Heritage Seamaster 300 Bracelet Size for Small Wrist Question

[nqtri]

Hi all, I'm about to pull the trigger on the black Heritage Seamaster 300 on bracelet (one with lollipop second hand) and saw that the bracelet actually has 4 permanent, non-removable links on each side.

I had the current SMP 300 model and I know the bracelet is different but I recall that one has more removable links.

My concern is that might not fit my small 5.75 - 6in wrist even with all links removed so I'm reaching out to hear your thoughts and experience if you are on the same boat of wrist size and have one.

 

[ErichPryde]

It would be close. My wrist is currently just over 7", about 7 1/8 and probably expands to 7 1/4 - 1/3 at times. I can remove 6/8" on one side of my bracelet and just under 1/2" on the other, and reduce another 2mm or so by taking the clasp from position 1 to position 0. Assuming ~1 1/4" reduction, that gets you 5 7/8 to 6" with maybe one slide adjustment you could make. It just might fit you.

Perhaps someone else with your wrist size can chime in but I hope this helps.

 

[Donn Chambers]

I have a 6.5 inch wrist. My sized bracelet still has one removable link on the 6 o’clock side and 2 1/2 on the 12 o’clock side. Measuring from screw to screw on the full links, they are 3/8 inches. So that should give you just over an inch of removable links, so I think you should be fine. I do wear my bracelet lose, though, enough so I can slide my pinky under it easily. If you like it super tight, it might not work.

 

[nqtri]

Thank you all for the measurements. I feel more comfortable now with this watch. I guess the links are just shorter than others like

 

[gbesq]

I can't comment on fit as I've got a 7.5 inch wrist, but you're gonna love the bracelet and the watch. It's a winner.

 

[nqtri]

Glad to report that I went for it and even with my 5.75in wrist, I still have 1.5 links left on the 12 oclock to remove, with the micro-adjustment fully pushed in so I also have enough room for summer days.

The whole watch itself feels incredible, it has pretty much everything I want in a daily watch: diver, no-date, decend water resistance, full lume, display caseback, solid bracelet with micro-adjustment, and not mentioning the movement.

I really like this offering over the SMP and BB54. and the only question I have is why this is such a sleeper. It should not!

 

[gbesq]

It’s not really a sleeper and a number of us on OF own this model. It is understated compared to the SMPc and more expensive. It also doesn’t have the “Bond” tie in which helps to explain why it’s not as well known to most watch buyers as the SMPc.

 

[cuonglm]

gbesq

It’s not really a sleeper and a number of us on OF own this model. It is understated compared to the SMPc and more expensive. It also doesn’t have the “Bond” tie in which helps to explain why it’s not as well known to most watch buyers as the SMPc.

Hmm, isn’t there the Spectre one, no?

 

[gbesq]

cuonglm

Hmm, isn’t there the Spectre one, no?

True, but not really on the same level as the SMPc which has had the Bond tie in since Goldeneye which I think was 1995.

 

[Donn Chambers]

nqtri

Glad to report that I went for it and even with my 5.75in wrist, I still have 1.5 links left on the 12 oclock to remove, with the micro-adjustment fully pushed in so I also have enough room for summer days.

The whole watch itself feels incredible, it has pretty much everything I want in a daily watch: diver, no-date, decend water resistance, full lume, display caseback, solid bracelet with micro-adjustment, and not mentioning the movement.

I really like this offering over the SMP and BB54. and the only question I have is why this is such a sleeper. It should not!

Besides the price difference, I also think people are turned off my the “fauxtina” lume, probably based on how dark it looks in Omega press renderings. In real life, as your pictures show, it is more subtle and quite visually appealing. Some also object to the use of an aluminum bezel insert on the new one, over ceramic. But I think it matches the understated elegance better than the older version’s glossy ceramic (which I previously owned and traded for the new one). And the lumed bezel is a cool feature.

 

[gbesq]

Donn Chambers

Besides the price difference, I also think people are turned off my the “fauxtina” lume, probably based on how dark it looks in Omega press renderings. In real life, as your pictures show, it is more subtle and quite visually appealing. Some also object to the use of an aluminum bezel insert on the new one, over ceramic. But I think it matches the understated elegance better than the older version’s glossy ceramic (which I previously owned and traded for the new one). And the lumed bezel is a cool feature.

Agree with all of this. I owned and sold the third generation SMPc, which is a great watch, to buy the 300 Heritage. I loved everything about the SMPc except the bracelet and that it had a little too much bling to it (which is much worse on the current SMPc IMO). The current version of the Heritage is just about perfect. I really like the understated character of the watch, but the quality is readily apparent and the accuracy is incredible. I’ll take the jumping hour function over a date window any day.

 

[ErichPryde]

Glad we could help out, great choice! I'm not sure that I would call this a sleeper, exactly. It seems to garner a lot of positive attention, especially among newer crowds. Some subset of the Omega population is always going to be more interested in the Speedmaster no matter what, and the SMP had the GoldenEye tie-in and fairly consistent appearance for almost the last 30 years. Watches take time to establish themselves. This one is more dressy than sporty...

I've owned a first gen and still own a second and loved them both, they're great watches.

I suspect you'll find yours to be ridiculously accurate as well!

 

[Vinz Clortho]

Have a love-hate relationship with mine. Love the overall look, case size, bracelet, sandwich dial, and comfort on the wrist. The problem I keep running into it is a combination of the anti-reflective coating glare paired with the fautina lume, makes it hard to read at times and in lower light situations as the hands tend to blend in with the dial.

Not really sure if anyone else has run into this issue. It's frustrating as I really want to love this watch.

 

[0002s]

I have a 7.5 flat. It works for me. I like it. Only complaint would be the number cut outs could be more pronounced.

 

[ErichPryde]

Vinz Clortho

Have a love-hate relationship with mine. Love the overall look, case size, bracelet, sandwich dial, and comfort on the wrist. The problem I keep running into it is a combination of the anti-reflective coating glare paired with the fautina lume, makes it hard to read at times and in lower light situations as the hands tend to blend in with the dial.

Not really sure if anyone else has run into this issue. It's frustrating as I really want to love this watch.

I've heard this from one of the person but am unsure of how it could happen. Even a small degree of tilt with minimal lighting typically catches the rhodium (it did on my first gen and although my second gen is summer blue it does on that one as well).

I'll grant I don't have any experience with the second gen in black.

 

[gbesq]

Vinz Clortho

Have a love-hate relationship with mine. Love the overall look, case size, bracelet, sandwich dial, and comfort on the wrist. The problem I keep running into it is a combination of the anti-reflective coating glare paired with the fautina lume, makes it hard to read at times and in lower light situations as the hands tend to blend in with the dial.

Not really sure if anyone else has run into this issue. It's frustrating as I really want to love this watch.

It's something of a known issue, but I'd describe it a bit differently. As you note, in "twilight" conditions the dial can be difficult to see due to a combination of the color of the fauxtina and a lack of A/R coating on the outside of the crystal (there is an A/R coating on the inside). Even so, however, it's not difficult to read the time because the hands are both rhodium plated and angled so they brightly reflect even the smallest amount of light. At night, the watch is very easy to read because the lume is absolutely outstanding. The lack of A/R coating on the outside of the crystal is a bit of a double edged sword. While it does increase glare and reduce clarity in certain conditions, you don't have an issue with the A/R coating getting scratched which is a known issue on the Seamaster Professional diver. When you pick up a scratch in the A/R coating on that watch, you have only three choices: live with the scratch, remove the A/R coating entirely, or replace the crystal. Personally, I'd rather live with the glare and the lack of clarity now and then on the Heritage instead of having to look at scratched A/R coating on the SMP which ruins the aesthetic of the watch. Frankly, I see a lot more SMP's for sale on the secondary market than I do Heritage 300's which I think evidences a very high level of satisfaction among owners of the Heritage.

Edited: May 30, 2024

 

[Vinz Clortho]

gbesq

It's something of a known issue, but I'd describe it a bit differently. As you note, in "twilight" conditions the dial can be difficult to see due to a combination of the color of the fauxtina and a lack of A/R coating on the outside of the crystal (there is an A/R coating on the inside). Even so, however, it's not difficult to read the time because the hands are both rhodium plated and angled so they brightly reflect even the smallest amount of light. At night, the watch is very easy to read because the lume is absolutely outstanding. The lack of A/R coating on the ouside of the crystal is a bit of a double edged sword. While it does increase glare and reduce clarity in certain conditions, you don't have an issue with the A/R coating getting scratched which is a known issue on the Seamaster Professional diver. When you pick up a scratch in the A/R coating on that watch, you have only three choices: live with the scratch, remove the A/R coating entirely, or replace the crystal. Personally, I'd rather live with the glare and the lack of clarity now and then on the Heritage instead of having to look at scratched A/R coating on the SMP which ruins the aesthetic of the watch. Frankly, I see a lot more SMP's for sale on the secondary market than I do Heritage 300's which I think evidences a very high level of satisfaction among owners of the Heritage.

I agree in twilight conditions it's easy to angle the watch to pick up the reflection of the hands and the lume is excellent when charged. Problem is charging the lume sufficiently in different situations. One example is driving at night; cannot read the time at a glance. Another is at sporting events when having a long sleeve shirt or jacket on, when sliding it from under the cuff, cannot pick up the hands easily to make out the time.

I have the IWC Chrono Spitfire, which has the fauxtina lume on the hands (actually lot less lume on the dial) but the black dial is crisp/reflective and makes it easier to read at a glance in all different conditions.

It's like the matte dial of the Seamaster absorbs the light into it.

 

[gbesq]

Here is how I would illustrate the issue raised by Vinz Clortho. This is generally what you are going to see
in low light conditions:

I disagree with his assessment of the lume at night, however. This photo was taken after I got into my car following dinner at a restaurant. The only charging that the lume received was from sitting in the restaurant's indoor lighting:

Here's the alternative: scratched exterior A/R coating on the Seamaster Professional diver if you don't wear it carefully. You don't have this issue on the Heritage because the A/R coating is only on the inside of the crystal:

Photo credit: OF member PRW

 

[Vinz Clortho]

gbesq

I disagree with his assessment of the lume at night, however. This photo was taken after I got into my car following dinner at a restaurant. The only charging that the lume received was from sitting in the restaurant's indoor lighting:

Interesting, I haven't had the same experience. Might be the lighting used in the places around here, but never had my lume charge up like this. Kind of envious tbh. I will get lume charge like this if I'm out in the sun for a while, but never indoors. How long does the lume last when charged like that?

 

[gbesq]

It fades over a few hours. Not nearly as long as it lasts after a day in bright sunlight. Compared to the instrument lighting on the car’s dashboard, it was much dimmer but still easily readable.