Omega debuted the Seamaster family – like this full serviced 1960s Omega Seamaster Cosmic Ref. 166.036 here – in 1948 to celebrate the company’s Omega’s 100th anniversary loosely based upon designs made for the British Royal Navy near the end of World War II.
Omega’s design of the first Seamaster, the 300, drew influence from older waterproof watches worn on the wrists of the British military during WWII. However, what would initially distinguish the first Seamaster from its other predecessor watches from Omega competitors was its rubber O-ring gasket, which separated the dive watch from other lead or shellac gaskets which were more susceptible to temperature changes.
Instead, Omega’s rubber gasket prevented any water infiltration in severe temperature changes ranging between -40° C to 50° C. In 1955, the Swiss Laboratory for Watch Research tested 50 Seamaster cases down to a depth of 60 meters, all with rubber O-rings – all passed with no water infiltration.
Omega engineers were so confident of the Seamaster’s durability, they attached one to the outside of an aircraft and flew it over the North Pole in 1956. The Seamaster 300 performed so well, in fact, that Jacques Cousteau’s team used it during experimental dives in 1963 and beyond.
For the past 70+ years, Omega has produced a staggering array of Seamasters to suit a variety of needs; from solid gold dress watches to solid blocks of stainless steel used for dive watches, from soccer timers to world timers, the Seamaster has seen them all. While other watch companies have various families to cater to various customers, Omega’s Seamaster is unique in its versatility: at one point or another there has been a Seamaster for just about everyone.
This Omega Cosmic comes on a premium Strap Geeks leather strap, and with nylon strap, springbar tool, and rugged travel case.
1960's Omega Seamaster Cosmic Ref. 166.036 Automatic Dress Watch
DIAL: Textured Omega and Seamaster Cosmic-signed dial, with matching hands and a quite unique dark gray chapter ring.
CASE: Stainless-steel case measures 36mm (w/o crown, 38mm with) x 38mm stainless steel mono-bloc case, with sharp caselines. Iconic Seamaster seahorse inscription on back of case is crisp.
CRYSTAL: Domed acylic crystal, scratch and crack-free.
BAND: This Omega Cosmic comes on a brown premium Strap Geeks leather strap; it also comes with a grey, white, and beige nylon strap.
MOVEMENT: 24-jeweled Omega Calibre 565 automatic mechanical movement, which beats at 19,800 bph. We have performed a full service on this watch.
CROWN: Omega-signed stainless-steel crown.