More than ten years have passed since the worldwide success of Moonwatch Only, the book in which Grégoire Rossier and Anthony Marquié celebrated Omega’s legendary Speedmaster Moonwatch. Since then, the two authors have continued to explore the world of fine watchmaking with almost scientific rigor, refining a research and writing methodology that has become a benchmark for collectors and enthusiasts.
With the publisher Watchprint, they have authored a dozen volumes dedicated to iconic models – from the Nivada Chronomaster to the Breitling Navitimer to the Rolex Daytona – helping to increase knowledge and culture among experts and professionals in the field. As true collectors, however, Rossier and Marquié cultivated an ambitious dream: to tell the story of Omega’s famous diving watch, the Seamaster, a task that was far from simple given the breadth and complexity of its history.
After years of meticulous research and passionate work, SEAMASTER ONLY was born, a new volume published by Watchprint, completed thanks to the contribution of two of the foremost experts on the Seamaster 300, who brought their expertise and previously unpublished historical details to the project. The book opens with a foreword by Omega CEO Raynald Aeschlimann and brand ambassador Victor Vescovo, explorer of the deep.
The underlying question is simple: why a book dedicated to the Seamaster? Because it is one of Omega’s iconic models, a milestone in watchmaking. Created in 1948, it has spawned a constellation of variants—from professional versions for deep diving to more versatile and elegant interpretations—all linked by one fundamental characteristic: excellent water resistance. The quest for perfect water resistance has represented a technical challenge for watchmakers equal to, if not greater than, that of the great mechanical complications; it is this challenge, together with the technological evolution that accompanied it, that captured the authors’ interest.
For years, however, the enormous variety of versions made it difficult to define a consistent identity for the Seamaster – unlike the Speedmaster, which is more immediately recognizable – partly because, until the 1990s, the different models were not grouped together in a single collection and there was a lack of systematic research. It is precisely this complexity, made up of references, components, and variants, that has become the ideal terrain for applying the proven “ONLY” methodology: after a long selection process, the analysis focuses on the Seamaster 300, produced between 1957 and 1970.
During their research, Rossier and Marquié uncovered new information about the history and technical aspects of the Seamaster 300, identifying little-known versions and even models made to measure for specific military corps. Authors of the ONLY, STORY, and ICONS series, Rossier and Marquié—founders of Watchfid, a consulting firm for collectors of vintage and high-end watches—worked with two expert Seamaster collectors: the Danish “Kox,” who has been conducting in-depth studies on the 300 for years, and Ash, an antique dealer, British pilot, and collector of vintage Omega sports watches for over 25 years, linked by a curious family connection to the inventor of the anchor escapement still used in mechanical movements today.
An icon of history and legend, the Seamaster is also known to the general public for its constant presence in James Bond films since 1995, but its story began in 1948, building on Omega’s experience in producing waterproof watches during the war. In 1957, the famous “trilogy” — Speedmaster, Railmaster, and Seamaster 300 — which marked a turning point in professional watchmaking, with the 300 adopted by civilian and military divers and destined for continuous evolution.
The 1970s saw the debut of the Seamaster 600 “Ploprof” and the Seamaster 1000, which pushed the limits of diving watchmaking even further. Since the 1990s, the collection has enjoyed a new golden age with the Diver 300M (1993), the Aqua Terra 150M (2002), the Planet Ocean 600M (2005) and, more recently, the Ultra Deep, capable of withstanding depths of up to 6,000 meters, while special editions dedicated to the Olympic Games consolidated the model’s link with the world of sport.
With “SEAMASTER ONLY,” Rossier and Marquié have written a new chapter in the “ONLY” series: a rigorous but accessible analysis of diving models—in particular the Seamaster 300—that allows enthusiasts and collectors to explore every detail of one of the most fascinating watches ever made.
Matteo Zaccagnino
