THE ESSENTIALS
MAKE: OMEGA
MODEL: 165.024
YEAR: 1965
BOX/PAPERS: NO/NO
CASE DIAMETER: 41MM
CASE MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL
BRACELET MATERIAL: LEATHER
MOVEMENT: AUTOMATIC
The Omega Seamaster 300 began its life in 1957 with the Ref. CK2913, alongside the Speedmaster and Railmaster to form the 'Master Trilogy'. Whilst the Seamaster's history dates back to the 1940s, the SM300 was the first true diver's watch Omega produced, with a guaranteed water resistance of 200m (tested to 300m, hence the name).
Early SM300s such as the CK2913 and CK14755 feature a straight lug case (38–39mm) and thin bezels. In 1963, Omega introduced an entirely redesigned SM300 line, marking the start of the 'Lyre Lugs' era. Made between 1963 and 1971, the new SM300 features a larger case which accommodates the wider, thicker, and much more legible bezel with clear clicks during rotation. The dials now also feature larger index markers and hands. The ref. ST 165.024 (no date) and ref. ST 166.024 (date) represent arguably the most successful Seamaster design, proudly being the state-of-the-art diver of its time. They are also some of the most fun Omegas to collect, with a huge number of variations in a relatively short production period.
At first glance, the watch we have for sale here is an early and very honest 165.024, with the original gilt print dial, 'Type B' straight hands, original small logo glass, and a superbly strong case. However, one could not help but notice that the tritium acrylic insert on this watch showcases a rich blue hue, instead of black which you'd expect. Originally thought to be a manufacturing defect, or even counterfeit, the Omega collector community finally came to a consensus that the blue insert is original, all examples known have the identical type insert with the slanted 3 in 30. As of 2020/2021 to our knowledge, only 9 "Blueberry" examples have been found.
You can only imagine our excitement when we slowly removed the mud and dirt on this watch after it came to us having spent the last decades in a drawer. The dial is spotless, and so is the insert. The tritium lume on both has aged to a rich, creamy patina. They glow brightly under UV and fade quickly afterwards.
The watch has been freshly serviced and is running perfectly at -3 s/d, 295 amps, with 0.2 ms beat error. This is one of the rarest Omega SM300, period. We are extremely proud to present this one to the world.