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Omega seamaster 300m professional with 8800 - ceramic bezel numbers longevity

onurzirh
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I'm on the edge of buying a black Seamaster 300M. I can't really decide if I should buy a new one or a used older generation (2500D). The old one has a plain, simple dial, while the new one is a bit more flashy with its wavy design.

The other thing is, the new one has a black ceramic bezel with white numbering. While this creates a great, contrasty look, I'm wondering if the white color will turn yellow over time. This watch has been sold since 2018, so maybe some long-time owners can give me some insight. Thanks in advance.
 
padders
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I’ve seen the white numbers going porous on one example. That is to say under slight magnification small holes could be seen. No idea what caused it or it it is common but don’t assume those bezels will stay the same or are impervious to scratches for that matter. They aren’t. I’ve not noticed any colour change myself. On balance I prefer the aluminium, steel or gold bezels.
Edited:
 
onurzirh
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padders padders
I’ve seen the white numbers going porous on one example. That is to say under slight magnification small holes could be seen. No idea what caused it or it it is common but don’t assume those bezels will stay the same or are imperious to scratches for that matter. They aren’t. I’ve not noticed any colour change myself. On balance I prefer the aluminium, steel or gold bezels.

Ceramic bezels shouldn't scratch, unless you scratch it witch diamond or glass.
 
padders
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onurzirh onurzirh
Ceramic bezels shouldn't scratch, unless you scratch it witch diamond or glass.
Whether it should or not, it does. Sapphire crystals too. I can't say for definite how it happened since the watch came to me that way. Surmising for a second, in the past I've dragged a watch across the top of a car side window before when exiting so perhaps that was it. Or perhaps the previous owner stored it in a bag with his wife's diamond jewellery. Whatever, It does happen. Both ceramic and sapphire can scratch. Or shatter if dropped at the wrong angle.
 
ErichPryde
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onurzirh onurzirh
Ceramic bezels shouldn't scratch, unless you scratch it witch diamond or glass.

Or any sandpaper that has bits of aluminum oxide or silicon carbide (which is a lot of sandpapers), industrial sapphire or diamond, and any exotic minerals in jewelry like any corundum, chrysoberyl; possibly beryl, topaz, spinel and a handful of others. It's hard to scratch yes- and even light, non-abrasive contact with these substances may not scratch it- but it can be scratched.

It's a lot more likely to chip via accidental striking but not likely for that to happen either.


And one last thing, glass won't scratch zirconium dioxide ceramic. And a glasswood, so would pretty much any silicate compound with a hardness of 7 on the planet (so, many silicate in the Earth's crust) and it would defeat the purpose.
Whether it should or not, it does. Sapphire crystals too. I can't say for definite how it happened since the watch came to me that way. Surmising for a second, in the past I've dragged a watch across the top of a car side window before when exiting so perhaps that was it. Or perhaps the previous owner stored it in a bag with his wife's diamond jewellery. Whatever, It does happen. Both ceramic and sapphire can scratch. Or shatter if dropped at the wrong angle.

@padders Most likely scenario is contact with a high abrasive sandpaper. Across the top of a car window, it's going to scratch the glass off onto the sapphire. I've seen things like auto paint become stuck on the sapphire surface (and very difficult to remove) via accidental contact.
Edited:
 
onurzirh
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Just check the material hardness, or strain/stress graph. Harder materials can scratch softer materials. You may have scratched the ar coating on top of saphire glass.

Hard materials break, soft materials deform. That's why you see dents on metals, metals are soft. Ceramic and sapphire will shatter or chip.
 
darkguyver
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onurzirh onurzirh
I'm on the edge of buying a black Seamaster 300M. I can't really decide if I should buy a new one or a used older generation (2500D). The old one has a plain, simple dial, while the new one is a bit more flashy with its wavy design.

The other thing is, the new one has a black ceramic bezel with white numbering. While this creates a great, contrasty look, I'm wondering if the white color will turn yellow over time. This watch has been sold since 2018, so maybe some long-time owners can give me some insight. Thanks in advance.
Both the 2018 Black SMP 300M and the 1st gen SMP-C are great choices. The 2018 SMP have a much better movement and METAS certification and is resistant to even the magnetic field of an MRI. While the SMP-C is more in line with the previous Brosnan style SMP with a plan lacered dial. Of course if you want a SMP with a wave dial you could get an SMP 2220.80, which was worn by Daniel Greg in Casino Royale, just be sure that you get one with a cal 2500D movement, as the 2500 A/B/C movements all have lube seizing issues
 
McBeardy
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darkguyver darkguyver
😜Both the 2018 Black SMP 300M and the 1st gen SMP-C are great choices. The 2018 SMP have a much better movement and METAS certification and is resistant to even the magnetic field of an MRI. While the SMP-C is more in line with the previous Brosnan style SMP with a plan lacered dial. Of course if you want a SMP with a wave dial you could get an SMP 2220.80, which was worn by Daniel Greg in Casino Royale, just be sure that you get one with a cal 2500D movement, as the 2500 A/B/C movements all have lube seizing issues
Who is this the Daniel Grey you mention? 😂
 
darkguyver
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McBeardy McBeardy
Who is this the Daniel Grey you mention? 😂
The guy who actually was actually in Casino Royale 😂🤣 Typo man
 
McBeardy
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darkguyver darkguyver
The guy who actually was actually in Casino Royale 😂🤣 Typo man
Ha I know.

Much like the TV series Succession & the character Greg they way they kept pronouncing it was weird to my UK ears.

Although I think Daniel Craig has been on some US talk shows and had to tell them how to pronounce his surname.

Must be a lost in translation thing
 
onurzirh
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darkguyver darkguyver
Both the 2018 Black SMP 300M and the 1st gen SMP-C are great choices. The 2018 SMP have a much better movement and METAS certification and is resistant to even the magnetic field of an MRI. While the SMP-C is more in line with the previous Brosnan style SMP with a plan lacered dial. Of course if you want a SMP with a wave dial you could get an SMP 2220.80, which was worn by Daniel Greg in Casino Royale, just be sure that you get one with a cal 2500D movement, as the 2500 A/B/C movements all have lube seizing issues
I've got the 2018 black smp 300m. Great watch, love using it so far. Previous gen black smp 300m is a great alternative as well.
 
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