OMEGA Electronic F300Hz Chronometre Black dial ref. 198.003

In the 70s, just like other watch manufacturers, OMEGA decided to utilise the tuning fork movements in many of their watches: calibre ESA 9162 (date only) and 9164 (day and date).

Those 2, considered to be the ‘truffle mushroom’ of the tuning fork movements, were designed by Max Hetzel who was previously a development engineer at BULOVA Watch Co., then promoted to Chief Physicist. For those who have no ideas about tuning fork, it is like no other battery driven watch, or mechanical. It is driven by a tuning fork vibrating at 300-720 times a second, depending on the model. As a matter of course, it doesn’t tick, but hums, and travels so smoothly that makes you think it’s flying.

Lisenced by BULOVA, OMEGA watches using these movements were seen as the ‘OMEGA f300’, and obviously the name showed the frequency of the watch. OMEGA f300 models are various. They can be in the Constellation, Seamaster, De Ville, Geneve, and Speedsonic. The watch presented here was in the Seamaster line, with the unmistakeable OMEGA logo highlighted in red.

Strong, bold, and innovative at the time, this watch brings you a bit of vintage vibe with its appearance, and modern touch in its movement.