While everyone is familiar with gold and platinum, there is an entire spectrum of precious metals that are far less well known to the general public. Many of these are every bit as valuable as their more famous cousins, and several also carry unique and fascinating chemical properties. Tantalum is one of these, combining a greater scarcity than gold with a greater strength than steel, along with a near imperviousness to acids and other forms of corrosion. Even with all these benefits, this dense bluish gray metal is a rare sight in watchmaking, with only a handful of brands ever producing designs in tantalum. Omega is one of these, with a history of working with the metal going back to 1993. For its latest release, Omega has returned to this rare material, combining it with titanium and its proprietary Sedna gold alloy for an eye-catching new Seamaster Diver 300M chronograph. This new Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Chronograph Gold Titanium Tantalum is an unusual and dramatic twist on the classic two-tone diver concept, using three distinctive materials to reimagine a familiar form.
While the 44mm case design of the Seamaster Diver 300M Chronograph is more or less unchanged here, the execution of this familiar form sets it apart. The main body of the case is made from titanium, while accents including the pushers, the signature 10 o’clock helium escape valve, and the laser engraved textured bezel insert add the reddish tones of Sedna gold. The use of tantalum on the case is subtle and difficult to discern in some photos, but the darker blue tone makes its way into the unidirectional scalloped dive bezel to complement the warmer hue of the insert. Another Sedna gold accent appears on the 9 o’clock side of the case, where a wide numbered edition plaque individually identifies every model in this series. Other than the materials, the specifications of this case are carried over from previous versions, including the sapphire display caseback and 300-meter water resistance rating.
The dial of the Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Chronograph Gold Titanium Tantalum is nothing groundbreaking for the series but combines existing elements into an attractive layout. The dial hardware, including the instantly recognizable skeleton sword hands, is all rendered in Sedna gold, tying into the matching accents on the bezel, crowns, and pushers. The dial itself is the engraved ceramic style that has become standard across the Seamaster 300M line in recent years, presented in a deep ocean blue. The precision engraved wave pattern is interrupted slightly by the chronograph subdials at 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock, but the details on these subdials such as the Sedna gold accent rings and azurage surfaces help them to feel self-contained.
Like many modern Omega automatic chronographs, the Seamaster Diver 300M Chronograph Gold Titanium Tantalum uses the brand’s in-house Omega 9900 automatic chronograph movement. The 9900 uses Omega’s proprietary co-axial escapement system, along with a silicon balance spring and twin sequential mainspring barrels. The result meets the stringent METAS Master Chronometer standards for accuracy, along with over 15,000 gauss of magnetic resistance, a 60-hour power reserve, and a 28,800 bph beat rate.
The three-tone sensibilities of the case are mirrored in the bracelet of the Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Chronograph Gold Titanium Tantalum, which offers a unique take on the classic Seamaster 300M five-link pattern. The outer and central links are made from titanium to flow into the main body of the case, but the ridged second and fourth links that are usually polished in stainless steel variants are dramatically reinterpreted here. The center of each link is made from solid tantalum, sandwiched on either side by a thin strip of Sedna gold. While initial images don’t paint a complete picture of the bracelet itself, it looks to be an impressive material showcase that comes across slightly more reserved than a traditional two-tone design.
While dramatic and potentially divisive, the Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Chronograph Gold Titanium Tantalum shows off Omega’s material expertise with one of the rarest and most exotic metals on the market. The Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Chronograph Gold Titanium Tantalum will be available exclusively through Omega boutiques this fall at an MSRP of 18,100 CHF. For more details, please visit the brand’s website.
