zOwie Omega Discussion Forum

: Would appreciate you expert help in choosing am
: Omega Chrono. I am of course considering the
: Seamaster Professional 300M, ideally in
: titanium....but was curious about how some
: of the Speedy's compare, particularly the
: 3523.80 (I kind of like the month, day, date
: feature). I like the looks of both and since
: I am not a diver I am fine with a non diver
: watch as long as it can handle showers and
: the occasional dip in a swimming pool or hot
: tub :-)

: Would appreciate comments on the quality,
: accuracy and robustness of the movements. My
: other watches are a vintage, fully restored
: Vacheron manual wind in 18K gold, an
: Audemars Royal Oak Dual Time Zone, an old
: Omega Constellation automatic, and two
: Russian Poljots I picked up at the Moscow
: factory store 4 yrs ago (one has an ETA
: movement in it!!). I had a Breiting
: Chronomat, but it was very innaccurate - so
: sold it 6 mos ago. Thanks in advance

Despite the fact that Omega lists the water resistance of the Speedmaster Day-Date as 100 meters, I would have a hard time wearing this watch in the water. Its lack of a screw down crown is a concern to me, as is the fact that this watch was not designed for the water. I tend to err on the side of caution, so if I want a watch to wear in the water, I'll buy a diver's watch with a screw-down crown and a few hundred meters of water resistance.

Also, hot tubs and showers pose additional problems, since the hot water and soap can cause premature wear to the rubber seals and gaskets of the watch. There have been posts from people who have worn various Speedmasters in the water and had no problems, but there have also been reports of water damage. So, it's really up to you whether you're willing to take the gamble.

As for the Seamaster chrono in titanium, the black dial model is the only titanium chrono left in the Omega catalog. Omega discontinued the "Bond" style titanium model several years ago. Seismic Sam on this forum owns the black dial titanium chrono, so I'm sure he can give you his personal opinions of the watch. I know his past posts indicate he's more than happy with it.

Good luck with your decision,
John