Omega

• cal. 1002 automatic winding movement, 20 jewels • blue dial, luminescent baton indexes, aperture for date, large orange minute hand • oversized asymmetric case, black bezel calibrated for 60 minutes, screw down and locking crown, large red button for releasing bezel to upper right • case, dial and movement signed • stainless steel Omega "mesh" bracelet, ref. 1266/237 

The emergence and subsequent progression of scuba diving in industry during the 60s and 70s called for very especially designed equipment.  Watches in particular played a significant role in the undertakings of professional divers and were thus tools and relied upon heavily.  This new demand for precision timepieces that could tolerate the stresses of prolonged deep water submersion sparked a period of significant innovation within the major Swiss Manufactures, keen to capitalise on a fresh and growing market.

Omega, who had just recently put their watches on the moon, naturally embraced this new challenge with similar fervour.  And so, working in collaboration with COMEX (the Compagnie Maritime d’Expertise) the Omega Seamaster Professional 600 was born. The Plongeur Professional nicknamed ‘PloProf’ was marketed as being able to withstand depths of up to 2000ft , comfortably enduring  Omega’s ‘seabed-to-Everest torture’ testing. Further to this, tests conducted later by Ocean Systems Inc., a diving research centre operating out of the United States, concluded the watch was ‘more watertight’ than a submarine.

Released officially in 1970 after 4 years of continuous research and development, the ‘Ploprof’ has many distinguishing features.  Its large asymmetric case forged from a single piece of stainless steel, the red or orange pusher to the top of the case, bi-directional bezel and oversized broad arrow hands provided optimal functionality for divers while, at the same time, producing an aesthetic synonymous with the 1970s - features that are indeed as attractive now as they were then. This particular watch is separated from the majority by the signature, or lack thereof, to the dial.  Once the Ploprof was officially released dials were signed ‘Seamaster 600 Professional’, this watch however, confirmed as a prototype by Omega, is simply marked ‘Seamaster’ with no 600 or Professional designation.

In addition to the fantastic overall condition, adorned with a striking blue dial and orange minute hand, the tritium on the hands, indexes and bezel have taken on an incredibly attractive and consistent patina.