Before it became a chunky deep diver and the official watch of James Bond, the Seamaster was nothing more than a humble, water-resistant dress watch when it was first launched in 1948. Today, Omega’s lineup of Seamasters leans more to the former, but a new iteration seeks to bring the line back towards its roots. There’s only one catch: You can only buy it in Venice, Italy.
The Seamaster “Edizione Venezia” takes on a slim, rounded shape similar to the original (as well as the excellent and underrated De Ville Trésor) with a thin bezel and a domed dial. The case itself is available in either Omega’s proprietary Sedna Gold or standard stainless steel and comes in at a reserved 39.5mm in diameter. Inside rests Omega’s anti-magnetic and automatic co-axial movement. Water resistance is modest at 60 meters, but it does keep in spirit with the original’s day-to-day waterproofness.
The steel model will retail for $6,483 (5,900 Euro) and the gold will go for $14,505 (13,200 Euro), though that doesn’t include the cost of the plane ticket to Venice you’ll need in order to pick one up. While it’s certainly frustrating for watch enthusiasts everywhere else, that such an excellent reimagining of an iconic watch remains out of our grasps, here’s hoping Omega comes to its senses and releases a similar version available for the rest of the world in the near future.
