost anything you’re likely to buy is up for almost anything f you’re likely to do. Sure it’s fun to have a polar Explorer II (freakin’ awesome watch) to go spelunking, or a proper “field watch” on a major trek. But the famous OP worn on the first summit of Everest was pretty dainty and fragile by today’s standards and did just fine. Water-resistance matters in certain scenarios, obviously, but putting that aside, you could wear a $60k Patek dress watch rock-climbing, and odds are it would serve you perfectly well. Maybe a scratch or two, but it’s gonna have all the shock resistance and general toughness you need.

Worth a listen.

I've worn my green Seamaster that I bought just over a year ago nearly every day. I remove it if it's going to get in the way. I don't understand why you'd spend the money on something and then just let it sit around. In five years I'll get it serviced. No big deal.

When I was in the Navy doing fun things in the water, I wore a GSAR. Twice I broke the bezel on that watch. The Seamaster wouldn't have survived those incidents or most of the other incidental knocks without damage. The ceramic bezel insert - and to a lesser extent, the dial - is absolutely a liability and removes this watch, in my eyes and experience, from contention as a watch I would use if my job put me in the water.

Watches are meant to be worn. Especially a built dive watch. Just wear the thing and fuggetaboutit. Millions of these are worn as daily’s all over the world. No worries.

Omegas are entry level so wear it all you want. If it breaks just get another one.

Read the specs below.

If you believe that your daily life is more stressful than those or that your watch is less durable then a vintage chrono from the 60s then feel free to not wear your watch everyday.

1. High Temperature - 48 hours at a temperature of 160°F (71°C) followed by 30 minutes at 200°F (93°C). For the high temperature tests, atmospheric pressure shall be 5.5 psi (0.35 atm) and the relative humidity shall not exceed 15%.
2. Low Temperature - Four hours at a temperature of 0°F (-18° C)
3. Temperature Pressure Chamber -pressure maximum of 1.47 x 10exp-5 psi (10exp-6 atm) with temperature raised to 160°F (71°C). The temperature shall then be lowered to 0°F (-18°C) in 45 minutes and raised again to 160°F in 45 minutes. Fifteen more such cycles shall be completed.
4. Relative Humidity - A total time of 240 hours at temperatures varying between 68°F and 160°F (20°C and 71°C, respectively) in a relative humidity of at least 95%. The steam used shall have a pH value between 6.5 and 7.5.
5. Pure Oxygen Atmosphere - The test item shall be placed in an atmosphere of 100% oxygen at a pressure of 5.5 psi (0.35 atm) for 48 hours. Performance outside of specification tolerance, visible burning, creation of toxic gases, obnoxious odors, or deterioration of seals or lubricants shall constitute a failure. The ambient temperature shall be maintained at 160°F (71°C).
6. Shock - Six shocks of 40g each, in six different directions, with each shock lasting 11 milliseconds.
7. Acceleration - The test item shall be accelerated linearly from 1g to 7.25g within 333 seconds, along an axis parallel to the longitudinal spacecraft axis.
8. Decompression - 90 minutes in a vacuum of 1.47 x 10E-5 psi (10 E-6 atm) at a temperature of 160° F (71° C), and 30 minutes at a 200° F (93°C).
9. High Pressure - The test item shall be subjected to a pressure of 23.5 psi (1.6 atm) for a minimum period of one hour.
10. Vibration - Three cycles of 30 minutes (lateral, horizontal, vertical, the frequency varying from 5 to 2000 cps and back to 5 cps in 15 minutes. Average acceleration per impulse must be at least 8.8g.
11. Acoustic Noise - 130dB over a frequency range from 40 to 10,000 HZ, for a duration of 30 minutes.

My Seamaster Pro 300m is going on 20 years old, has seen more than its fair share of adventure and office time, and still runs and looks great. So I say enjoy it! 😀

what's the point of having dive watch you can't get wet?

Bought my first Omega back in 2008. Original Planet Ocean 45mm hulk of a watch. Wore it daily for everything and to my eternal shame didn't have it serviced or anything until I bought my next Omega in 2022. Original PO ran without fault, despite the lack of care, and I'm not aware of it massively losing or gaining time. Only thing that needed sorting at the service was a new clasp as the old one was getting slightly loose.

I'm now in a position of being able to grow out a collection. At this stage it's all Omega. Whilst there are a couple of limited editions in there now they're not going to be huge investment pieces and I'm determined to keep wearing each and every one of them as often as possible. The only one I'm slightly more careful with is a Globemaster with half Sedna, on which the bracelet centre links are damn easy to scratch. This said I've already done that to a few of them through simple work / desk use, and it is what it is.

Bottom line, they are tools and there to be worn and used. To me the enjoyment comes from wearing them, not opening a drawer to peak at them from time to time and remind myself that I own some (to me) cool watches.

The first Omega I purchased was this Seamaster Pro back in 2005:

It was new from an AD and had already been out of production for two years. It didn't need a service until 2017, when the timekeeping became erratic, and it was my daily driver until 2019. During that time, I've worn it doing just about everything. Snorkeling, indoor rock climbing, going down waterslides, winching out of helicopters, field exercises, shooting at the range (I'm ex military). All the while, it's been a solid, reliable companion. So yeah, wear the hell out of your SMP. It can take it.

Sorry to be a party pooper, but the first watch to reach the summit of Everest was a Smiths and not a Rolex, as many people still believe. This excellent article explains:
https://www.outdoorjournal.com/feat...verest-in-1953-putting-a-controversy-to-rest/

Come on...cars are meant to be driven. Guns are meant to be shot. Guitars meant to be played. Music? Made loud to be played loud. Wives, girlfriends and significant others.... (whatever the term these days) I'll stop there. Put that thing on and stop worrying about it.


have fun
kfw