Seamaster 300: How did it get the name "300"?

[bigtriangle68]

How did Omega arrive at the name Seamaster 300? After all, the 1950s and 60s Seamaster 300s were rated in product literature to 200 meters, not 300 meters. Other products in the lineup, like the Seamaster 120, were rated to 120 meters. So what did the "300" signify, if anything?

I came across the below comment online which claims the watch was tested to 300 meters at Lake Geneva and this is where the "300" name originated. Is this comment accurate and does anyone have any more info on the "true" depth rating of the 1950s and 1960s Seamaster 300?

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"Omega successfully submerged prototypes of the watches to a depth of 300 meters - quite impressive for 1957 – at the bottom of Lake Geneva, hence the name Seamaster 300. However, the standard industry pressure rating equipment at the time, and not merely exclusive to Omega, was only good for testing a watch’s pressure resistance up to 200 meters. Coincidentally, the 1957 Breitling SuperOcean was officially rated at 200 meters WR, the industry’s maximum official rating of the era. So while the 1957 Omega Seamaster 300’s official water resistance rating was 200 meters, it could in reality go much deeper."

 

[Donn Chambers]

I’ve heard the same story, but have never seen any definitive proof it is true and not just marketing. Before the Seamaster 300, there was the Seamaster 30, but the 30 referred to the size of the hand-wound movement, not the depth rating. Maybe they called it 300 because they felt it was 10x better.

 

[Davidt]

Same here. That’s always the story I have in my head; it could only be ‘lab’ tested to 200m but there was confidence it would exceed 300m.
I don’t have a primary source though.

 

[Aroxx]

Maybe the naming guys were from Sparta.

 

[bigtriangle68]

Lake Geneva is reportedly 310 meters deep at the maximum depth point, so the story about Omega using the lake as a proving ground for the Seamaster 300 could have merit.

 

[sheepdoll]

Back when I started collecting in the early 1990s. I thought watches with turnable plastic bezels and big arrow hands were cheap or overpriced quartz watches. (Was going to say knockoffs, but knockoffs of what?)

I keep telling myself, that such are too big for my wrist anyway.

Would that I knew then what I know now. (But they my name would be Cassandra.)

 

[Vercingetorix]

 

[JimJupiter]

Davidt

Same here. That’s always the story I have in my head; it could only be ‘lab’ tested to 200m but there was confidence it would exceed 300m.
I don’t have a primary source though.

when did it change to 300m testing? Could it be 1960? At least Enicar was advertising their dive watches with true 300m back then.

Nico

 

[Knudsen1971]

bigtriangle68

How did Omega arrive at the name Seamaster 300? After all, the 1950s and 60s Seamaster 300s were rated in product literature to 200 meters, not 300 meters. Other products in the lineup, like the Seamaster 120, were rated to 120 meters. So what did the "300" signify, if anything?

I came across the below comment online which claims the watch was tested to 300 meters at Lake Geneva and this is where the "300" name originated. Is this comment accurate and does anyone have any more info on the "true" depth rating of the 1950s and 1960s Seamaster 300?

======================================

"Omega successfully submerged prototypes of the watches to a depth of 300 meters - quite impressive for 1957 – at the bottom of Lake Geneva, hence the name Seamaster 300. However, the standard industry pressure rating equipment at the time, and not merely exclusive to Omega, was only good for testing a watch’s pressure resistance up to 200 meters. Coincidentally, the 1957 Breitling SuperOcean was officially rated at 200 meters WR, the industry’s maximum official rating of the era. So while the 1957 Omega Seamaster 300’s official water resistance rating was 200 meters, it could in reality go much deeper."

I have no reason to disbelieve this story, seems fully ok to me... same as Ploprof....was named Seamaster 600.... 600m depth rating was added to the dial later in 70ties.... the true WR was also measured by placing the watch onto the diving bell...reached more than 1km while stopping due glass was pressed on the second hand...