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New 2018 SMP(w)

64K views 429 replies 132 participants last post by  dsn112 
#1 ·
I'm a very long time lurker/reader, but this is my first post. I would actually like to thank all of the active users on this forum for the info and perspective they provide.

Since I was a young man, I have loved the look of the SMP. Despite not being a huge fan of the JB films in which it was originally featured, the watch resonated with me. Fast forward to a few years back and one of my best friends found a 50th anniversary GMT (sword hands) in fantastic condition and it shook me. Every time I see him, off canned my Seiko Kinetic Tuna and on went that watch. He was always kind enough to say nice things about the tool diver that he got handed (I DO love my Seiko SUN). Fast forward some more to a few days before Christmas 2018 and I was in an AD closing this deal. Lol. I tried all the AT's (loved them and I will own one), a Railmaster (a tiny bit too much vintage aestheticfor me), and all three of the non-gold SMP's (black, sincere, and blue face). The black really spoke to me with the red accents on the dial. While wearing the blue, it was VERY handsome but I found myself wishing that the blue was darker (closer to Navy or Cobalt blue), like the earlier 2500 caliber watch. The silver also looked absolutely incredible, but lacked any color accent that contrasted with the face like the red-on-black. So the AD and I agreed on a 10% discount on the last black-on-bracelet in the store and I left a happy man.



When storing it 6 o'clock down overnight, I'm getting right around .1-.2 seconds fast per day using WatchTracker on iOS. Though, admittedly, the watch is accurate enough to have my error in syncing the second hand to potentially play a role in the measurement.



The bracelet is fantastically comfortable, easily equaling my previous most comfy watch, a 1995-96 Tag Se/L quartz with that famous/infamous S-Link band. I've repeatedly forgotten the SMP was on my wrist; a feat for a watch that isn't light in the std sense. The quick adjust feature is also 100% the future; I am able to wear the bracelet tighter (yet with 100% comfort) throughout the day. I don't have to pick one setting and learn to live with it. Further, it comes with two sets of half links (one on either side of the clasp). And, personally, I simply adore the look of the SMP bracelet. I'll be snagging a rubber strap later on for potential summer use.



The way that light plays and interacts with the dial is really fantastic. It's like getting a different, yet complimentary, version of the watch face every time you walk into a different room. With the laser engraved waves having a matte microtexture, they can look inky black or matte light grey. They can transform in this manner even in direct sunlight.



In fact, the entire face can turn into an inky black (with hands and indices still easily visible) void or a shiny mimic of a nearby light source by the twist of my wrist. The double AR coating makes the crystal disappear more often than I'm used to, showcasing the dial even more. I am increasingly guilty of getting caught staring at my watch while simultaneously having absolutely zero clue what time it is. Strangers think I'm rude. Friends think I'm constantly in a hurry. I can't stop looking at it. Surely there's a pill for this...



The display case back is also a wonderful little treat that I really love. Is it an unnecessary frivolity? Of course it is! So is having more than a G-Shock or Timex on your wrist. I dig it. And I'm willing to have a slightly thicker case to get it. End of story. [emoji16]



As my first luxury watch purchase, the entire process felt special. Thanks in large part to one of my best buddies (Ian you rock!) and not in small part to this forum. I went in prepared in what to look for, what to expect, and realistic expectations. My AD reciprocated and the experience couldn't have been smoother. Many thanks for those here that share such good info.



Side by side with my buddy's 50th Anniversary GMT SMP, the watches are clearly brothers of the same parents. The cases are so close in size, when my bud and I traded watches for a few minutes, we got to talking about the Rolex Daytona bubble and we both, out loud, admitted that we forgot we were wearing the other's watch.

On the same wrist, their diameter is difficult to differentiate by eye. Though mine is clearly thicker in profile, it's also still very close. The lineage is really striking and I just love that a non-watch-person might not be able to tell which is newer, or even that they're different, depending on the angle.

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#2 ·
I should add that, though I am losing weight, I've got a wrist that is approximately 7.75" on a hot day and 7.5" on a cooler day; 19cm to 19.7cm for the rest of the world.
 
#3 ·
Congrats and awesome review/post. The new black SMP is a great all arounder. I just bought the blue dial this past weekend but I was torn between the black and blue. I went blue to add some variety to my black dial watch collection and am loving it. In normal lighting it really comes off as more navy blue.

Great post and congrats!
Mine says hello.


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#5 ·
Wow yours looks great in that picture! Ceramic really is uncharted territory when implemented like this. Your dial looks completely different from how it looked in the AD showroom.

I was really going for an all-rounder. Especially since this is my first mechanical watch. So black for my use case best. But your blue looks TOTALLY different there; as you say, much closer to Navy. Very beautiful!

I've no regrets, but that just may have jumped above the silver face SMP..... [emoji848]



Mine says hello in return. [emoji106][emoji851]

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#7 ·
Congrats on your new SMPw (I also like the name SMPmc for "master co-axial"). It looks awesome. I own the "original" 2531.80 Bond SMP, and I really like how you can clearly see the "DNA"/heritage of the Omega diver in the 2018 update. Wear it in good health...
 
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#12 ·
Oh I think I like that better than SMPw.

But it's not letting me edit the thread title....

Agreed in the DNA. The line is evolving, but every new model answers to that original. Kinda like the Porsche 911.

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#10 ·
As lover and owner of Bond SMP 2220.80, I am glad to see the continuity of the lineage on the newer model. Kudos to Omega for a job well-done!

Now, I am patiently waiting to add the new Black to my collection.

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#11 ·
Congrats on a great watch. Great photos too. Every time I see one I think thats the colour for me. Then a few scrolls down the thread I see the blue! Although I decided that the grey was my favourite when I looked at them in the AD. I really dont need another diver but I think the voices in my head are starting again. Im being strong so far. The SMP range is fantastic. I even like the 2 tone versions although theyre not for me.
 
#21 ·
#18 ·
Oh I love that wave dial! And in black!

I really have to stop looking at pics of the new SMP.....thankfully, my nearest AD is a 45min Drive!

Wait...45 mins?.....that isn't far!

Great watch! Congrats....
If you do, you won't regret it.

I've worn nothing else since obtaining it. Not only have I been robbed of the desire to wear anything else, it's become a particular point of mood enhancement every morning when I put it on for the day.

I smile. Every time.

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#16 ·
Garbage quality lume shots:

The blurry one got the ambient light level about right. The properly focused pics appear far brighter than in person. Pics on an iPhone XR.







Almost as bright as my Seiko Kinetic Tuna (SUN045), which is the best lume I've ever seen on any watch to date. Irrespective of price. I'm very pleased. The differential lume on the minute hand makes quick time checks in a dark room REALLY easy and fast, especially at odd angles.

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#33 ·
Almost as bright as my Seiko Kinetic Tuna (SUN045), which is the best lume I've ever seen on any watch to date. Irrespective of price. I'm very pleased. The differential lume on the minute hand makes quick time checks in a dark room REALLY easy and fast, especially at odd angles.
Not sure anything beats the Tuna. Im still bummed that I sold my Tuna.

Blue Light Neon Clock Lighting
 
#46 ·
I adjusted the levels in the photo so that it looked closer to real life than before. It seems that the ceramic is very difficult for camera sensors to accurately capture.



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#53 ·
The original was a dark, Navy blue. In many light conditions it was almost indistinguishable from black. Beside needing a GADA piece, the black of this generation more closely fit the original aesthetic/feel to me in most lighting conditions.

However, this ceramic wave dial is truly uncharted territory. When I saw the blue in multiple showrooms, it looked like a medium, Royal blue.... far from Navy. However, in the real world, it's difficult to pin down what it is. It does tend to wear darker unless in bright light.

I still do not regret black; in fact, I love it more after wearing it non stop than I did the day I got it.

However, you gotta get these dials in actual daylight and some darker rooms too, if at all possible. Real world lighting conditions. In the real world, I like the blue face and silver face significantly more than I liked them in-showroom.

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