Current Seamaster Variations?

[b06tmm]

I spent the past few hours going through an eBay search of "Omega Seamaster" and noticed a few things. FYI - My search was mostly focused on the blue faced, blue bezel current (?) offering.

Quartz vs. automatic and full-size vs. mid-size, non vintage. Oh, and many folks tout their offerings as a "Bond" model.

Is there no love for the quartz models? I know that they are cheaper, $1700 vs. $2500, but are they that inferior?

I also saw a few that were listed as mid-size, I believe 36mm vs. 41mm. I didn't really take note, but are they quartz as well?

Lastly, I saw a bunch touted as "Bond" watches. Only a few actually had the 007 back and/or hands. What truly constitutes a Bond watch?

Thanks,
Tim

[b06tmm]

OK, I checked the 36mm mid-size watches again and it appears they are automatic. Sorry for the non-researched question.

[Mike B]

Let's see if I can answer some of your questions.

First off, the Quartz is just as well built as the Auto version, if not better, since the Quartz movement is more robust than an automatic (just run by a battery, and not moving parts like an Automatic watch has, so you can essentially "bang it around more").

Be it as it may, both quartz and the Auto versions are VERY durable, and will take anything you can throw at them (and more !). Most people (myself included) prefer an Automatic, as auto watches tend to have more of a "soul" in them than a watch that's just run by a battery. Don't get me wrong, wile a Quartz movement is much more accurate, somewhat more durable, etc. To me, if you are going to spend $1,500+ on a watch, it better be an automatic :)

Also, Omega does make the Automatics AND Quartz models in both a Mid-size, and the full sized. The lady's versions of the SMP (I don;t know the size) is quartz, and auto as well I believe.

In the end, get what model YOU want. To me, if I'm buying an expensive watch like Omega, Rolex, IWC, etc. I'm getting an automatic (well, most of the high end brands don't even sell a quartz version to begin with, so that throws quartz right out of the equation :) ).

Hope that answers at least some of your questions !

Mike

Edit -

Also as to what constitutes a "Bond Watch". To me - it's ANY of the actual watches that James Bond has worn on screen (the 2531.80, etc.), and any "James Bond" limited edition models. I know on E-bay (and even places like Amazon, etc.) there are TON's of sellers that market thier watch as a James Bond model, what it was never even A - A model USED by bond, or B - a Bond Limited Edition. To me, they simply use the fact that James Bond has worn an SMP, they are claiming that thier black faced mid sized SMP for example is a James Bond watch, while it simply is NOT. It is in the same GROUP of watch that Bond used, but it's not ONE of the "Bond watches" (if that makes any sence :) ).

Some can even argue the fact that the James Bond Limited Edition ones were never actually used by Bond either, but hey, they have "007 Bond, etc. on them, so I'm just using that as an excuse for it being a "Bond Watch" :)

[dieseldragon]

First Omega Brosnan wore was a quartz.

To me the bond watch is the full size watch with the blue face, round markers and skeleton hands.

[The GMT Master]

For the Omega Seamaster Professional 300m Diver (the official Omega name for what is often called the "Bond" Seamaster), there are several different variants in the current line up:

*Lady's size, blue dial, quartz
*Lady's size, black dial, quartz
*Lady's size, black diamond dial and diamond bezel, quartz

*Mid size, blue dial, quartz
*Mid size, blue dial, Co-Axial automatic
*Mid size, black dial, quartz
*Mid size, black dial, Co-Axial automatic

*Full size, blue dial, quartz
*Full size, blue dial, Co-Axial automatic
*Full size, black dial, quartz
*Full size, black dial, Co-Axial automatic

There are also GMT and chronograph variants as well. As such, it can be quite a minefield, as they are, at a casual glance, identical watches, so ascertaining the size and which movement they use can be quite difficult. The quartz models have three lines of text at the bottom of the dial, reading:

"Seamaster
Professional
300m/1000ft"

By comparison, the Co-Axial automatic models have the "Seamaster" text bumped up to the top of the dial (underneath the Omega logo), and have four lines of text at the bottom of the dial:

"Professional
Co-Axial
Chronometer
300m/1000ft"

Other slight differences include the fact that the full-size quartz models have an additional lume baton at 3 o'clock to the right of the date aperture, whilst the full size automatic models do not. The automatic models are also slightly taller on the wrist, although that will not be apparent from photos

Hope this helps

Chris

[b06tmm]

Thanks everyone!