Hello all,

Recently picked up a new Diver 300m from my AD. I also have the same generation 300m from January 2020 but a different color. When putting them side by side I noticed some differences in the actual case shape. I can’t say that it bothers me tremendously, but enough to be curious and ask the group here. If you look at the picture, the watch on the right is the older one from January 2020 and the one on the left is what I recently bought, so about a 2 year age difference between the two.

I feel like the older 300m has more “meat” on the case if that makes sense, as the picture indicates. I’ve really evaluated this from all angles, and even with a digital caliper, so it’s not a lighting effect. The new case definitely seems to have less steel in this area than the old one. The slight concern here is that if I do one day down the line have Omega do a factory refinish, there may not be enough material on the case afterwards.

For those interested, across the 2-8 position, the new watch is about 0.1mm smaller vs the old watch, so not even half a mm. Overall the new watch measures 42.2mm. Even when stacking the watch cases on top of each other, the difference is ever so slightly noticeable with the naked eye.

I’m curious if Omega used different suppliers for its cases? Since both watches are more than 2 years apart I’m wondering if Omega maybe switched up suppliers for its cases, or if this kind of variance is totally within specification and to be expected? Just coming from a place of curiosity, so welcome any insights.

 

Anyone?

 

The reflections and ovals make it kind of hard to even tell what's going on, IMO.

it's not uncommon for watch manufacturers to have a slight variance in pieces across a production run. Even when using the same supplier, sometimes batches are ever so slightly different due to a minute change in the calibration of a machine, or the order of machining operations. I think some people noted that there were like 6-7 different dial variations for the Submariner 116610.

 

Thanks for the feedback. Attached some more pictures, with and without markups to better reference the areas I’m referring to

 

Omega may very well have slimmed down the case. Keep in mind they now taper the bracelet from 20mm to 18mm. It would stand to reason they made changes to the case as well.

That said, there's no way Omega slimmed the case down to the point that future servicing/polishing of the case is going to jeopardize the watch. Omega knows these watches are kept for dozens of years and will be polished in the future. I think your worry is misplaced.

 

There is no taper on the bracelet. That was false info spread around when the green color was released.

 

Hmmm....slim chance of getting to the bottom of this mystery.

 

That's good to know.