by Anthony Marquié & Grégoire Rossier.
Challenge 1: An infinite universe
We quickly realized that our research field – or “playground,” as we like to call it – would be far broader and more complex than that of the Moonwatch.
The Seamaster family encompasses an astonishing variety of models and variations – around 1,500 references – making a fully comprehensive study impossible. For this reason, we chose to focus our detailed ONLY-style analysis on the Seamaster 300.
Challenge 2: Four authors
To produce the highest-quality book possible, and for the joy of sharing this research with other enthusiasts, we decided in 2018 to reach out to two leading Seamaster 300 experts, Kox and Ash Lambe.
They immediately accepted, and our project became a true four-author collaboration.
Kox (left) and Ash (right).
What was your reaction when we reached out to you with the idea of the Seamaster book project?
Ash:
I was already a big fan of your books so it was exciting to be involved in creating a new one, especially as the Seamaster is such a favourite of mine.
Kox:
I have had a dream of writing a reference book on the vintage Seamaster 300s for a long time. Nobody had done that and I knew that the community needed and wanted one. Ash reached out to me regarding making one together and we got cracking. But in the initial phase we came to know that the MOONWATCH ONLY team also had that idea, so long story short, we all teamed up. It made more sense to work with Greg and Anthony, since they had already established a framework and structure with the MOONWATCH ONLY book and especially the “ONLY” concept, which we liked a lot. Together with their contacts at OMEGA and the watch community in general, the collab made sense for us.
During our first online meeting, we reviewed each other’s research and agreed on how to share data and materials.
To maximize efficiency, we each took primary responsibility for certain areas, while contributing jointly to most chapters.
Our first in-person session took place at OMEGA headquarters in December 2019 – a working and photo session devoted to the Seamaster 300 (produced from 1957 to 1970) and our very first face-to-face meeting.
What were your impressions after this first meeting, especially about the way we worked?
And how did you feel about this working session at OMEGA?
Ash:
The highly professional way in which you work was clear immediately and it was great to meet up in person. I had met Greg in London many years ago but it was my first time meeting Anthony. Kox has long been an authority on these models and I had been communicating on-line with him for years but so much more can be achieved meeting in real life. It was also a dream come true to have access to OMEGA’s incredible archive and we were able to answer some long held questions almost immediately. It was a fantastic first meeting!
Kox:
First of all it was really nice to meet you all in person and I think we had some good, fun and very productive days. I had been to Bienne before and also visited the old Museum, but this time I was invited “behind the scenes” of the Museum, the nice people at the Heritage team and of course the holy grail of them all – the physical archives. It was a great experience! The mixture of Q/A sessions with the OMEGA people, taking pictures of some of the Museum’s Seamaster 300 examples and the opportunity to look-up serials on micro-films and in the delivery books was very productive. We could for sure have done that a few times more. COVID ruined that unfortunately.
Challenge 3: Analyzing the Seamaster 300
We soon realized the topic was even more complex than anticipated.
The Seamaster 300’s history as a professional diving watch meant that many examples had undergone numerous component replacements, often due to compromised water resistance or inadequate servicing. Each part required extensive study – and often several review sessions – before validation. We then established a complete classification and naming system for the different component versions.
Before this project, did you expect there would be so many component versions, and consequently so many variations of complete watches?
Ash:
Yes! I knew one of our greatest challenges would be to present them all in a clear way.
Kox:
Actually yes, I knew and expected that. But I for sure got some new insights during our research and sessions. The more we “dived” into our data and examples gathered, the more new and clear patterns emerged. Many of these patterns were also new to me. For instance that the Lume 12 dial examples were only delivered to the UK and likewise that the first batch with the Big Triangle dials were produced and delivered to the UK as civilian examples, way before delivered to the Ministry of Defence (MoD).
You’ve studied the military versions in great depth; what are your thoughts on the results of this research and the chapter it produced?
Ash:
The military issued Seamaster 300s are of particular interest to me, just as they are to many collectors, so I knew the importance of presenting accurate and detailed information. It’s one of the chapters I spent the most time on and I have to say I think the result is great. I believe even seasoned collectors will discover much new information.
Kox:
I actually think that we captured many great findings. There is no doubt that especially the MoD examples are really really hard to pinpoint regarding the correct original components and ranges, since all of them have had extensive service done and hence have replacement parts – both correct and incorrects. However since we have recorded so many examples, I believe that our findings for sure can be a good guidance in this minefield of the perhaps most desirable Seamaster 300s.
Challenge 4: The missing pieces
After the COVID period, we gathered in 2022 for a major photo session in Watchfid’s Milan offices. This three-day workshop, bringing together our entire collection of watches and components, revealed that several examples were still missing.
To identify and document them, we turned to collectors and auction houses with rich photographic archives. Many contributors generously lent us their watches or organized dedicated photoshoots for the project – to all of them, we extend our sincere thanks.
How were you able to identify which collectors owned these missing components or models?
Ash:
That was solely due to being a part of the OMEGA collecting community for so many years. On line forums are a fantastic way to share information and meet other like minded collectors. For me the Omega Forum in particular has been a great place to hang out and connect with so many people I would never have met otherwise.
Kox:
I have tracked the SM300s for many years and recorded examples with pictures and other details, also who sold or owned which ones. So I could find some of missing links on that basis.
Challenge 5: Integrating and writing
Integrating the information proved one of the most demanding phases, requiring thousands of data points to be harmonized into a coherent whole. Out of several thousand photographs, we selected just over a thousand to ensure visual consistency throughout the book.
Two core chapters provided the foundation for the book’s structure, leading naturally to others:
Kox, thank you for sharing the incredible chart featured in the appendix. How did you manage to compile such a detailed table containing so many parameters?
Kox:
I have been researching and tracking the Seamaster 300 for many years. Since the late 2000s, I have approached this work in a more structured and consistent way, documenting most examples offered for sale by dealers, at auctions, or by private collectors. Besides the all important pictures and serials numbers, I have recorded details of the components and also both new and old extracts from OMEGA archives. Before the book project, my database was not as structured as I wanted it to be, but since then, I’ve spent time updating it and during that process, I discovered many new patterns. All this made the “summary” chart in the appendix possible and I really hope that it can be of use for the collector community, which always has been one of my main drivers for doing this. It all started with the love of the Seamaster 300 models and the frustrations over all the fake and franken examples. Since I collect these myself, I needed valid informations to avoid the worst bobby traps and there were no good central source for that, so I started to do it myself
Challenge 6: Writing as a team of four
Writing a book with four authors proved even more complex than with two.
Different writing styles and native languages required a high level of coordination, but they also enriched the final result.
After seven years of research and eighteen months of intensive writing, we are proud of what we achieved and delighted to share it with the collector community.
