Proudly sporting the red and black colors of the Emirates New Zealand Team, the Seamaster Diver 300M ETNZ celebrates a two decade-long collaboration that has been marked by success. Begun in 1995 for the navigation campaign led by skipper Sir Peter Blake in the America’s Cup, this partnership was forged in glory: the ETNZ skipper won first prize in the Cup that year. A classic example of mutual collaboration between a sea navigation personality and a watchmaker of character, the Seamaster Diver 300M ETNZ proudly steps up alongside OMEGA’s other renowned timepieces. After a second victory in 2000, Sir Peter Blake announced his official retirement from subsequent editions of the America’s Cup. But the ending of his career didn’t prevent the brand and their athletic muse from collaborating further: “When Sir Peter retired from professional sailing after that campaign, OMEGA continued to support him […] until his untimely death in 2001. Since then, OMEGA has continued its support for ETNZ,” the Swiss brand recalls.
The brand has never ceased to appear among the most reputable sponsors for what is a renowned team in its own right. In 2013, the luxury watch manufacturer launched an ode to the red and black navigators by presenting the Seamaster Diver ETNZ LE. With all the characteristics of a diving watch but specially conceived for regatta racing, this timepiece was released in a limited edition of only 2013 copies, corresponding with the year in which the national team was competing in the 34th edition of the America’s Cup. Today, it appears that the ties uniting the seafaring world and this Swiss watchmaker are stronger than ever as the 35th edition of the race looms ahead in 2017. Indeed, OMEGA reminds us how time can never undo the most deep-rooted of friendships. Only two years after the arrival of the Seamaster Diver ETNZ LE, its younger sibling, the Seamaster Diver 300M ETNZ is now making a splash.
Somewhere between the vintage 300 Master Chronometer, the Planet Ocean 600M, and the Polprof 1200m, the newest arrival at OMEGA boasts astounding parameters. Polished in grade five titanium and equipped with several counting scales for hours and seconds, the Seamaster Diver 300M ETNZ can accompany regattiers day and night thanks to the blueish glow of its Super-Luminova. This athletic watch also possesses a remarkable precision, even for a top of the line watch, with red on the dial as well as on the side buttons. A three hour dial counts 30 minute intervals, for sailors who have to accurately count the five minutes preceding the starting line. This gem also sports a striated rubber bracelet with the colors of New Zealand, specially studied to allow air and water to pass through. Finally, the true signature of this union can be observed on the watch’s background: a sail blowing in the wind along with the initials of the Emirates Team New Zealand.
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