Omega Has Gone Full Bond Again, But Have They Finally Taken It Too Far?
There was a time when the arrival of a new James Bond Omega was a proper event. A new film, a new Bond, a new Seamaster and, usually, a rather lovely watch to go with it. The latest additions to the Seamaster Diver 300M collection, however, arrive in rather different circumstances. There is no new Bond film, no new Bond actor and, as far as we know, no immediate need for 007 to check the time while saving the world. Yet Omega has once again dipped into the Bond cupboard and emerged with two new Seamasters.
Meet the new Seamaster Diver 300M James Bond Edition and the Seamaster Diver 300M Spectre Edition. Both are 42mm stainless steel watches, both use Omega's Co Axial Master Chronometer Calibre 8806 and both are essentially familiar Seamaster territory with a healthy dose of Bond sprinkled over the top. On paper, they are perfectly competent watches. In reality, though, they raise an increasingly difficult question: how many Bond Omegas do we actually need?
The James Bond Edition
The more traditional of the two is the James Bond Edition, which takes the familiar 42mm Seamaster Diver 300M and gives it a dark blue aluminium dial featuring Omega's familiar wave pattern. The Bond connection is relatively subtle on the front, with the traditional 12 o'clock marker replaced by the Bond family crest. The watch is completed by a stainless steel mesh bracelet, while the bezel features a Grade 5 titanium insert.
Turn the watch over and Omega has been rather more adventurous. The sapphire crystal exhibition caseback reveals the Calibre 8806, complete with a gun barrel inspired rotor design that should leave absolutely nobody wondering what you are wearing. It is a nice touch, although anyone hoping for a completely undercover Bond watch might want to look elsewhere.
As you would expect from a Seamaster Diver 300M, the specifications are serious. There is 300 metres of water resistance, Master Chronometer certification and all the engineering you would expect from one of Omega's most established dive watches. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the watch technically. The question is whether it is sufficiently different from the numerous Bond Seamasters that have come before it.
The Spectre Edition
The Spectre version takes a slightly darker approach and, in our opinion, is probably the more appealing of the two. It swaps the blue dial for a black, grained finish and pairs it with a black ceramic bezel. The overall effect is considerably more restrained, which is perhaps ironic given that the watch is celebrating one of Bond's most famous fictional enemies.
The Spectre connection is largely hidden away, with the octopus motif appearing on the movement rotor rather than being plastered across the dial. That is probably a wise decision. There is something rather more satisfying about discovering a Bond reference when you turn the watch over than having 007 written across the dial in enormous letters.
Underneath, however, it is essentially the same proposition. You get the 42mm stainless steel case, 300 metres of water resistance and the same Calibre 8806 Master Chronometer movement. In other words, it is still a very familiar Seamaster, just one wearing considerably darker clothing.
But Is Omega Milking Bond?
This is where things become slightly awkward for Omega. There is no denying that the relationship between Omega and James Bond has been hugely successful. Bond has been wearing Omega since Pierce Brosnan strapped on a Seamaster in GoldenEye in 1995, and over the past three decades the Seamaster has become almost inseparable from 007.
The problem is that the Bond watches have become increasingly frequent. Traditionally, there was a fairly obvious reason for a new Bond Omega. There was a new film, a new actor or a significant anniversary to celebrate. The No Time To Die Seamaster made perfect sense because it was directly connected to Daniel Craig's final appearance as Bond. The 60th Anniversary model also had an obvious reason to exist.
These new watches are different. There is currently no new Bond film to accompany them and, at the time of writing, we still do not know who will ultimately inherit the famous tuxedo from Daniel Craig. That makes the arrival of another pair of Bond Seamasters feel slightly odd. The only feasible connection is 20 years since Casino Royale and a recently released novel.
It almost feels as though Omega has looked at the Bond franchise, realised there isn't another film immediately around the corner and decided that waiting isn't really its thing.
And Then There Is The Design
Perhaps the bigger issue is that neither of these watches is particularly revolutionary. They are both perfectly nice, but that is a rather underwhelming description when we are talking about Omega.
The Seamaster Diver 300M is already one of the most recognisable luxury dive watches on the market. Over the years Omega has produced countless variations, colours, materials and limited editions. That means a new version now has to do something genuinely interesting if it wants to stand out.
These two don't really do that.
The James Bond Edition is a blue Seamaster with Bond detailing, while the Spectre Edition is a black Seamaster with Spectre detailing. There are some nice touches, particularly around the movements and the Bond inspired elements, but the fundamental watches remain remarkably familiar.
And perhaps that is why the reaction to these latest releases has been somewhat lukewarm. It isn't that they are ugly or badly made. Far from it. It is that they don't really give us a compelling reason to want another one.
The Price Doesn't Help
The UK price is £7,200, which is serious money for a watch that ultimately remains a fairly familiar stainless steel Seamaster Diver 300M.
That price becomes even more interesting when you look at the sheer number of previous Bond Omegas available. Anyone wanting a James Bond Seamaster doesn't exactly have a shortage of options. There are models connected to individual films, anniversary editions, limited editions and special versions stretching back years.
The secondary market is also awash with previous Bond Seamasters, many of which arguably offer more interesting stories than these latest watches. If you are spending several thousand pounds on a Bond watch, there is a very good argument for buying one with genuine historical significance rather than simply buying the newest one.
And that could ultimately become a problem for Omega. The more Bond watches it produces, the less special each individual release becomes.
Perhaps Omega Needs To Leave Bond Alone For A Bit
None of this means Omega should walk away from James Bond. The relationship is one of the most successful partnerships between a watch manufacturer and a fictional character, and there is still enormous potential in it.
Perhaps, though, Omega needs to become a little more selective.
Imagine if the next Bond Omega arrived alongside the next Bond film and was completely new. Imagine a watch genuinely designed around the next incarnation of 007, rather than another variation of the Seamaster Diver 300M. Something technically impressive, visually exciting and sufficiently different that people genuinely wanted one whether they were Bond fans or not.
That would feel like an event.
At the moment, the Bond name is doing an awful lot of the heavy lifting. Take away the 007 connection and you are left with two very competent, but fairly familiar, stainless steel Seamaster Diver 300M watches.
Winding Things Up
There is nothing objectively bad about the new Omega Seamaster Diver 300M James Bond and Spectre editions. They are beautifully made, technically impressive and packed with the sort of little details that will appeal to serious Bond collectors. The Spectre version in particular is probably the more interesting looking of the two, thanks to its darker and more restrained design.
But the bigger question is whether Omega has finally pushed the Bond relationship too far.
We have seen countless Bond Seamasters. We have seen blue ones, black ones, titanium ones, ceramic ones and watches celebrating individual films and anniversaries. We have had Daniel Craig's final Bond watch and a 60th Anniversary edition. Now we have another two stainless steel models despite the fact that there isn't even a new Bond film to tie them to.
Omega doesn't need to stop making Bond watches. It just needs to make them matter again.
Because when James Bond finally returns to the cinema, Omega has a golden opportunity to produce something genuinely special. Until then, perhaps it would be better to put the tuxedo back in the wardrobe and give the Seamaster a little time off.
After all, James Bond is supposed to be difficult to find. Maybe his watch should be too.
