The holes on it were structured in such a way that guiding the tang into the correct sizing hole could be done by feel alone. Adding to my review copy’s wearability was its supple rubber strap. The rotor (and here is where the crystal caseback comes in handy) seems to curve more deeply into the movement itself, recovering a few precious millimeters of height that allow for a slimmer case profile and a huge boost to wearability. This may be due to the 8800’s architecture. Omega got the case dimensions right and the watch sits flat and very comfortably on the wrist. Previous Omegas have suffered in the wearability department because of their height and stretched-oval profile, which made them perch awkwardly on my wrist. But the most impressive part of the new case was – for me – its thickness or lack thereof. The underside of the case loses the traditional hippocampus in favour of a crystal through which you can see the coaxial 8800 powering this latest Seamaster. Upsized by 1mm to 42mm, the new case retains the beautiful blend of polished and brushed surfaces that made it wearable as more than just a tool watch – the lyre lugs are especially seductive. To expand a bit on some of the elements we get more of, let’s start with the case itself. My Seamaster was an attention-grabbing watch that was more at home delivering on “sport” part of its marketing designation.
While it delivers good looks and extraordinary craftsmanship in its fit and finish, it is somewhat less versatile than the classic dark blue or black-dialled versions on the steel bracelet. The Seamaster I wore for this review (grey dial with blue bezel and rubber strap) skews to the sporty end of the new line up. But does a seriously impressive spec sheet translate into the refined-but-ready, dressy and purposeful diver that was the previous generation’s character? It depends on which variant (Omega introduced 14 at this year’s Baselworld) you look at. In a word, the new iteration of the Seamaster is “more.” More – but not too much – case, more movement technology, more modern materials across the board, more accuracy, and more dial. Just as Pierce Brosnan’s tenure as James Bond came to an end, the Seamaster he made famous is being replaced by a new watch which, like Daniel Craig, is an improvement over its predecessor in many ways.