Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2265 in Watches
• Brand: Omega
• Model: 2220.80.00
• Band material: stainless-steel
• Bezel material: stainless-steel
• Case material: stainless-steel
• Clasp type: fold-over-push-button-clasp-with-safety
• Dial color: blue
• Dial window material: anti-reflective-scratch-resistant-sapphire
• Movement type: Swiss Automatic
• Water-resistant to 1000 feet

Features

• Quality Swiss Automatic movement; Functions without a battery; Powers automatically with the movement of your arm
• Domed, anti-reflective scratch-resistant sapphire crystal
• Case diameter: 41 mm
• Stainless-steel case; Blue dial; Date function
• Water-resistant to 300 M (1000 feet)

Amazon.com Product Description
Set a course for adventure with this classic Omega Seamaster 300M stainless steel men's automatic chronometer watch, part of Omega's James Bond collection. You'll be able to negotiate all manner of adventures and still look stylish in the boardroom or at the baccarat table. This highly accurate, self-winding timepiece is also a great diving watch, with water resistance to 300 meters (984 feet) and a helium escape valve, which allows helium to escape from inside the watch when the watch is worn in highly pressurized environments (such as long-term underwater work evading the bad guys). The large silver rhodium-plated case measures 41mm wide (1.61 inches) and it's complemented by a handsome stainless steel bracelet band. A blue elapsed time unidirectional bezel frames a wavy blue dial that includes luminous dotted hour markers, luminous-tipped skeleton hands, and a date window at 3 o'clock. Other features include a 48-hour power reserve and scratch-resistant and glare-proofed domed sapphire crystal.

It's powered by Omega's break-through Co-Axial escapement. Developed in conjunction with master watchmaker George Daniels, it's based on double co-axial escape wheel, a lever with three pallet stones and impulse stone on the balance roller, together with a free sprung-balance. The Co-Axial escapement system reduces sliding friction compared with the lever escapement and thus ensures greater accuracy over time.

This watch also features the Omega 2500 caliber automatic movement, which has been certified as a chronometer by the COSC (Swiss Official Chronometer Control). Only 3 percent of watches produced in Switzerland are "chronometer-certified." To achieve this highly coveted certification, the movements are subjected to numerous tests over a period of 15 consecutive days and nights, in five positions and at three different temperatures.

The Omega Story
The Omega watch story begins in 1848, when founder Louis Brandt began hand assembling key-wound precision pocket watches from parts supplied by local craftsmen in his principality La Chaux-de-Fonds, in the northwest corner of Switzerland. However, the Omega name didn't appear until 1894, after Louis Brandt had passed away and his watchmaking traditions were taken over by his sons, Louis-Paul and Cesar Brandt. Omega watches have long been associated with glamorous screen and sports stars--the Omega Seamaster is famous for being the watch of choice for James Bond--with current ambassadors including Pierce Brosnan, Nicole Kidman, tennis player Anna Kournikova, and swimmers Michael Phelps and Ian Thorpe.

But Omega is more than just a fashionable watch. In 1965, the Omega Speedmaster chronograph was "flight-qualified by NASA for all manned space missions" as the only wristwatch to have withstood all of the U.S. space agency's severe tests, including passing grades for extreme shocks, vibrations, and temperatures ranging from -18 to +93 degrees Celsius. The greatest moment in the Speedmaster's history was undoubtedly 20 July 1969 at 02:56 GMT, when it recorded man's first steps on the Moon's surface as part of the Apollo 11 mission. Omega watches rocketed off to space on many subsequent missions, including visits to Skylab and the historic Apollo-Soyuz link-up of Soviet and American astronauts in 1975.

In more recent years, Omega created the world's first self-winding wristwatch with central tourbillon in 1994 and made history in 1999 with the first mass-produced watch incorporating the co-axial escapement, developed in conjunction with renowned English master watchmaker George Daniels. In simple terms, the escapement is the heart of a mechanical watch, generating the impulses that make the mechanism move. Omega's Co-Axial Escapement drastically reduces the friction among the parts that transmit energy to the other components, producing greater stability and precision and reducing service requirements.

Today, Omega is known for its rigorous testing of new movements, cases, and bands. Each new Omega movement is tested on the wrist in existing Omega models, while various laboratory tests are conducted to determine temperature-resistance, shock-resistance and vibration-resistance.

Customer Reviews

James Bond is Back in Casino Royale
This 2006 edition of the famous James Bond watch made its debut in the movie Casino Royale. Actually, there are two Omega watches in the movie; the limited edition Omega Seamaster Plant Ocean Big Size 2907.50.91 and the limited edition Omega Seamaster Chronometer 2226.80.00. The watch offered here carries on the James Bond style without the limited edition price tag.

This style of the James Bond watch first appeared in the movie 'Golden Eye' (1995) and is still available as the full size gents model 2531.80.00. The new 2006 model 2220.80.00 has several refinements that you should consider over the previous (but still available) model. Most notably, the automatic movement now has the newly designed Co-Axial escapement. The Co-Axial Technology reduces sliding friction compared with the lever escapement in the previous model and ensures greater accuracy over time. More importantly, it doesn't require servicing for 10 years versus 2-3 years in the previous model. Servicing a luxury watch like Omega can be expensive. Bear in mind that any Omega watch purchased on the internet voids the International Warranty, so read the seller's warranty terms carefully. This watch is also available in a quartz version as model 2221.80.00.

The other big change is the appearance of the watch face. The blue wave dial is a deeper shade blue with a more distinctive wave pattern and the Seamaster script is a subtle red. More apparent is the hour markings are now encased in stainless steel mountings instead of painted on as in the previous model. This alone cleans up the watch face and makes it look like it costs thousands more.

If you desire a James Bond series watch with a true Swiss movement, this is the one.

Doesn't get much better than Omega
The four true luxury watch companies (in my limited, but somewhat informed opinion) are Breitling, Cartier, Rolex and Omega. If you want a true luxury watch, buy a Omega! The 2220.80.00 is commonly known as the "Bond Watch" (as seen in the past four 007 movies). This Seamaster 300m Co-Axial Chonometer is a great luxury watch, stylish and manly. Be careful to learn about Authorized Dealers vs. "Grey Market" watches. ALL Omegas sold online are "Grey Market" since Omega does not allow internet sales, hence your warranty will probably not be honored by Omega directly but by some watch company (beware!). Want to learn more about luxury watches check out Timezone.com before buying to make sure you get the right watch. I got the watch for my 40th Birthday (Thanks Steve!) and I love it!

I actually own this watch: very accurate for mechanical movement
I actually own this specific watch (#2220.80.00) and is my 2nd Omega (have five year old Speedmaster). It is a beautiful watch and like other Omegas you get comments on it. If you have not owned an Omega then you will be impressed by the feel and quality of the watch. For these kind of watches it doesn't feel heavy at all but a comfortable feel to it when wearing. Accuracy? Let's face it, a cheap $20 quartz is more accurate but it is rated a chronometer (don't confuse the term chronograph with lots of dials) and I gain 2 seconds a day. This is good because it is easy to update but stopping the clock a few seconds a day and watches tend to slow until the next cleaning. The Co-Axial feature is not a gimick (look at the Omega site for an animation on how this works) and results in the watch being certified a chronometer. Compared to my older non-coaxial Speedmaster (new ones have coaxial) here are my observations:
*With my older automatic you could feel the automatic movement as it spun around when wearing it. The Seamaster doesn't have that moment and is quiet. When listening to it much more pleasant than the Speedmaster but I know most would say who cares.
*With my older automatic when you did rewind it it would offer a lot of resistance and almost cut into your thumb. The new one offers just a little resistance but rewinds the watch. You could wind it all day without getting callouses.

As for as warrenty: Others have pointed out that you lose one year of warrenty if you buy it through Amazon. I also think you may not get the card that certifies it is a chronometer which may be important for some and not for others. I bought it through the Navy exchange military store but of course not an option for some. The advantage is that the military is a certified Omega seller.

Only negative (maybe not for some): The watch dial is really more black than blue as shown in the picture...looks more like black wave not blue wave. OK, maybe it is a dark Navy blue. Still not a deal breaker for this watch. Good value for the price. I've found I didn't really need all the "bells and whistles" of my chronogragh Speedmaster. If you need reading glasses nice to have big broad dials such as this watch which is easy to read.