Watch of the Week: The Omega Seamaster Diver 300M ETNZ – A Regatta-Inspired Dive Tool Made for the America’s World Cup

Evoking the colors of Emirates Team New Zealand for the Americas World Cup 2015, the Omega Seamaster Diver 300M ETNZ is a collectible for any sailing fan.  

As one of Omega’s oldest and largest lines, the Seamaster dates all the way back to the 1940s, so it should come as no surprise that there is lots of variation when perusing this collection. Over the years, the Swiss brand has come up with some really cool pieces, one being the unusually-coloured Seamaster Diver 300M ETNZ. Its DNA runs deep into the heart of the Seamaster series, to a time during the 1990s when Omega brought the “funky” to this collection. The watches released around this time have a notable 300-meter water resistance and a 10 o’clock helium escape valve. And even after 20 years, the bold yet classic demeanor of the Seamaster is as solid and as present as ever. The reference 212.92.44.50.99.001 is a few years old now. Is it any less relevant, stylish, or functional? Absolutely not.  

Omega absolutely nails this version of the Seamaster Diver 300M ETNZ. The dial imbues a sense of “nautical” in the sense that it looks more like a racing regatta timer than a dive watch per se. The chronogrpah still operates as it should, but the minutes counter has a unique regatta-style hand that allows for a five-minute countdown before commencing on a boat race. For those in the know, regatta timers are an indispensable tool when preparing for a race, enabling a yacht or sailing boat to effectively resume the correct positioning in the lead-up to the whistle. The 120-hour counter also features a compass-style design, and even the small hands are treated with luminescent material, not just the central timekeeping hands. The splash of red across the muted grey dial also adds sportiness to this dive watch. Meanwhile, the dial itself is made from titanium, and, interestingly, the second hand on the 9 o’clock sub-dial is shaped like a sail and executed in white to keep coherent with the main timekeeping features. You’ll also notice that the chronograph features are all executed in red, including the pusher at 2 o’clock.  

The engine inside the Seamaster Diver 300M ETNZ is the Calibre 3300 – a mid-range movement that benefits from some in-house components, including a co-axial escapement and a column wheel for a smoother chronograph performance. This movement sits inside a tough yet lightweight titanium case that is water-resistant to 300 meters. The surface of the case has been sandblasted and reaches out across the wrist to take up a confident diameter of 44mm. The unidirectional rotating bezel has a ceramic insert, providing a nice rich black matt surface for the laser-engraved 60-minute track. While the helium escape valve sits at 10 o’clock, the chronograph pushers resume their normal positions at 2 and 4 o’clock.  

Suffice to say, the Seamaster Diver 300M ETNZ is an all-round excellent watch for sports, the gym, or for pairing with smart-casual attire on days spent away from the office. Fitted on a striated rubber strap, the upper side is black and features a ribbing pattern, while the underside is finished in red, tying in nicely with the red chronograph accents on the bezel.