Omega Seamaster 120, 1970

Dealer description — Analog/Shift

Why We Love It The Seamaster 120 is an excellent reminder of Omega's storied past and commitment to the exploration of our oceans. Originally popular with snorkelers and skin divers, the 120 is the perfect sporty-yet-restrained choice for the dive watch or just regular watch enthusiast. The ultra-thin cushion case is wonderfully retro, and the black dial is simple, clean and to the point. This particular 120 dates to 1970, and features the Omega manual-wind calibre 601. The case, dial, hands, and bezel are completely untouched and in fantastic shape with a light patination throughout. This gorgeous piece comes with an extract from Omega archives confirming the production in July 1970 and subsequent delivery to the United States. This rare watch is in perfect collector-grade condition. Seamaster divers such as these have long been popular among collectors, and we have never seen another SM120 in condition that even comes close to this one! The Story Omega released the first Seamaster in 1948, to commemorate the brand's centennial. The Seamaster took its inspiration from their robust field watches that Omega and many other brands issued to servicemen in World War II and beyond. But the Seamaster departed from its military forebears in the use of a technology that would prove innovative in the history of horology. Omega was no stranger to producing waterproof wristwatches. In 1932 the brand released the Omega Marine, which was worn by the father of the Aqua-Lung, Yves le Prieur, and descended to a depth of 14 meters with underwater explorer William Beebe in 1936. But these watches achieved water-resistance merely through well-sealed cases, and what gaskets they used were made of materials such as lead and shellac that did not resist changes in temperature. In the design of the Seamaster, Omega employed rubber gaskets or O-rings similar to those found in submarines used during the War. To ensure maximum water resistance, Omega submitted the Seamaster to rigorous testing at the Laboratory for Water Resistance in Geneva, where the cases were exposed to rapid changes of temperature at a simulated depth of 60 meters. Needless to say, this watch was the perfect diving watch for the 1970s thanks to Omega's strict tests (Omega's watches have been to the ocean's deepest depths, and beyond earth's atmosphere, so we know they work!) and now make the perfect every day companion.