As the title suggests... Now before I begin I want to state I am a HUGE fan of both watches and Omega in general. I literally just got the 300m Pro yesterday so this might be premature but I think if you have never actually played with either this might be interesting to you.

BEZEL. If you actually use your timing bezel the PO beats the snot out of the Pro all day long and twice on Sundays. I think the pro actually wears better for me due to the slimmer case. Strangely the non tapered bracelet is not giving me any issues at all and the watch almost becomes invisible after a few hours. I started my Omega journey with the PO so maybe I am just used to something more substantial. I did go into this knowing about the bezel and have played with one several times at an AD and a boutique once or twice. I know this comes up on reviews but I do use my bezel daily. Cooking, work stuff, etc. Luckily I did get the pro simply as a "fun" watch for the weekends as a milestone celebration but I do think it bears restating. Its just way more difficult to turn than it needs to be.

Even after saying all this I would still buy it and happily wear it again. Aesthetically it just really knocks it out of the park and I can live with the annoyance of bezel manipulation. If it was my only watch I am not so sure. Thoughts?

 

I have both as well. The SMPc bezel looks better to me, and if cleaned regularly, turns easily with dry fingers. The PO bezel has killer lume so it scores points there. They both are good and unique in style.

 

Yeah, I find the bezel is kind of bitch to turn on my 300M as well. Hoping it gets a little easier over time, no so easy that any little thing will turn it though.

 

Wait...the PO has lume? Mine doesn't. Did I get ripped off? I still love it though, but I would love it more if it had lume.

 

Try a sword hands SMP and then consider if you think the PO has any lume at all...

 

I think the only PO that has lume on the bezel is the orange bezeled one. Mine is just the liquid metal inlay which I find quite attractive. Anyone know if the orange one is the only one?

 

Compared to my Black Bay the Bezel is different but not necessarily worse.

You tend to grip it on the top. I find it easy to turn.

Bracelet is OK, but I've ordered a forstner comtemporary flay link to try it out.

 

The creamsicle does

 

The SMP bezel does take a little getting used to but I found that once I understood the technique, its OK (enough for daily use timing stuff like laundry and cooking). I have a 7.5" wrist and my first luxury watch was a 2500 PO 42M. I would absolutely jump on any newly updated PO with dimensions of that original PO, 42MM, ~14MM thick. As it stands now, the PO is WAY too thick. It would be a sub killer for sure with modern materials, movement and 42mm/14MM size.

 

Everyday wearability, SMP. Bezel, looks, handset -- PO. Bracelet -- neither, for me.

I ended up selling my SMPc. I will buy a next-gem that's a little thinner and more proportionate.

 

The bracelet on the new SMP has a huge design flaw. Look at how the end link is rounded and the links are flat. It makes a clear demarcation line between the end link and the bracelet, and it's all I can ever see now. The previous models, the end links matched the bracelet better. Omega has also started to fix this issue, as seen on the most recent AT, the links are shorter and rounder, same for the new speedy. I wouldn't be surprised if the next SMP has rounded links fixing this weird effect.

I don't know why they decided to go with such squared off links for this generation SMP, maybe there's some AP inspiration. But it doesn't work at all with the watch. So if it's on a bracelet, the choice is PO easily.

Every time I put the bracelet on my SMP, I get mad at the poor decision making I'm looking at, and go back to the rubber strap.

 

PO looks better for me

 

One positive about the smp300 bracelet is that it’s actually incredibly easy to get a good fit. And it’s a very balanced package on wrist.

 

It’s funny— I’m very particular about the aesthetic of end links, and really love the SMP’s end links for many of the reasons you described. The rounded end links beautifully match the curvature of the case and lugs, and helps the watch fit on the wearer’s wrist.

I am a sucker for the 300m’s design, though. I didn’t fully “get it” for the last 3 years, and it’s finally clicked with me.