Post by Oisac on Feb 26, 2007 22:24:22 GMT -5
First, a caveat: This must be the most reviewed fine watch on this site, if not on the entire web. So why would I want to contribute another review to the already extensive mix? This watch (or its big brother anyway) is the Toyota Corolla of good watches. Every last horology-head knows this workhorse, and wider recognition amongst the general public couldn’t be higher than it is right now. It’s common as muck (relatively speaking) and over advertised by the ridiculous 007 connection. You can’t go far in Australia without being subjected to Omega’s PR machine and its shameless prostituting which we, the esteemed owners, pay for. The SMP300 is at the movies, in upmarket magazines, in bus stop advertising, in jeweller’s windows and anywhere else the profiteers can think to wedge its image.
Having got that out of the way, relative abundance and indiscreet marketing doesn’t make it a lesser watch, and I doubt many readers would disagree that it’s a good watch. I enjoyed reading other owners many reviews but being new to fine watches (a Seiko sq50 owner till now) was left wondering: How does it FEEEL to have one of these darlings on your wrist. So I write yet another Omega SMP300 review largely because I’d like to share how I feel packing one of these beauties under my shirt sleeve. After all, we don’t buy them to impress anyone other than ourselves, right?
I’m new to nice watches, as mentioned above. Before this I’ve only had a couple of stainless quartz Seikos that kept time very nicely thank you, and didn’t scream “THE IDIOT OWNER IS A NOUVEAU RICHE WANNABE WITH NO TASTE AND EVEN LESS CLASS”. Oh and I owned one of those cool Timex Indiglos, till i realised that the thing went through batteries like Errol Flynn did women. But I always lusted something a little extra special. I see in hindsight that I’ve had this problem for a long time now. I remember at age 13 I was setting my Lorus Quartz to the second, standing in the street waiting for a public clock in my city to tick over so I could push the crown in and resultantly have my life organised to within a couple of seconds of true time. Must be genetic or something eh? Anyway it has all culminated in my first* serious acquisition, a mid size SMP that perches on my wee wrist very nicely. So let’s go through the motions briefly before I begin to ramble again.
Movement 9.5
Uh-oh. Its based on the ETA movement and therefore is not ‘in-house’. Bond’s victims must all die laughing. I like very much that I can put my ear up to the little darling and it doesn’t cough out some sickly quartz tick. No, this baby rhythmically tinkles and chimes and generally sings me off to a blissful state with its little music box serenade. I didn’t know mechanical watches did anything other than tick so after 7 days I’m still grinning like an idiot.
Case, crystal and crown 9
Yes, I’m well qualified to comment here as I have handled not a single other fine watch less examined them closely under magnifying lens. I will say that under a lens all you see on my SMP300 mid-size is precision, quality fit and attention to detail. I am enamoured with the seamonster logo and waves on the case back – they are very pretty and help the watch sit still on my wrist. I think the highly polished crowns divine to turn, they’re easily accessed and are generally very handsome to my admiring eye. The bezel is sticky – others have waxed long on this point – but I’m not a diver so this baby’s barely going to get wet let alone do anything more than tell me my parking meter time limit. The crystal sparkles, and I’m told it’s robust enough to make a good bullet deflector when next I’m covertly infiltrating those Russian baddies at my city’s casinos. Not something I’m willing to test, and I dread my first true *clang* against a solid object. I don’t walk around in fear though, and am not about to let my belongings rule me so it all still feels fab-o to me, guys.
Dial and hands 7
Now for the controversy part eh. I like the skeleton, but think I prefer the swords. The dealer would not let me have the ‘best of both worlds’ and combine the swordy hands black mid size with the much trumpeted 2551.80 bracelet. More about the bracelet later. As far as I’m concerned the style gurus at Omega know what they’re doing and I’m thinking the skeleton is a very handsome watch to look at. Importantly: I agree with those who think its ‘cardinal’ that the minute hand meets the markers. The minute hand falling 2mm or so short of the markers is a crappy style decision that means I may only set time at 30, 45 and 00, as well as bloody well get a big squint on every time I want to know that its 17 and not 18 past, for example. This is my one and only quibble with the watch, but by gee it’s a bit of a biggie isn’t it. Stylistically it is very appealing to me, every time I check the time I get this buzz feeling of man what a handsome watch, but what were they on when they decided to go with the short minute hand? Lose 2 points there, Omega designers.
Luminosity is fine. Many will hate me for saying the solid hands of cheaper watches [Seiko sq50 *ahem*] are easier to read in the dark than the skeleton as the lume forms a solid block on the watch hand, and not the fine ‘skeleton’ line. Those who say it lights their way to the toilet on dark nights need to lay off the carrots - it’s probably their orange skin faintly lighting the way. I have catlike eyes and mine only lights the room up directly after close exposure to a lamp. Perhaps a different matter with the full size, given assumed greater quantity of lume?
Accuracy 9.95
Does it get any better than this? From the moment I walked out of the store (walked out with it on my wrist of course), I am gaining less than a second a day. More like <2.3secs per 3 days, and it’s not even a week old. I wear it to bed (naughty, I know), and I have checked accuracy using the same method every 24h at 7pm. Fab-o.
Bracelet/buckle 9
Bloody divine. It is so comfy, but I am yet to forget that its there. I don’t mind this because I enjoy being reminded that there’s a nice item on my wrist. It has weight but not so much weight that I’ll come to resent it. No hair pulls. No jumper snags. Broad bracelet distributes the weight well, feels solid and is more subtle than it photographs. On meditation the bracelet is a handsome bit of style. It would be good to have a fine tune adjustment feature at the clasp but this would probably undermine its robustness. Yes the broad, long clasp bit scratches easily, as others have observed. The clasp apparatus closes and doesn’t let go till you want it to. Fab-o. The wetsuit extension? Hey, whatever man. Sharks are bad.
I was going to buy the black dial/sword hands but for the chunky bracelet that immediately felt like a light industrial chain around my wrist. No thanks, said I, and fled back to the smooth caress of the Bond bracelet. Aah, said I, I want this bracelet on that case. No, said the girl, and the rest is, as they say, history. I’m happy.
Packaging/paperwork 5.0
I shouldn’t punish the watch for the sins of the dealer but there it is. The paperwork is ‘on its way’. The box had a >1cm nick in the red vinyl that I didn’t notice until a couple of days later. They should have noticed the mark on the lid as they snuck it into its cardboard cover, but oh well. Hence I was less than amused. I am even less amused at their lazy attempts to rectify the situation and the fact that it won’t be rectified for some weeks although I made a special trip to their city store as they suggested so that they could replace it. Grrrrr. Based on this experience (and what my lovely partner observed to be crap point of sale service, to the point of rudeness), I would strongly recommend Wallace Bishop Jewellers to any prospective watch buyers in Australia or anywhere else Bishop has spawned his fine franchise. No prizes for guessing where I won’t be going for out of warranty service. As far as packaging is concerned, frankly I would prefer it came in bubble wrap if it made the watch cheaper. The generic instructions are fine, they made me feel the same as I do when I get an unsigned circular from an old and dear friend.
Comfort 9.5
Yes, this thing feels like heaven and that’s what I paid for, not Cindy Crawford or Tiger Woods or James Bond or any other person, real or fictional, who is getting paid megabucks to cop the same lovely feeling. I am 183cm/75kg and have a slim wrist so the full size was almost as big as I am. The midsize felt perfect from get-go. It has 2 standard positions on my wrist as I like it just a little loose, so when the watch moves it does so with impress. The weight just makes it kind of silently go ker-lunk on my wrist as it slides. Delicious.
Value 8
I feel it represents better value than the Rolex Subs of the same ilk, given at twice the price the Rolex is certainly not twice as good. I’m not too amused at the flow on cost of Omega image making – one safely assumes that Cindy Crawford would be a high upkeep friend. Gold and diamonds represent idiotic excess and annoy me. I wear this watch not because I’m a show off but because I like nice stuff and probably only the cogniscenti get this. Better value than many out there, but image making gets me up on my high horse.
Overall – 2 months on
Rock and roll!! I wrote the above a few days after purchase, and just over 2 months on I’m still enamoured. I treat it like the utility watch it is so it’s been *clanged* hard and the case and band are marked but the crystal sparkles on. Its classy look and feel still catches my eye, while sneakily avoiding the covetous stare of the urban riff raff; it keeps time beyond expectations; it feels like it weighs nothing till I put it on my other wrist for fun; It is bullet proof and I still think worth every treasured penny. I look forward to many more years of service from it.
*Will there be more? I do like the Rolex Explorers.
by : 1st t1mer
Having got that out of the way, relative abundance and indiscreet marketing doesn’t make it a lesser watch, and I doubt many readers would disagree that it’s a good watch. I enjoyed reading other owners many reviews but being new to fine watches (a Seiko sq50 owner till now) was left wondering: How does it FEEEL to have one of these darlings on your wrist. So I write yet another Omega SMP300 review largely because I’d like to share how I feel packing one of these beauties under my shirt sleeve. After all, we don’t buy them to impress anyone other than ourselves, right?
I’m new to nice watches, as mentioned above. Before this I’ve only had a couple of stainless quartz Seikos that kept time very nicely thank you, and didn’t scream “THE IDIOT OWNER IS A NOUVEAU RICHE WANNABE WITH NO TASTE AND EVEN LESS CLASS”. Oh and I owned one of those cool Timex Indiglos, till i realised that the thing went through batteries like Errol Flynn did women. But I always lusted something a little extra special. I see in hindsight that I’ve had this problem for a long time now. I remember at age 13 I was setting my Lorus Quartz to the second, standing in the street waiting for a public clock in my city to tick over so I could push the crown in and resultantly have my life organised to within a couple of seconds of true time. Must be genetic or something eh? Anyway it has all culminated in my first* serious acquisition, a mid size SMP that perches on my wee wrist very nicely. So let’s go through the motions briefly before I begin to ramble again.
Movement 9.5
Uh-oh. Its based on the ETA movement and therefore is not ‘in-house’. Bond’s victims must all die laughing. I like very much that I can put my ear up to the little darling and it doesn’t cough out some sickly quartz tick. No, this baby rhythmically tinkles and chimes and generally sings me off to a blissful state with its little music box serenade. I didn’t know mechanical watches did anything other than tick so after 7 days I’m still grinning like an idiot.
Case, crystal and crown 9
Yes, I’m well qualified to comment here as I have handled not a single other fine watch less examined them closely under magnifying lens. I will say that under a lens all you see on my SMP300 mid-size is precision, quality fit and attention to detail. I am enamoured with the seamonster logo and waves on the case back – they are very pretty and help the watch sit still on my wrist. I think the highly polished crowns divine to turn, they’re easily accessed and are generally very handsome to my admiring eye. The bezel is sticky – others have waxed long on this point – but I’m not a diver so this baby’s barely going to get wet let alone do anything more than tell me my parking meter time limit. The crystal sparkles, and I’m told it’s robust enough to make a good bullet deflector when next I’m covertly infiltrating those Russian baddies at my city’s casinos. Not something I’m willing to test, and I dread my first true *clang* against a solid object. I don’t walk around in fear though, and am not about to let my belongings rule me so it all still feels fab-o to me, guys.
Dial and hands 7
Now for the controversy part eh. I like the skeleton, but think I prefer the swords. The dealer would not let me have the ‘best of both worlds’ and combine the swordy hands black mid size with the much trumpeted 2551.80 bracelet. More about the bracelet later. As far as I’m concerned the style gurus at Omega know what they’re doing and I’m thinking the skeleton is a very handsome watch to look at. Importantly: I agree with those who think its ‘cardinal’ that the minute hand meets the markers. The minute hand falling 2mm or so short of the markers is a crappy style decision that means I may only set time at 30, 45 and 00, as well as bloody well get a big squint on every time I want to know that its 17 and not 18 past, for example. This is my one and only quibble with the watch, but by gee it’s a bit of a biggie isn’t it. Stylistically it is very appealing to me, every time I check the time I get this buzz feeling of man what a handsome watch, but what were they on when they decided to go with the short minute hand? Lose 2 points there, Omega designers.
Luminosity is fine. Many will hate me for saying the solid hands of cheaper watches [Seiko sq50 *ahem*] are easier to read in the dark than the skeleton as the lume forms a solid block on the watch hand, and not the fine ‘skeleton’ line. Those who say it lights their way to the toilet on dark nights need to lay off the carrots - it’s probably their orange skin faintly lighting the way. I have catlike eyes and mine only lights the room up directly after close exposure to a lamp. Perhaps a different matter with the full size, given assumed greater quantity of lume?
Accuracy 9.95
Does it get any better than this? From the moment I walked out of the store (walked out with it on my wrist of course), I am gaining less than a second a day. More like <2.3secs per 3 days, and it’s not even a week old. I wear it to bed (naughty, I know), and I have checked accuracy using the same method every 24h at 7pm. Fab-o.
Bracelet/buckle 9
Bloody divine. It is so comfy, but I am yet to forget that its there. I don’t mind this because I enjoy being reminded that there’s a nice item on my wrist. It has weight but not so much weight that I’ll come to resent it. No hair pulls. No jumper snags. Broad bracelet distributes the weight well, feels solid and is more subtle than it photographs. On meditation the bracelet is a handsome bit of style. It would be good to have a fine tune adjustment feature at the clasp but this would probably undermine its robustness. Yes the broad, long clasp bit scratches easily, as others have observed. The clasp apparatus closes and doesn’t let go till you want it to. Fab-o. The wetsuit extension? Hey, whatever man. Sharks are bad.
I was going to buy the black dial/sword hands but for the chunky bracelet that immediately felt like a light industrial chain around my wrist. No thanks, said I, and fled back to the smooth caress of the Bond bracelet. Aah, said I, I want this bracelet on that case. No, said the girl, and the rest is, as they say, history. I’m happy.
Packaging/paperwork 5.0
I shouldn’t punish the watch for the sins of the dealer but there it is. The paperwork is ‘on its way’. The box had a >1cm nick in the red vinyl that I didn’t notice until a couple of days later. They should have noticed the mark on the lid as they snuck it into its cardboard cover, but oh well. Hence I was less than amused. I am even less amused at their lazy attempts to rectify the situation and the fact that it won’t be rectified for some weeks although I made a special trip to their city store as they suggested so that they could replace it. Grrrrr. Based on this experience (and what my lovely partner observed to be crap point of sale service, to the point of rudeness), I would strongly recommend Wallace Bishop Jewellers to any prospective watch buyers in Australia or anywhere else Bishop has spawned his fine franchise. No prizes for guessing where I won’t be going for out of warranty service. As far as packaging is concerned, frankly I would prefer it came in bubble wrap if it made the watch cheaper. The generic instructions are fine, they made me feel the same as I do when I get an unsigned circular from an old and dear friend.
Comfort 9.5
Yes, this thing feels like heaven and that’s what I paid for, not Cindy Crawford or Tiger Woods or James Bond or any other person, real or fictional, who is getting paid megabucks to cop the same lovely feeling. I am 183cm/75kg and have a slim wrist so the full size was almost as big as I am. The midsize felt perfect from get-go. It has 2 standard positions on my wrist as I like it just a little loose, so when the watch moves it does so with impress. The weight just makes it kind of silently go ker-lunk on my wrist as it slides. Delicious.
Value 8
I feel it represents better value than the Rolex Subs of the same ilk, given at twice the price the Rolex is certainly not twice as good. I’m not too amused at the flow on cost of Omega image making – one safely assumes that Cindy Crawford would be a high upkeep friend. Gold and diamonds represent idiotic excess and annoy me. I wear this watch not because I’m a show off but because I like nice stuff and probably only the cogniscenti get this. Better value than many out there, but image making gets me up on my high horse.
Overall – 2 months on
Rock and roll!! I wrote the above a few days after purchase, and just over 2 months on I’m still enamoured. I treat it like the utility watch it is so it’s been *clanged* hard and the case and band are marked but the crystal sparkles on. Its classy look and feel still catches my eye, while sneakily avoiding the covetous stare of the urban riff raff; it keeps time beyond expectations; it feels like it weighs nothing till I put it on my other wrist for fun; It is bullet proof and I still think worth every treasured penny. I look forward to many more years of service from it.
*Will there be more? I do like the Rolex Explorers.
by : 1st t1mer
