In spite of its aquatic name, the Seamaster wasn’t always a dive watch. It debuted in 1948 with a case measuring just 34 mm. In 1957, Omega released the Seamaster 300, a direct competitor to watches like the Rolex Submariner and Blancpain Fifty Fathoms, featuring a mix of Arabic numerals and painted markers and, most notably, a rotating calendar bezel. The Seamaster 300 became the blueprint for all future Seamaster divers. It paved the way for the 300m collection – it featured prominently on the wrist of one particular MI6 agent.
When the retro craze emerged in the mid-2010s, Omega released a modern-meets-vintage Seamaster 300 with a synthetic sheath. Earlier this year, rumors of an update to the collection were rife, and in March, OMEGA gave the Seamaster 300 a complete update. We wrote about these fake Rolex watches on release day and the consensus among our readers was positive. But those were press photos. We hadn’t seen these replica watches in person. Now we are seeing them. 
The dial is a Panerai-style double sandwich. The top layer – black – has markers and cutouts for the numbers on a fully illuminated faux-Batana bottom layer. The effect is much more subtle than you might expect. If your eyes are like mine, to fully appreciate the three-dimensionality, you’ll have to hold the watch close to your face, like reading the fine print on a mortgage agreement.
On the other hand, the new bezel is indisputably better. The bezel of the steel model is reminiscent of the gilt look of the Tudor Black Bay 58. It is now made of oxalic anodized aluminum instead of ceramic – which matches the throwback vibe. The previous 300 series had a monochromatic bezel, but this one features the same aged patina found on the dial. 
On the wrist, the new 300 feels like 42mm, despite listing the same size as its predecessor as 41mm. The sapphire case back adds considerable thickness to the bottom, resulting in a fairly high gap between the case and wrist at the ends of the lugs, but this kind of detail is only noticeable when you’re actually looking for it, and the watch is comfortable to wear on a strap or bracelet.
Also, a matching bracelet for the bronze and gold watch would be great. In typical OMEGA fashion, these replica Rolex watches represent a strong value in the broader dive watch market – a market where certain models from certain brands are not even available. With this update, OMEGA has made the Seamaster 300 even more coveted than it has been for years.