Long before I was a degenerate watch collector I relished in hanging out with my friends after school. This was the late 90’s and as such our after school activities, before being shuffled off to our respective houses meant doing one thing, playing the Nintendo 64. Two games stood head and shoulders above the rest Super Smash Bros. and of course Goldeneye.

My friends and I had all seen the Brosnan film from a few years earlier, and loved it, but the game did something a film could never do. Allow one to slip on the tuxedo, pick up the Walther PPK, and of course strap a custom build gadget from Q-labs the Omega Seamaster Professional 300m.

These memories stuck with me as I aged though the years. As I sunk deeper and deeper into the rabbit hole of watches it dawned on me that I had been overlooking perhaps the one watch that triggered this whole sickness to begin with.

The Omega Seamaster professional 300m debuted in 1993 and first graced the big screen in Pierce Brosnans 1995’s Goldeneye. Moving out of the 1980’s quartz crisis Omega had been desperate for something big outside of the flagship Speedmaster. To state that the Seamaster Professional 300m put Omega back on the map would be an understatement.

My bond watch dreams came to fruition in 2016, where these models could be had for around the $1500 price point on the secondary market.

Once strapped to my wrist I was instantly transported back into the fantasy world of my youth. Why had I waited so long to purchase this watch?

The case is curvaceous and has a slim build at just 11.5mm thick. The 41mm case and 20mm lugs fits like a dream on my 7.5 inch wrist. This being the “bond” model of course means that we can’t discuss the watch without talking about that beautiful wave pattern dial that adds so much to the aesthetic of the watch.

One point of ire for many is the bracelet. Debuting in 1993, the bracelet is very of its time. In general people either love it or hate it. I had trepidations at first but once on the wrist the bracelet is smooth, playful and manufactured with quality well ahead of its time for 1993.

The scalloped bezel and helium escape valve are another two points of contention for many but in my opinion each give the watch it’s own unique identity. There exists a myriad of dive watches to choose from in the watch market. Many take cues from or blatantly ape the Submariner. Omega has always had a fun sense of design dating back to the companies inception. What Omega did with the Seamaster Professional 300m is create a quirky dive watch that stands apart from the herd. The watch amalgamates its quirky features into a cohesive design that allows it to stand on its own in a sea of sameness.

Omega have improved, upgraded and tweaked the original design since the 2531.80 was release. I think the newer models (released in 2018) are a fantastic evolution of the Omega Seamaster Professional 300m. With a design language now spanning 30 years it’s safe to say that Omega hit a home run with the Seamaster Professional 300m. No more evidenced that with the recent 60th anniversary Seamaster Bond watch which pays direct homage to the original 2531.80.

I opted for the original, not because I dislike the newer more refined versions but because it’s the one I first saw strapped to the wrist of Pierce Brosnan way back in the mid 1990’s. I’ve owned this watch for 7 years now and while it’s not my everyday piece I still get a nostalgia kick followed by a smile every time I strap it on.