Back in 2017, Omega introduced a very different watch in the Seamaster line up that was only available in Venice at the boutique and T Fondaco dei Tedeschi. The current Seamaster line up is filled with divers that are masculine and sporty. While they could be dressed up with a leather strap, these aren’t the Seamasters of the 50s and 60s that were much dressier watches. With this watch in my mind, I made it a goal to seek out the Omega Boutique in Venice and observe this piece in person!
The Origin of the Seamaster Logo
Before we get to the details of the watch, I want to first provide some historical significance of why the watch is only available in the Venice store. Back when Omega was looking to introduce the Seamaster line in the 50s, the designers/engineers weren’t sure what to use as a good symbol and logo to define the line. One of the designers visited Venice for a holiday and was inspired by the gondolas he saw.
As you can see in the pictures, the gondolas roaming the canals of Venice are decorated with golden seahorses at either end of them and the gondolas are all painted in black on the outside with red interiors. Once he returned to Switzerland, the Omega Seamaster we now know today with the Seahorse logo is born.
The Venice Edition
Being on the dressier side, this watch has a case diameter of 39.5mm, much smaller than the 41mm Seamaster 300 or the much larger Planet Ocean at 43.5mm. In addition, it is also thinner, at just below 12mm in thickness. It also shares the lyre/twisted lugs that is see in other seamasters, with brushed and polished finishing, adding a nice touch of luxury to the case finishing. The dial side has applied gold indexes and the date window at 6 o’clock, to create a nice symmetry.
It also shares the lyre/twisted lugs that is see in other seamasters, with brushed and polished finishing, adding a nice touch of luxury to the case finishing. The dial side has applied gold indexes and the date window at 6 o’clock, to create a nice symmetry.
The crown of the watch is also different than other watches in the Seamaster lineup in that the shape is actually modeled after the dome in St. Mark’s Basilica, or as they say in Venice, San Marco.
Beating inside the watch is the calibre 8800, which has magnetic resistance of up to 15,000 Gauss. Unless you plan on wearing this to the MRI machine, the watch should be fine with magnetism.
In addition, the movement is METAS tested so it is rated to be maximum +4 seconds a day with a 55 hour power reserve! Also, since we have a date window, this movement also has a quick set date, so if you have a vast collection, it won’t be an issue to adjust the date.
Looking at the watch from the back, instead of the solid caseback, it has a sapphire caseback to view the movement, while I would have preferred a clear caseback for viewing the movement, I understand the significance of the laser engraved seahorse on the sapphire crystal. On the outer ring of the sapphire there are circular rings, if you are wondering what they are, check out the picture of the gondolas again and you can see them on there as well, which is a very nice touch to pay tribute with the historical references and Venice.
Lastly, take a look at the presentation box, it is painted black on the outside with a red interior, to match the gondolas the Seamaster watch drew its inspiration.
Conclusion
This watch sets itself apart from the rest of the Seamaster line up in that it is strictly dressy with only 60M of water resistance. It is unique due to it’s tribute to the Seamaster origins and the city of Venice and although it is only available for purchase in Venice, it is not a limited edition! The stainless steel version reviewed here is EUR 5,900.00 Euros while the gold version is EUR 13,200.00
Learned a few new things reading this one Jeff! Great article, and I hope you had a fantastic time in Venice 🙂