Introducing: The Omega Seamaster 300M Black Black

March 23, 2021

No, that repeat isn't a typo. This really is the "Black Black," and it's easy to see why: Every single element of this watch that can be rendered in black ceramic is rendered in black ceramic. It's not just the 43.5mm case that's done in ZrO2 (zirconium oxide), even the crown and the HEV are made from black ceramic. They might as well throw another "Black" in the name and call it the Triple Black, because it even comes on a black rubber strap. Only the caliber 8806 (a caliber 8800 without a date function) inside and the crystal are made from a material other than black ceramic. Zirconium oxide is normally white; Omega turns it black with the addition of an iron pigment, and the mix is then fired at 1,400o Celsius. Ceramic can easily become littered with fingerprints; anyone who has used a ceramic bezel extensively knows the deal, you usually have it give it a wipe every now and then in order to clear the build-up of fingerprints. But in the case of the Black Black, there's a technical solution. The engineers have used a laser-ablated finish on the bezel that creates ?the diving scale in positive relief but applies a different texture to the rest of the bezel that's meant to repel fingerprints. Omega says that there are a total of four different finishes applied to the various ceramic components. And even the lume is what Omega calls "black anthracite," in other words, as close to black as you can get C until it's dark, of course.?And since there isn't a date to contend with, that means the whole dial is blacked-out. Talk about "going dark!" Initial Thoughts You'd think something like the Black Black flies in the face of legibility, and I have not handled the watch "in the ceramic," so I can't comment. But what I can say is that Omega insists that legibility was a focus during the engineering and design phase, and they've applied contrasting finishes in order to boost legibility. By using lasers to create different finishes on the dial and bezel, it creates a "sculpted" look that's easy to read. I buy it. And beyond that, I think it's simply novel that Omega is giving us a demonstration in next-generation material manufacturing. Wild materials have always been a part of Omega's bag of tricks. Just look at the gold flightmaster of the '70s, or the tungsten-chrome?cases of the "Anakin" ref. 145.023 Seamaster of the same era. Experimenting with materials already gave us a "Dark Side Of The Moon" Black Black?Speedmaster, so even though a totally blacked-out "Bond" Seamaster seems a bit shocking at first, it's somewhat predictable. If there's a diver in Omega's current lineup to have some fun with, the 300M is it. The futuristic all-ceramic construction takes a purely '90s design and thrusts it into a time warp, making it hard to peg to a certain era. Bond occasionally dons a commando-inspired outfit in all black when being suave in a suit just doesn't cut it. He goes full-on tactical with an all-black get-up replete with Gerber Mark 1 knife and Walther P99 in the 1997 flick Tomorrow Never Dies. Now, in 2021, he has a watch to match. The Basics Brand: OmegaModel: Omega Seamaster 300M Black BlackReference Number: 210.92.44.20.01.003Diameter: 43.5mmThickness: 14.47mmCase Material: CeramicDial Color: BlackIndexes: Applied black anthracite Super-LumiNovaLume: Black anthracite Super-LumiNovaWater Resistance: 300mStrap/Bracelet: Black rubber strap The Movement Caliber: Caliber 8806Functions: Seconds, minutes, hoursPower Reserve: 55 hoursWinding: AutomaticFrequency: 25,200 vphJewels: 35Chronometer Certified: YesAdditional Details: METAS certified as well Pricing & Availability Price: $8,650Availability: Omega ADs, Omega boutiquesLimited Edition: NoFor more, click here.