Omega Seamaster 300 ref. 165.024, 'Big Triangle' Dial

Dealer description — Oliver & Clarke

The Omega Speedmaster is one of the most historically important, if not the most important wrist watch ever produced, full stop. Its story can be summed up with one simple acronym: NASA. Surely, this is not a watch that needs an introduction with our audience... However, the sibling to the Speedmaster, the Seamaster, is worth shedding some light on. The model family was conceived in 1948 as what was effectively a time-only watch, not the dive watch that is most commonly associated with the named today. It wasn't until nearly a decade later where the Seamaster 300 would show up with its rotating timing bezel and larger case size. As with so many other icons and popular vintage models, the Seamaster has seen countless iterations and variants over its nearly 70-years of continuous production, but it is the 300 that is probably what comes to mind when you hear the name. The piece that we have here, a Ref. 165.024, dates to circa 1966 and possesses many of the features that collectors love about SM300s from this period. The 41mm case with 'lyre' lugs remains in strong overall condition, having been tastefully previously polished at an earlier time. The caseback has seemingly been spared of polishing and retains clear and prominent engravings. Both show normal signs of wear throughout and present nicely. The correct bezel assembly shows matching wear and retains the correct black acrylic insert with Tritium markers. Inside, the dial is devoid of a date complication found on many 41mm Seamasters from this era, making for a wonderfully symmetrical dial layout. The Tritium indices exhibit a light and largely uniform patina throughout and are complimented by the same fantastic 'sword'-style handset first designed for the British Royal Navy per M.O.D. specifications. Powering this piece is Omega's workhorse Calibre .552 automatic-winding movement and it comes fitted to a very fitting green NATO strap from Phoenix. It would be enough to enjoy this piece all on its own, but it just so happens that it is accompanied by its original boxes, red vinyl folder, and guarantee booklet dated 9/21/1967. Been looking for an honest, daily-wearable diver from the 1960's from a storied brand? This is hard to beat.