Just when you think the Bond-themed Seamaster Diver 300M edition can’t get any more sensational, a new version dressed in serious solid platinum gold takes the collection up another notch. And it might prove elusive to collectors.
There are probably many reasons to own a platinum watch. And only one that stops us from doing so.
But first, let’s talk about the various factors that draw any timepiece magpie to a watch so heavily endowed with this precious metal. While most of us already know that platinum yields a substantial level of durability as a material, not many know that coupling it with gold makes an alloy that is a hundred times stronger than steel and as tough as diamonds. In fact, some research has shown that the alloy is so wear resistant that car tyres fabricated with this alloy could skid around the Earth’s equator 500 times before wearing out and totally smoking them out. Perfect for James, we’d say. Of late, this special scratch-resistant, incredibly durable alloy has been used by Omega in a few of its limited edition watches and it seems a no-brainer that James Bond would need a heroically strong and resilient timepiece to accompany him through his treacherous missions. Hence the latest Seamaster Diver 300M in this alloy permutation.
The cool silver hue of the 42mm platinum gold casing is iced with a glossy black ceramic bezel with a diving scale popping with pure platinum. A black enamel face carries on the iconic gun barrel design in 18K white gold. Omega has ensured that it keeps the finer points of this timepiece secret squirrel in a hush-hush spy fashion . The attention to detail is meticulous – the Bond family coat of arms is stylishly incorporated into the 12 o’clock index, at 7 o’clock on the minute track is a miniature 007 logo and only in darkness does the 10 o’clock marker reveal a hidden ‘50’ hidden within its lume; the number 50 being a nod to the 50th anniversary celebration of this franchise. The bullet aperture design at the centre of this coiled gun barrel view measures at exactly 9mm, the same caliber of firearms used by this special agent.
The plate on its side is also plat-gold, individually etched and numbered while the sapphire caseback also gets a laser burn of the Bond family chevron and inlaid with pure platinum. The same 8807 co-axial automatic movement is entrusted to power this timepiece with a 55 hour power reserve at a rate of 25,200 bph. With all that awesome alloy, this watch needs a strong and steady arm to haul its weight. And so a sturdy NATO strap with contrast stitching in – yes you’ve guessed right – fine platinum threads as well as a rubber strap are given within a casebox resembling a mini Globetrotter suitcase.
There is no fixed limit on production numbers for this model but here is where we come to the one reason for not owning this watch – this weighty piece comes at an equally hefty sticker price of SGD72,000. And with that reason, it is foreseeable that there might not be that many of these bad boys out there in the market.
Images courtesy of Omega, artwork by Curatedition. All rights reserved.
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