A Superb Vintage Seamaster 300 - Cunard Shipping Company Presentation Watch with Provenance

The Seamaster is the longest-running product line still produced by Omega. It was introduced in 1948 and was loosely based upon designs made for the British Royal Navy towards the end of World War II. The original Seamaster's key feature was an O-ring gasket used to provide its waterproof seal.

In 1957, when scuba diving was the en vogue sport, Omega rolled out a trio of 'Master' watches - The Speedmaster, The Railmaster, and The Seamaster 300. Unlike its predecessor, the Seamaster 300 was specifically designed for underwater use.

What’s On Offer 

This Seamaster 300 is a presentation watch, given to Captain Phillips Almond Read by Cunard Shipping Company for his years of service, however, before his time with Cunard,  Captain Read served many years in the Royal Navy in both the (DSC) Defence and Security Committee and (RNR) Royal Naval Reserve, from joining the forces in 1937 to his retirement in 1955. This of course means he served during World War 2 and from our research, we can see that he was a commanding officer on HMS King Sol, HMS Allington Castle and HMS LST 358 respectively from 1941 - so he certainly saw active service and received recognition of his service with The Decoration for Officers of the Royal Naval Reserve (RD), instituted in 1908 - a medal awarded in the Royal Naval Reserve of the United Kingdom to officers with at least fifteen years of active duty.

After a long and successful career in the military, Captain Read began work with Cunard Shipping Line and on his retirement from there in February 1967, was gifted this beautiful watch. He certainly gained his sea legs! You can see the engravings on the clasp of the bracelet and we also have a postcard he received with it. What a lovely piece of insightful and historical provenance. It's always fantastic to be able to tell the story behind the watch and of course for the new owner to add their adventures to the tapestry! 

Besides having wonderful provenance, this watch is in great shape with a beautifully aged dial. The original lume plots have been preserved and turned into a nice creamy colour. There is also a surviving lume in the hands. The Omega signature sits at 12, and the dial is completed with a central seconds hand and Seamaster signature. This watch is sold with the ORIGINAL bracelet it was presented to Captain Read with (Bracelet Ref: 1506 & Clasp Code: 4th Quarter 1966) and the presentation engraving is on the clasp. The end pieces of the bracelet have got different references - the end piece marked 16 is the original and the other is marked 455B and is a service replacement, given the watch's age this is not unusual. 

Such an original piece with this type of documented history in such fantastic condition is seldom seen and very much sought after. 

The Seamaster 300 remains a robust-looking watch, even when compared to its modern counterparts. It's substantial proportions and sporty bakelite bezel are hallmarks of this iconic vintage Omega dive watch.