By J. Heffner | @pinaplwtchs

A closer look at one of the first Seamaster 300s

Today, we pose a discussion on the Omega 165.024. It’s the type of piece that needs no introduction, one you’ll rarely see outside of niche forums and Instagram posts. Still, it remains a real watch-lover’s timepiece.

Contrary to our typical style of writing, I’m not here to dive deep into the conceptualization and history of this specific piece. Instead, I hope you simply admire the beauty, rarity, and importance of a grossly uncommon diver.

Testing the Waters

When you hear vintage Seamaster, I bet you first imagine the revolutionary ‘beefy lug’ examples of the 1950s-1960s. Without a doubt, they’re the most common iterations produced under the name and remain overall fantastic buys.

The 165.024, however, is a true purpose-built piece by the brand (if your purpose is diving and not a night on the town). It was one of the first true divers produced by Omega, and easily stacks up against its competitors from the era.

The Seamaster ‘diver umbrella’ (as I’ll refer to the early Seamaster 300s) was introduced alongside the first Speedmaster and Railmaster as the reference CK2913. Not long after, this 1966 ‘big triangle’ featured some noticeable stylistic changes.

Large Arabic numerals barely hold a candle to the bold hour markers on this one

As the Speedmaster achieved great feats, and accepted its ‘icon award’ in the watch community, the early Seamaster 300s gained little cultural attention. This sentiment, however, does not undercut their significance or collectability.

Diver Cousins

In my eyes, these Seamasters are in the same league as most other collectable black dial divers. The Submariner is its most obvious rival, but I’d still include pieces like the Seiko 6105 or Breitling Superocean in that conversation.

A considerable aspect of the 165.024’s importance is observed in the modern day. The early Seamaster 300s created a foundation for the line that has led to the production of the modern Seamaster. While Rolex designs have remained nearly unchanged for decades (an asset to some), Omega’s history is deeply rooted in innovation, and adaptability to different trends/eras. Modern 300s are regarded as some of the greatest divers on the market, and much of this reliability is predicated on the history of the line. In this sense, the modern Seamaster’s brilliance is a consequence of its heritage.

The side profile of this beaut shows off its custard lume

As I summarize this love letter to the 165.024, I find that these pieces are no less important as they are beautiful. Their prices and rarity make them less attainable for the average vintage lover, but they still carry an ethos worthy of mass appreciation.