Tantalum, what’s that, I hear you say. Well, allow me to explain. Tantalum is a highly corrosion-resistant bluish-grey metal with an extreme hardness and high boiling point. Which are the exact qualities you want in a dive watch, but also qualities that make Tantalum incredibly difficult to work with – and the reason why the material is not often seen in the watch industry. However, when Omega first released the Seamaster Diver 300M in 1993, their flagship model was a tri-coloured chronograph (ref 2296.80) that included a case made from titanium, tantalum, and rose gold. Twenty-five years later, the combination is back, only now it’s without the chronograph, and it features a host of modern updates. At quick glance, the limited edition looks quite similar to its regular collection siblings. But there’s a lot more going on here than first meets the eye. First of all, and most obviously, the bezel insert is 18k Sedna gold, with a frosted finish that tones things down and sets the stage for the muted grey titanium dial – with its laser-engraved wave pattern raised rather than etched into its darkened surface. There’s also no date, but there is a set of familiar 18k…
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