Feature: Rolex Submariner Vs Omega Seamaster
For many people, buying a luxury Swiss dive watch often means choosing between a Rolex Submariner and an Omega Seamaster. Since the 1950s this iconic duo has been at the vanguard of underwater timekeeping. But which of these brand stalwarts comes out on top? Let's take a look at how the two collections measure up...
Rolex Submariner
History
By the 1950s, thanks to the invention of the aqualung the previous decade, scuba-diving had become a popular global pastime—something watch brands such as Rolex and Omega were eager to capitalise on.
When it comes to making what we would today recognise as a dive watch, Rolex was ahead of Omega, releasing the Submariner in 1953, four years before the Seamaster 300.
The original Submariner reference 6204—note the text-light dial. Image courtesy of Bonhams
Rolex’s most serious dive-watch competition back then actually came from Blancpain, who had just released the Fifty Fathoms. They were also up against another Swiss brand, Zodiac, whose Sea Wolf model initially boasted a water resistance of 200 metres—trumping both the Blancpain and the Rolex by a then-considerable 100 metres.
Rolex, of course, had already built up a solid reputation for making water-resistant watches, launching the pioneering Oyster watch in 1926 with its innovative hermetically sealed case and screwdown crown.
With the Submariner, it took the concept to another level, introducing a more legible dial and a moveable bezel that allowed divers to more easily monitor the time they spent underwater. Incidentally, while dive watches popularised the rotating bezel and now seldom come without one, Rolex (or indeed Blancpain) can’t take the credit for this innovation. It’s thought that it first appeared on a Longines aviation watch before its usefulness as a dive watch function was recognised and adapted.
Over the decades, the Submariner evolved incrementally—as is the Rolex way.
Crown guards were added in the late 1950s, as seen on this reference 5513
“Shoulders” were added to protect the crown, the water-resistance crept up to 200 and then 300 metres, and the plexiglass lenses—which pick up more scratches than a six-year-old’s kneecaps—were replaced with super-tough synthetic sapphire crystal, now standard on all luxury watches.
For safety reasons, the bezel became unidirectional, preventing divers from accidentally knocking it forward and making it appear that they had been submerged for less time than they really had. In more recent times, the bezel was upgraded from aluminium—which was prone to fading—to high-tech Cerachrome.
In 1969 the Submariner went full-on luxury when Rolex unveiled one in yellow gold. The first two-tone model was introduced in the 1980s, and the first white gold version appeared in 2008.
A yellow-gold Submariner 1680, which gave it a more luxurious feel. Image courtesy of Phillips
No longer confined to a monochrome black dial and bezel combination, the Submariner now comes in several colour combinations, often known by affectionate nicknames (more below).
As for the signature Cyclops date window, this was first seen on a Submariner in the reference 1680 in 1966 and is now found on most models. However, for those who prefer their dive watches to be pared right down to the most utilitarian aesthetic, Rolex has always included a dateless steel Submariner in its line-up. Currently, this is the reference 124060, but a readily available neo-vintage alternative is the 14060.
Want a more minimalist Submariner? The latest date-free model is the reference 124060
Officially unveiled at the now-defunct Basel Watch Fair in 1954, the Submariner is now a sprightly septuagenarian, a much-respected grandaddy of the industry. And yet it has never been so popular.
Cool factor
Vintage or contemporary, gold or steel, black or blue, the Submariner is ridiculously popular. In fact, the total weight of Submariners sold annually around the world could probably sink battleships. And yet its cool factor remains untarnished.
Over the decades this watch has earned admiration not only for its looks but its durability. As well as professional divers, elite military units around the world have depended on it. Yet despite its tool-watch origins, it looks as good tucked beneath a shirt cuff as over the sleeve of a wetsuit.
The ever-popular "Starbucks" has a dark green bezel with black dial
It certainly has its detractors. It’s been referred to as the “Porsche Boxster of the watch world” (harsh!) on account of its ubiquity. But the Submariner is an unshakeably cool watch and always will be.
And let’s not forget that most Submariners these days have been blessed with affectionate nicknames. We’ll let you be the judge of whether aliases like “Smurf” and “Starbucks” make the watches more (or less) alluring…
Icon status
The Submariner is one of the most recognisable watches on the planet, so, it comes as no surprise that it’s also one of the most copied dive watches around.
Many design elements such as the luminous dot hour markers and dive bezel have been seen on numerous other models from Swiss brands, many of which make great alternatives to the pricey Submariner. We’re talking models like the Oris Divers Sixty-Five and of course, the Tudor Black Bay—the flagship model from the Crown’s sister brand.
The Submariner is also Rolex’s most popular sports model, beating fierce competition from other Rolex icons such as the Daytona, the Explorer and the GMT-Master.
The reference 6538, one of the Submariners worn by Sean Connery's Bond. Image courtesy of Bonhams
Part of the Submariner’s desirability is its association with James Bond. Although Bond’s current watch of choice is an Omega Seamaster, the Rolex Submariner is heralded as the original Bond watch. Bond author, Ian Fleming, a Rolex wearer himself, chose a Rolex as his main character’s timepiece, namedropping it on several occasions in his novels, though never specifying the exact model.
For the film adaptions, a Submariner was chosen, and Bond—played by various actors—went on to wear several models, as well as a few by other brands, right up until 1989’s License To Kill. This makes Timothy Dalton’s Bond the last to wear a Submariner before the advent of the Pierce Brosnan era.
Quality
The fact that thousands of early-generation Submariners manufactured in the 1950s and 1960s are still ticking along perfectly well today attests to their superb build quality. There is usually a healthy supply on the pre-owned market of the references 1680 and 5513, for example—two long-running series launched in the 1960s that are renowned for their work-horse dependability.
The trusty reference 1680, now a true vintage classic
More recent models are likely to have an even longer lifespan thanks to a raft of small but significant improvements. We’ve already covered many of these, but some of the other improvements Rolex has made include the introduction in the mid-1980s of 904L steel.
This is a more anti-corrosive metal than the 316L steel used by most watch brands. There have also been several bracelet upgrades, enhancing comfort and durability, and the introduction of ever-brighter, longer lasting luminescent substances. Its latest watches use Chromalight, a proprietary compound which glows for longer, and gives off an electric-blue hue, rather than the customary green of other substances like LumiNova or tritium.
Rolex has always looked to improve its lume game, most recently using Chromalight
Rolex has also been constantly tweaking the movements used in the Submariner, the results of which include a longer power reserve and better accuracy and precision. Current Submariners with a date are equipped with the Caliber 3235.
The Submariner is a notoriously tough watch. Yes, it may have been made for divers, but you get the feeling it would emerge unscathed from a medieval battle.
Still, be careful how you go with those older vintage models. They’re still hard as nails but, as with any vintage dive watch, they won’t be water resistant anymore due to the rubber gaskets perishing over time.
Value
A brand-new steel Submariner that simply tells the time and date will currently set you back between £9k and £10k RRP, with pre-owned models selling for a few thousand more, depending on the model.
For a no-frills watch, this may seem a little steep. But as we’ve said, the Submariner is a tried-and-tested Rolex workhorse that you can bequeath to you grandchildren after wearing it as your daily beater for decades.
The current standard time-and-date Submariner, the reference 126610
And if you do decide to sell it before then? Well, you’re probably not going to take the hit you would on the majority of watches.
The Submariner currently represents excellent value, and, after all, any Rolex will hold its value better than an Omega, with very few exceptions.
Omega Seamaster
History
It’s no exaggeration to say that the Seamaster name has appeared on the dial of hundreds—possibly thousands—of Omega watches. But the first time it was used was on a no-frills 1940s model that could hardly be described as a dive watch by today’s standards. It was a time-only chronometer with no rotational bezel, and no screwdown crown—although it did have a screwdown caseback. Looking at it from today's perspective, you'd call it a dress watch.
A recent re-issue of the first Seamaster from 1948
To be fair to Omega, this basic model wasn’t marketed as a dive watch so much as a watch for seafaring types who might get their deck shoes damp. The first Omega watch to be targeted at actual divers was this short-lived Marine model from 1932.
Omega's first truly waterproof watch featuring a case within a case. Image courtesy of Bonhams
To be worn underwater, the Marine’s case had to slide into a separate waterproof outer case. Annoyingly, this prevented access to the crown (which incidentally sat at the top of the inner case rather than on the usual right-hand side). So, if your timepiece stopped mid-dive, you had to resurface and remove it from the outer case to wind it. Unsurprisingly it was a commercial flop.
Omega then put fully water-resistant watches on the backburner until the release of the Seamaster 300 in 1957, which, like the Submariner, bears all the hallmarks of a modern dive watch, from the rotating bezel to the screwdown caseback.
A faithful re-issue of the first Seamaster 300 from 1957
Confusingly, despite the “300” in the name, the watch was advertised as having a water resistance of only 200 metres because the official testing equipment of the time wasn’t capable of measuring beyond that depth.
The current sprawling Omega Seamaster collection has its origins in this milestone watch, modern reissues of which can be bought today.
While Rolex continued to fine-tune the Submariner through the 1960s and 1970s, Omega’s R&D department really stretched its fins. In 1970, in conjunction with the French diving agency Comex (with whom Rolex also collaborated), it released the hefty-looking “Ploprof”.
The mighty Ploprof, now an Omega cult classic
Water resistant to 600 metres, it featured a bezel that could only be moved by pushing a red button at the side of the case. Unlike the Rolex Sea-Dweller, it didn’t need a helium escape valve as its case didn’t allow helium to enter in the first place.
Just a couple of years later, the Seamaster family expanded with the addition of a chronograph version that was water resistant to 120 metres, improving on this in the early 1990s with a chronograph capable of going as deep as 300 metres.
To this day, Rolex hasn’t made a dedicated dive chronograph, although the Daytona’s 100 metres should be adequate for most aquatic pursuits.
You won't see a dive chronograph in the Submariner family
The current Seamaster collection is big—vastly outnumbering the Submariner family. Within it are myriad sub collections, including the Aqua Terra, Planet Ocean, and Diver 300m as well as what Omega calls its “Heritage Models” like the Ploprof, 300 and Railmaster.
Whereas Rolex currently offers the Submariner in steel and gold, many Seamaster watches come in ceramic, titanium and gold. Current models run on mechanical self-winding movements, but it’s easy to find relatively recent pre-owned quartz models.
Like Rolex with the Submariner, Omega has recently sought to elevate the collection, releasing ultra-luxury versions like the James Bond 60th Anniversary edition in Canopus (white) gold, which has a diamond bezel and a remarkable silicon dial. The price? A rather startling £149k!
The Seamaster is a collection that continues to grow and branch-out. And although the volume is sometimes a little overwhelming, we can’t wait to see where it goes next.
Cool factor
Due to the huge amount of variants in the Seamaster family, it’s a bit of a mixed bag, with some watches cooler than others. It’s fair to say the cult appeal of the Ploprof has returned with a bang, and this hugely charismatic watch has received a lot of attention recently, bucking the trend for smaller watches. The Ploprof’s size and asymmetric case shape hasn’t put people off at all, and for many it’s the coolest dive watch around.
Daniel Craig said bye to Bond wearing this special-edition model
We also love the 300 for its vintage aesthetic, while the James Bond Edition 300M in titanium with tropical brown dial (above) is one of the most striking Seamaster designs ever.
Icon status
The Seamaster is Omega’s most popular model and the brand certainly hasn’t shied away from releasing countless variations of it. Everything from the 300, 300M and Diver 300M to the Ploprof and even the Railmaster all sit within the Seamaster family. Out of these, the 300 series remains the quintessential Seamaster model.
As already mentioned, James Bond has worn several watches on-screen since 1962, including the Rolex Submariner. It wasn’t until 1995 film, GoldenEye , when Bond—played by Pierce Brosnan—put on an Omega Seamaster and he hasn’t looked back since.
James Bond swapped his Submariner for a Seamaster like this one. Image courtesy of Bonhams
Seamaster watches have continued to play a part in the film franchise, appearing in the most recent film, 2021’s No Time to Die on the wrist of former Bond actor, Daniel Craig. Omega hasn’t just supplied the 007 franchise with existing Seamaster models, though, it has produced special 007 editions, to the delight of Bond fans.
Hollywood blockbusters aside, Omega is the watch of choice for none other than William, Prince of Wales. The prince—and heir to the throne—is frequently spotted wearing his quartz Omega Seamaster, a gift from his mother, the late Princess Diana.
Quality
Arguably, Omega has the edge on Rolex when it comes to its movements as all recent Seamasters are equipped with the brand’s proprietary co-axial escapement. This is the innovative mechanism invented by the English master watchmaker George Daniels which, although requiring more parts, minimises friction and removes the need for lubrication.
The co-axial escapement was one of Omega's biggest ever technical milestones
Both brands use chronometer movements that have been tested way beyond the standard requirements of COSC (the official Swiss testing office for chronometers). Rolex dials carry the name “Superlative Chronometer”, while Omega’s state “Master Chronometer”.
The differences are marginal, although it’s worth pointing out that the Master Chronometer doesn’t include waterproof testing, whereas the Superlative Chronometer does. Suffice to say Omega thinks its own waterproof-tests are perfectly adequate and external validation isn’t needed. We’re pretty sure your Omega Seamaster won’t let in a drop of moisture, unless you intend exploring the Mariana Trench.
The wide-ranging Seamaster has even come in a GMT version
Besides movements, there’s little difference in quality between the two watches, although the Seamaster range offers more in terms of complications. Search back through the Seamaster archives and you’ll find everything from chronographs to GMTs. The Submariner meanwhile has steadfastly stuck to offering nothing more than the time and date. The chances of this ever changing are remote.
Value
Let’s pit like for like here. A brand-new stainless-steel Seamaster 300m time-and-date model costs £5,600 at retail. When you compare that to a brand-new stainless-steel time-and-date Submariner costing £9k, the Seamaster seems like the more attractive option.
A contemporary Seamaster Diver 300m offers great value
As an iconic watch with an illustrious history, it will always be in-demand, and most models boast classic looks that are impervious to the whims of watch fashions (we’re looking at you, Hublot and Richard Mille). But the Submariner is a tough adversary in this regard, its price remaining reassuringly buoyant through occasional choppy waters.
There are those whose allegiance to either of these two watches is unwavering, preferring one over the other, while some people happily own one—or several—of each.
But if you own neither and you’re still in two minds as to which to pull the trigger on, we hope this helps you make an informed choice.
