link to watch specs at omega's website http://www.omegawatches.com/gents/seamaster/300-m-gmt
Omega Seamaster 300M GMT 2535.80.00 (STEEL ON STEEL)
Features:
Date
Chronometer
24 hours GMT
Helium escape valve
Screw-in crown
Unidirectional rotating bezel
DISLIKES:
thickness - primarily because of a display back, 4 hands, domed crystal. it is not uncomfortably thick nor is it too thick for its diameter, but thicker than my sub. i don't like thick watches.
date wheel - it takes about 1.5 hours for the date change to be effected fully. i prefer the snap of a rolex. on some dates, the numbers are not perfectly aligned (just by a bit) and this bugs me some times. i would also prefer a blue date wheel (white numbers?) instead of a white one with black numbers.
bezel insert - non-replaceable. you need to change the entire bezel and it's not cheap. ridiculous, IMO. also the blue WILL fade/ghost - it has begun to fade on my watch.
lugs - i prefer drilled lugs with long spring bars securing the straps. also, most tapering straps do not complement this watch well. isofrane straps are too thick (thickness of strap, not by width) for its lugs too, so you'd have to fork out $300 if you wanted a BLUE omega strap (NOS from australia and includes the olympic buckle) with perfect thickness that pleases the (my) eye.
crown/crown guards - the crown digs slightly into my flesh. the crown guards for their seamaster gmt models seem to hide more of the crown on the top half (dial side) than regular seamaster models. this makes unscrewing of the crown slightly more difficult (but only just slightly). the crown seems a little bit skinny - but i'm used to the rolex triplock crowns so this may not be a big deal for most people... it is fatter than rolex twinlock crowns.
LIKES:
real GMT jump hour hand.
color - deeper blue than the regular blue Seamaster Professional.
sapphire display back - not too much text and scratch proof. i can view it when i'm bored.
domed crystal - clearer as it's less reflective. there is an AR coating inside but not outside.
size/case design - at 41mm the case is perfect for both big and small wrists. it wear true-to-size in my opinion as it is uniformly blue throughout. the lugs do not extend too far beyond the case and there is no big gap with aftermarket straps installed. even though it does not have a wave-design case back, i do not find it uncomfortable when i perspire or when my wrist is wet. (in my experience some watches with exhibition case backs can get uncomfortable)
red - i like the small and physically unobtrusive red GMT hand. omega seems to have fixed the red paint fade problem that occurs on the 1120-based second hands. i have not seen a co-axial seamaster exhibiting fading red paint, so i think the GMT hand and tips of the second hand will not discolor with time.
NEUTRAL:
bracelet - too heavy for me coming from a hollow rolex bracelet and i prefer a tapering design, but it seems to be a suitable match for this watch although i don't use it (i prefer rubber). no microadjustment but it can be made to fit nicely with half-links (an additional cost for some). the bracelet is 20mm (as is the lug width) throughout, double push button lock clasp with fold out/in diver extension. this watch is only sold with this bracelet.
skeleton hands - i have read many people write that the skeleton hands are difficult to tell the time with, but i do not find this is the case as they are highly reflective and the sparse quantity of lume works just fine (not like seiko, but i can tell the time when i wake up late at night). it would be nice if they were longer, but as it is, they work well as they do not obscure gmt hand, hour markers or date (much), if at all.
HEV - interesting to have. never had a problem with it coming unscrewed nor does it dig into my flesh.
dial - although i would prefer it if it had raised shiny omega logo and seamaster wording, but i think this would serve only to make the watch thicker so thanks but no thanks. the lume plots are not too small nor too big and i like that they have silver (???) surrounds. the second time zone hour markers (2, 4, 8, 10, 14, 18, 20, 22) and other print on the dial DOES NOT make it busy on a daily/at-a-glance basis - they kinda fade away like the ROLEXROLEXROLEX engraving. BUT the wave pattern CAN make the face unreadable under some lighting conditions. solution? move your wrist a little!
bezel - this another item that some people complain is difficult to use. i do not have a problem with it MOST of the time as i've owned 2 other seamsters before, and i know how to move the bezel without difficulty. BUT i have seen prospective buyers of my previous 2 seamasters struggle to turn them, despite them seeing my relative ease and me teaching them (not always successful).
movement - the 2628B (21.6k vpb resulting in 48-hour power reserve) beating within the watch is based on a 2500C. this is without the latest "3-tier" escapement found in the 2500D and 3313C. there exists the cal 2628C (i assume based on 2500D) but i have not seem them introduced to the seamaster gmt (as of this post). i assume this will be an eventual upgrade for this model. i would have enjoyed viewing the movement more if the screws are blued but as a mass produced watch, i find it perfectly acceptable.
***
BACKGROUND:
this was purchased pre-owned, to replace my daily wearer (a rolex sub). i have also owned a regular blue seamaster pro (1120 cal with skeleton hands) and black seamaster GMT (1128 cal with sword hands without HEV) in the past.
i bought this as i wanted an "all-in-one" watch instead of rotating between a sub and an explorer 2 (my most frequently worn watches).
i wanted a (true) GMT dive watch as i travel often - i wanted to use a 60 minute timing bezel and wear it everywhere i go. i wanted a watch case that can be serviced in the future (replaceable crown tube). i wanted a free sprung balance in a durable movement. i wanted a long service interval (usually achieved with a combination of lower beat rates or lubricant free parts or both). i wanted something i can trash without guilt as it is easily replaceable.
i found it in the seamaster pro GMT. it is not a perfect watch, but i doubt there ever is/will be one. i wear it on a dark blue omega strap (isforane style, but less thick) and it's very casual and under the radar. i wish they made a regular flush-fit seamaster (PO-style) rubber strap in dark blue.
for the price (usually 2.1-2.5k, used) it is hard to beat. the main contender would be the PO (2500C) as no other brand makes a watch with all the combinations listed above. i don't like the broad arrow hands on the PO, and found the GMT hand and display back a good trade for the lower water resistance and bracelet (it's too dressy for me).
the lower beat rate is a trade-off for a slightly longer service interval. i am no admirer of the co-axial escapement, and i'm still unsure if it's all it's hyped up to be (they're on the 4th revision now) but i assume (whether good or bad assumption on my part) omega will continue to service all co-ax movements for a long time to come.
although i'm not the first owner of this watch, i've had no problems with it. this is also my first co-ax. it runs consistently +4s/day and i see no need to regulate it.
i would much prefer this watch on a speedy-style bracelet (like in the 2254) and i'm now looking out for someone selling such a bracelet.
the gripes of the bezel, skeleton hands and busy dial are non-issues for me when i wear it daily. i don't think the watch would work as well with 2254/sword hands although a bezel with some teeth would be nice.
originally i would have preferred this watch in black to match generic rubber/leather straps, but the blue is very sombre while unique enough to make the watch slightly different from most of the black wrists watches on other people's wrist. blue natos are also easily available for cheap.
this watch is NOT common in the wild. on the wrist, the color is different enough for most people to NOT take notice of it at first glance, but i have often seen guys take a double look; presumably because of the splash of red on the face.
if you can find one one with bracelet for a ~$2k (+/- 10%), i would highly recommend it. if you buy it at too high price (near PO prices), you may take a hit on the resale value as i notice a trend that most people prefer buying a PO over a seamaster pro for the same money.
omega service network is wide-ranging and mostly reliable and this is a very serviceable watch (at its heart, an ETA base) so long as the watchmaker is trained and equipped to handle co-axial. the kinks had mostly been ironed out by the time this watch was introduced in 2004.
for someone looking for a ONE watch, this is highly recommended. the bracelet changes the watch into a dress diver. rubber or nato changes it into a weekend/casual/tool watch. a flush-fitting black omega rubber strap might make the watch versatile (a la Jeremy Clarkson's PO) although the color combination may be a little odd (not too much as it's a very deep shade of blue).
i borrowed a pic for illustration of black on blue combo (although the GMT has a darker shade of blue than this): http://www.manvsbigmachine.com/users/ma ... huseek.jpg (credit: aphexafx @ http://forums.watchuseek.com/f20/just-o ... ost4510626)
my own pics to come soon.
