Omega Seamaster Diver 300 M

A Professional Diving Watch With a Helium Escape Valve

In 1993, Frenchman Roland Specker set a new freediving world record of 80 m (262 ft) with the Omega Seamaster Diver 300M on his wrist. It came shortly after Omega had launched this watch alongside a chronograph edition. Both models were the first-ever Omegas to feature a helium escape valve and, thus, be suitable for saturation diving. Just like its famous sibling, the Seamaster 300, the Diver 300M is water-resistant to 300 m (30 bar, 984 ft).

In contrast to the Seamaster 300, the Diver 300M has a date display and a notably more modern design. The wavy edge on the bezel is particularly striking, and the dial, which comes in black, white, gray, blue, or – as of 2022 – olive green, features a distinctive wave pattern on most editions. The Diver 300M also brandishes sword-shaped skeleton hands.

Omega offers this timepiece in various sizes ranging from 28 to 44 mm, most of which normally come in stainless steel. Titanium, ceramic, gold, and two-tone variants in gold and stainless steel are also available. A few models even come in cases of platinum or tantalum, a rare, highly corrosion-resistant metal with a graphite-gray color.

In the beginning, this professional diving watch was available with a quartz or automatic movement. However, Omega only uses mechanical calibers for more recent models. These movements are not only chronometer-certified, but also have been equipped with Omega's co-axial escapement since 2006. Most calibers are also certified Master Chronometers, meaning they can resist magnetic fields of up to 15,000 gauss.

All these features caught the attention of none other than James Bond, who first donned a quartz-powered Seamaster Professional 300M in 1995's "GoldenEye." A quarter of a century later, 007 was still wearing a 300M in the film "No Time to Die" – this time with a Co-Axial Master Chronometer movement and titanium case.

Reasons to Buy a Seamaster Diver 300M

• Suitable for saturation diving thanks to its helium escape valve
• Water-resistant to 300 m (30 bar, 984 ft)
• Chronometer caliber with a shock-resistant co-axial escapement
• Co-Axial Master Chronometers with magnetic resistance to 15,000 gauss
• Limited-edition Bond models with the potential to appreciate in value

Prices at a Glance: Omega Seamaster Diver 300M

How much does a Seamaster Diver 300M cost?

Prices for an Omega Seamaster Diver 300M range from about 1,400 USD for a pre-owned watch with a quartz movement to more than 50,000 USD for special or especially rare editions.

Standard edition models in stainless steel are even more affordable. Take the ref. 210.30.42.20.01.001, for example, with a black dial and black ceramic bezel. You can purchase this watch in mint condition on Chrono24 on a stainless steel bracelet for about 4,900 USD. This represents a savings of roughly 800 USD compared to prices at retail locations. The same is true of the two-tone ref. 210.22.42.20.03.002 in stainless steel and Sedna gold. This model features a blue dial, rubber strap, and ceramic bezel. Be prepared to spend about 6,400 USD for a timepiece in mint condition. Omega's asking price for this watch is 7,600 USD.

If you're in the market for a watch in solid Sedna gold, you may enjoy the ref. 210.62.42.20.03.001. Like its two-tone sibling model, this timepiece has a blue dial, blue ceramic bezel, and blue rubber strap. While its official list price sits at 27,100 USD, you can find this watch on Chrono24 for around 20,000 USD.

Along with models in stainless steel, gold, and titanium, Omega also offers the Diver 300M in a case made of black ceramic. One such example is the Diver 300M Black Black ref. 210.92.44.20.01.003 introduced in 2021. Why Black Black? Because the case isn't the only black component on this timepiece: the bezel, dial, hands, and indices are also black, giving the model a proper stealth look. You can purchase this watch on Chrono24 for around 8,000 USD.

Omega equips their three-hand diving watches with in-house calibers from the 8000 series. Most of these movements come with Master Chronometer certification from METAS, the Swiss Federal Institute of Metrology. Thanks to their silicon balance springs and other silicon components, these movements are anti-magnetic up to 15,000 gauss. Each has a power reserve of 55 hours, and the majority come with a date display at 6 o'clock.

Prices for the Diver 300M With a Chronograph Function

Omega offers a wide range of Seamaster 300M models with a stopwatch function. You can choose between a 41.5 or 44-mm case, and the Diver 300M Chronograph comes in versions with two or three subdials. There is also the option of purchasing a simple chronograph or a chronograph with an additional GMT function. The latter utilizes an arrow-shaped fourth hand and a 24-hour scale around the dial's edge to indicate the time in a second time zone. You can purchase a Co-Axial GMT Chronograph ref. 212.30.44.52.01.001 for roughly 5,200 USD.

Prepare to spend about 4,500 USD for a model without a second time zone complication, like the ref. 212.30.44.50.01.001. Both versions feature a 30-minute subdial at 3 o’clock, a 12-hour subdial at 6, and small seconds at 9. The date display shares space with the subdial at 6.

The most recent generation of chronographs have only two subdials, a combined minute and hour counter at 3 o'clock and a small seconds at 9, with the date display at 6. This design was needed to accommodate the Co-Axial Master Chronometer caliber 9900, which also provides each watch with a 60-hour power reserve. The stainless steel edition on a rubber strap changes hands for about 6,500 USD on Chrono24. If you'd prefer the two-tone version released in 2021 in titanium, Sedna gold, and tantalum, expect to pay approximately 18,600 USD. The sibling model in 18-karat Sedna gold can be purchased on Chrono24 for around 24,300 USD.

Well-maintained Seamaster Diver 300M chronographs from the 1990s and 2000s often demand less than 2,000 USD. These timepieces are fitted with the Omega caliber 1164, which is based on the time-tested and robust Valjoux 7750. You'll recognize this watch by its dial design, which features a 12-hour counter at 6 o'clock, a small seconds at 9, and a 30-minute counter at 12.

Buying the Seamaster Diver 300M GMT

If you're looking for a GMT watch without a chronograph function, you should consider the ref. 2534.50.00. Omega produced this model from the late 1990s to the end of the 2000s. After almost a decade in production, there are now many pre-owned pieces on the market. Defining features include luminous sword hands and wedge indices, as well as a black and silver bidirectional bezel with a 24-hour scale. The stainless steel case measures 41.5 mm in diameter and is water-resistant to 300 m (30 bar, 984 ft) but does not have a helium escape valve.

Thanks to the automatic Omega caliber 1128, you can set the hour hand independently of the minute, second, and 24-hour hands. This is especially practical when traveling across time zones. Omega developed this movement based on the ETA 2892-A2. The 1128 has a 44-hour power reserve and is a certified chronometer. You can purchase a pre-owned ref. 2534.50.00 for about 2,700 USD.

The Seamaster Diver 300M ref. 2535.80.00 is one of the newer GMT watches in the collection and comes equipped with Omega's Co-Axial caliber 2628. This movement is based on Omega's first Co-Axial caliber, the 2500. With its helium escape valve at 10 o'clock and 60-minute bezel, this model looks more like a diving watch than a GMT. The 24-hour scale for keeping track of the time in a second time zone is embedded into the dial, next to the hour indices. This reference will set you back about 3,800 USD.

James Bond and the Seamaster Diver 300M

The Diver 300M made its debut on the silver screen in 1995 as James Bond's timepiece in the movie "GoldenEye." Since then, Omega has produced several limited and standard-edition James Bond watches.

The most recent example is the No Time to Die from 2020. This 42-mm titanium watch combines retro design elements, such as domed sapphire crystal and artificially aged luminous material, with the state-of-the-art Co-Axial Master Chronometer caliber 8806. Omega worked with actor Daniel Craig, who portrays the secret agent in the film, to design this Seamaster Diver 300M 007 Edition. This watch features a brown dial and brown aluminum bezel inlay. There's also a "Broad Arrow" on the dial and case back. The British government uses this symbol to mark government-owned property. It also underscores the military flair of this Bond watch.

Omega offers the No Time to Die on a fine Milanese bracelet or NATO strap. The latter edition bears the reference number 210.92.42.20.01.001 and costs about 8,000 USD. You can find the version on a titanium Milanese bracelet under the reference number 210.90.42.20.01.001. This model demands an additional 600 USD.

You also have the option of picking up the Diver 300M James Bond Limited Edition Set, which consists of the Diver 300M ref. 210.22.42.20.01.003 in stainless steel and the ref. 210.62.42.20.01.001 in gold. Both timepieces have a black dial featuring a pattern based on the famous gun barrel sequence from the Bond films. The 12 o'clock marker on these watches is shaped like the Bond family coat of arms. The set has a limited run of just 257 and costs approximately 48,000 USD on Chrono24.

Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Commander’s Watch

The Commander's Watch is also a Diver 300M dedicated to Her Majesty's secret agent. Its name is a reference to Bond's military rank in the Royal Navy. The Commander's Watch has a 41-mm stainless steel case, a blue bezel with the first 15 minutes in red, and a white ceramic dial. Another nice detail is the second hand's counterweight, which is shaped like the "007" logo. What's more, the rotor resembles the casing of a 9-mm bullet and also features the secret agent's logo. All this is visible thanks to a sapphire crystal case back. Omega pairs this timepiece with a NATO strap in blue, red, and gray – the colors of the Royal Navy. Limited to 7,007 pieces, this ref. 212.32.41.20.04.001 will cost you approximately 6,900 USD on Chrono24.

Seamaster 300M Casino Royale and James Bond 50th Anniversary

Other Omega James Bond watches include the Seamaster Diver 300M Casino Royale and the Diver 300M James Bond 50th Anniversary Edition. The latter has the reference number 212.30.41.20.01.005. You can recognize this 41-mm stainless steel watch by the red "50" on its black ceramic bezel and the many "007" logos on the dial. This timepiece was limited to a run of 11,007 pieces and sells for about 6,900 USD in mint condition.

The Seamaster Diver 300M from the movie "Casino Royale" (ref. 212.30.41.20.01.001) looks like a conventional diving watch. It features a black dial with luminous indices, a black rotatable bezel, and a glow-in-the-dark zero marker. You can only tell it's a Bond watch by the "007" counterweight on the second hand and the engraved case back. Omega only produced 10,007 copies of this model. You can purchase a pre-owned example on Chrono24 for roughly 4,850 USD.

Olympic Diver 300Ms

Omega has been the official timekeeper of the Olympics for years, and the brand from Biel has continued to honor the games by releasing special Olympic editions of their watches, including the Diver 300M.

One example is the Rio 2016 Limited Edition. The black ceramic bezel on this timepiece features numerals in the colors of Olympic rings, and the wave pattern on its black dial is inspired by the wide walkways of the world-famous Copacabana. Plan to spend about 5,400 USD on one of these watches.

The current Olympic edition of the Diver 300M is the ref. 522.30.42.20.03.001 that Omega created for the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing. This stainless steel watch comes with a brushed titanium bezel, and the hour markers on its blue dial are in the official Olympic colors. The movement inside is the Master Chronometer caliber 8800. This timepiece could be yours for around 5,800 USD.