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Thread: Seamaster 300m Chrono design (dial / hands) design flaw?

  1. #1
    Master
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    Seamaster 300m Chrono design (dial / hands) design flaw?

    Folks,

    I have been reading about the various Seamaster chrono variations (for obvious reasons if you look on SC) and I particularly like the fact that the Omega diver's chronos for the last few generations allow you to use the pushers underwater. Cool.

    But I noticed an odd, possible, design flaw with the latest Seamaster 300m Diver Chrono, compared to the last model, and the PO version.

    Both the previous model and the Planet Ocean have lume on every hand on the watch, as you would expect. But on the new 300m chrono it is missing! The chonograph hour hand is a skeleton hand, while the rest are solid (with lume). This seems a bit of a miss, but I wonder if it is because on the PO there are two different hand shapes on the chrono dial, but Omega didn't figure out what alternative shapes they could use for the Seamaster divers chrono? Or...is this because the idea of a single dial showing both hours and minutes is pushing it a bit?

    Long story short, I am still far from convinced one single small dial showing hours and minutes for the chrono is better than two separate ones, especially when you want to lume the hands (though I know you could use the single dial as a sort of second time zone).

    Here is a good shot of the 'skeleton' hand:
    Last edited by redsox78; 18th May 2020 at 21:38.

  2. #2
    Are the numbers on the subdials lumed too, otherwise luming the hands is pointless anyway.

  3. #3
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by ped View Post
    Are the numbers on the subdials lumed too, otherwise luming the hands is pointless anyway.
    Nope good point! But why miss one hand on the dial, but fill it on all other hands on on all Diver chronos by Omega? it just seems an odd...kink.

  4. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by redsox78 View Post
    Nope good point! But why miss one hand on the dial, but fill it on all other hands on on all Diver chronos by Omega? it just seems an odd...kink.
    Does seem strange. Tbh I’m now convinced the only reasonable way to do a chronograph on a watch is to have a central recording minute hand anyway.

  5. #5
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by ped View Post
    Does seem strange. Tbh I’m now convinced the only reasonable way to do a chronograph on a watch is to have a central recording minute hand anyway.
    Agreed!

  6. #6
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by ped View Post
    Does seem strange. Tbh I’m now convinced the only reasonable way to do a chronograph on a watch is to have a central recording minute hand anyway.
    Completely agree. It’s the best way to at a glance legibility. Hence my preference for Lemania 5100 chrono models and the Sinn 140A with a modified 7750, the SZ01, providing that functionality.

  7. #7
    Master IVK's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by HappyJack View Post
    Completely agree. It’s the best way to at a glance legibility. Hence my preference for Lemania 5100 chrono models and the Sinn 140A with a modified 7750, the SZ01, providing that functionality.
    Yes, agreed. Also any excuse to post this (for the second time today!).




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  8. #8
    Craftsman
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    Personally I don’t make much use of lume but some do need it more and I must say the few times it has been needed I was thankful it was there.

    My non chrono 300M has skeleton hands but still has good lume.




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  9. #9
    Master sweets's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by HappyJack View Post
    Completely agree. It’s the best way to at a glance legibility. Hence my preference for Lemania 5100 chrono models and the Sinn 140A with a modified 7750, the SZ01, providing that functionality.
    Agreed, no contest

    Look at this

    -

    It is coming up to 8.33 and the chrono has been running 6 mins and 48 seconds. There is nothing that beats the Lemania 5100 for legibility, and the EZM1 especially for night-time reading of time and chronograph.

    Reading 60 mins accurately on a sub-dial on that Omega? No chance, especially when that minute hand is over the top of it. Or in the dark, for that matter.

    Dave
    Last edited by sweets; 19th May 2020 at 01:15.

  10. #10
    Grand Master abraxas's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by redsox78 View Post
    .....

    Here is a good shot of the 'skeleton' hand:
    I would take it back and insist they put lume in. Otherwise, that hand should be solid
    "Owning one is almost as satisfying as making one." ~ Rolex 1973

  11. #11
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by abraxas View Post
    I would take it back and insist they put lume in. Otherwise, that hand should be solid
    It's on all dial variations as well, that's just the clearest picture of it...

  12. #12
    Master
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    Could be that it is meant to be used (in theory) on dives which are typically less than an hour and therefore only the minute hand needs luminosity?

  13. #13
    Master
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    It kinda makes sense to me. There's really very little use for an hour chrono hand in a diving context (if you would wear such a watch diving), but could certainly see the use of a distinctly visible chrono minute hand, again, if such a watch was your sole dive timer. I think it looks fine.

  14. #14
    Master
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    There are ways of explaining it for sure, but I just meant that this is not the case on the previous model, or on the Planet Ocean. I think it's because if you don't have obviously distinctive hands on a such small dial you would mix up which hand was which; look at the PO chrono, the two little hands are very distinctive. So I think Omega boxed themselves into a design corner having two different diver chronos using the same dial layout. £700 extra for the PO then gets you an extra lumed hand and 300m more WR, I guess.

    Or maybe they just think it looks cool, I dunno!

    P.s. also just noticed the price difference between the PO and Seamaster 300m chrono is less than the difference between the three hand watches. Weird pricing...

  15. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by redsox78 View Post
    There are ways of explaining it for sure, but I just meant that this is not the case on the previous model, or on the Planet Ocean. I think it's because if you don't have obviously distinctive hands on a such small dial you would mix up which hand was which; look at the PO chrono, the two little hands are very distinctive. So I think Omega boxed themselves into a design corner having two different diver chronos using the same dial layout. £700 extra for the PO then gets you an extra lumed hand and 300m more WR, I guess.

    Or maybe they just think it looks cool, I dunno!

    P.s. also just noticed the price difference between the PO and Seamaster 300m chrono is less than the difference between the three hand watches. Weird pricing...
    Yeah my guess is it’s just to better distinguish between the hands at a glance

  16. #16
    Master bedlam's Avatar
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    I've never needed lume on a dive watch ever. It's nice, it's in the standard, but it's never once been useful when diving.

    In a lot of diving situations visibility is far from perfect. I would have no use for a chrono that didn't have a central seconds hand timer. Those sub-dials are way to small to be used effectively IMO

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