Omega Stories: The Seamaster Electric Blue 2255.80 / 2232.80 & The Royal Navy Clearance Diver LE

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Nicely done Ash. Thankfully this is one of your deep dives that wont lead me into another overdraft like your Hour Vision piece did: I already have a 2255.80 and love it. It was in fact my first ever Omega.

I have a passion for this era of SMP. The Electric Blue models have much less of a following than the more overtly military clone 2254 style but they are a lovely piece to wear and I keep coming back to them when more than once I've moved a 2254 on out of boredom. The dial is so much more interesting that the flat muddy blue-grey of the 2531 Bond too. There were also solid gold models seen with electric blue dials too AFAIK, though seen rarely. I've handled a GMT in solid 18K inc bracelet with an EB dial which was quite something but there may have been 3 handers too.
Edited:
 
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Nicely done Ash. Thankfully this is one of your deep dives that wont lead me into another overdraft like your Hour Vision piece did: I already have a 2255.80 and love it. It was in fact my first ever Omega.

I have a passion for this era of SMP. The Electric Blue models have much less of a following than the more overtly military clone 2254 style but they are a lovely piece to wear and I keep coming back to them when more than once I've moved a 2254 on out of boredom. The dial is so much more interesting that the flat muddy blue-grey of the 2531 Bond too. There were also solid gold models seen with electric blue dials too AFAIK, though seen rarely. I've handled a GMT in solid 18K inc bracelet with an EB dial which was quite something but there may have been 3 handers too.
The gold is interesting because there is the electric blue GMT, and the way those are handled is rather interesting in that rather than having a specific black and blue reference, when you buy the GMT (so I’ve been told by an owner) they offer you the option of the two dials and swap them out at no cost if you’re a buyer.

Now I haven’t seen an 18K solid electric blue 3-handler but I also wouldn’t be surprised if the same thing applies, and you can swap out the black dial for an electric blue also on the 3-handler.

Here’s the GMT version btw owned by @sjl1212:

 
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Great reading. I and many others love the 2254.50 but I think it's hard to argue that the Electric Blue is the best of this generation. I want one.
 
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Great writeup! I was between the 2531.80 and 2254.50 before I fell in love with the 3rd Gen 212.30.41.20.01.003 (hate these reference numbers). I think if I were to get another Seamaster this Electric Blue would have to be the one. What a dial! And swapping to the Bond bezel is a great idea. My biggest gripe about the 2254.50 is the huge bezel numbers.
 
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Nice write up - as always. Thanks!

I got my watchmaker to order the right parts - in 2012 I belive. It came out really nice. Sold it some years later and sometimes I regret it. I have even asked around a bit if someone knows who has it.

Depending on lighting, etc. the dial and bezel inlay matched perfectly. And in other light conditions not at all. It had charm.

1993 Omega Seamaster 2531 with 2255 dial and hands:

24770029237_f77cbdf80a_b.jpg
6967361219_36129456cc_b.jpg
6821239482_0713cb5741_b.jpg
 
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Who Oh Why hasn't Omega re-relased this version w/the GMT!!!??? This entire design has worn so well over the years.
 
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Nice write up - as always. Thanks!

I got my watchmaker to order the right parts - in 2012 I belive. It came out really nice. Sold it some years later and sometimes I regret it. I have even asked around a bit if someone knows who has it.

Depending on lighting, etc. the dial and bezel inlay matched perfectly. And in other light conditions not at all. It had charm.

1993 Omega Seamaster 2531 with 2255 dial and hands:

24770029237_f77cbdf80a_b.jpg
6967361219_36129456cc_b.jpg
6821239482_0713cb5741_b.jpg
I believe the correct nickname for that combo is Superblue. Or possibly Superbleu. It may well have been you who coined that in fact!
 
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It was me...! I tried to have some fun with it - peddling it on this forum as the super rare French limited edition "Le Super Bleu". I did not get much respons then. Probably because of other stunts I carried out at the time - like the "problem with helium escape" thread and being part of the Cheesmaster/the evil lord Thierry Nataf debacle, etc.

If it really has caught on as the "Super bleu" in any way it is a fun thing! Even if not as a French limited edition... ;-)
 
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It was me...! I tried to have some fun with it - peddling it on this forum as the super rare French limited edition "Le Super Bleu". I did not get much respons then. Probably because of other stunts I carried out at the time - like the "problem with helium escape" thread and being part of the Cheesmaster/the evil lord Thierry Nataf debacle, etc.

If it really has caught on as the "Super bleu" in any way it is a fun thing! Even if not as a French limited edition... ;-)
Well it caught on with me as you can see. I recognise genius when I see it.

I did enjoy the Helium escape problem thread. An under appreciated issue, something that affects us all and no mistake.
 
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Outstanding write up. Thank you. I’m seriously considering picking up a 2255.80. I’ve become obsessed with the watch in the past few days. If there’s one thing holding me back it’s the highly polished bezel. Could it be brushed to achieve a matte finish? Swapping for a blue bezel insert also looks nice.
 
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Outstanding write up. Thank you. I’m seriously considering picking up a 2255.80. I’ve become obsessed with the watch in the past few days. If there’s one thing holding me back it’s the highly polished bezel. Could it be brushed to achieve a matte finish? Swapping for a blue bezel insert also looks nice.

the titanium version has a concentric brushed bezel so that might be the best bet
 
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Excellent article, really helped me sort out the references. One question: were any references ever made with tritium? Especially the 2232 or 2231? And do you know when production began? Ok so that’s more than 1 question I suppose 😊
 
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Excellent article, really helped me sort out the references. One question: were any references ever made with tritium? Especially the 2232 or 2231? And do you know when production began? Ok so that’s more than 1 question I suppose 😊
No there were no sword hand SMP models made with tritium. The so called Blake models came in just after the change to Superluminova. The earliest were I think seen in 1998, or perhaps late 1997. Some variants like the Great White GMT were later. Thinking about it, if there were any with tritium they would be giving up this models killer feature in that it has some of the brightest lume of any watch ever made.
 
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No there were no sword hand SMP models made with tritium. The so called Blake models came in just after the change to Superluminova. The earliest were I think seen in 1998, or perhaps late 1997. Some variants like the Great White GMT were later. Thinking about it, if there were any with tritium they would be giving up this models killer feature in that it has some of the brightest lume of any watch ever made.
Yea they just wouldn’t be the same watch with tritium, the torch-like lume and incredible legibility really made these such a fan favorite in their time. It’s interesting that they’re taking the current Seamater Pro back to the wave dial now but we still haven’t seen the sword hands make an appearance in quite a while, its proven so popular on both the Watchco models and the 2254.50 family, hopefully it eventually makes a return to production at a reasonable price.
 
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Yea they just wouldn’t be the same watch with tritium, the torch-like lume and incredible legibility really made these such a fan favorite in their time. It’s interesting that they’re taking the current Seamater Pro back to the wave dial now but we still haven’t seen the sword hands make an appearance in quite a while, its proven so popular on both the Watchco models and the 2254.50 family, hopefully it eventually makes a return to production at a reasonable price.

The lume on these is insane. It's like a dog who always wants to play. It's always on, just different levels of intensity as we walk from lighter to darker areas.


(Not an electric but same idea)

Comparing the old sword hands to the modern hands is like looking at a Volvo 240 wagon vs a 240 coupe: something is missing without the wagon.
 
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No there were no sword hand SMP models made with tritium. The so called Blake models came in just after the change to Superluminova. The earliest were I think seen in 1998, or perhaps late 1997. Some variants like the Great White GMT were later. Thinking about it, if there were any with tritium they would be giving up this models killer feature in that it has some of the brightest lume of any watch ever made.
I see your point.

Another unrelated observation I’ve made is that of all the combinations between black, blue, full size, mid size, steel, titanium, bond, or speedy, very few feature the date outline in white. Only the 2231.80, 2554.80, and 2991.80. Any ideas as to why? Then out of the blue I saw a 2231.80 on Chrono24 without it. I thought maybe the dial could have been replaced or the papers/bracelet weren’t original? Any info is much appreciated. What do you guys like more? With the outline or without? Loving these and must admit I only just discovered them.
 
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I see your point.

Another unrelated observation I’ve made is that of all the combinations between black, blue, full size, mid size, steel, titanium, bond, or speedy, very few feature the date outline in white. Only the 2231.80, 2554.80, and 2991.80. Any ideas as to why? Then out of the blue I saw a 2231.80 on Chrono24 without it. I thought maybe the dial could have been replaced or the papers/bracelet weren’t original? Any info is much appreciated. What do you guys like more? With the outline or without? Loving these and must admit I only just discovered them.

I don't know the subtleties, but the ref. 2231.80 from the late 90s and early 2000s comes on a Seamaster "Bond" bracelet and at 41.5mm with a white outline and the 2232.80 from the 10s comes with a Speedmaster bracelet and at 41mm with no outline.