Television presenter Jeremy Clarkson spotted wearing a Omega

Jeremy Clarkson was photographed wearing an Omega Seamaster Professional 300m in stainless steel with the distinctive wave-patterned blue dial — reference 2531.80 — a watch that needs little introduction in horological circles but carries more cultural weight than almost any other reference from its era.

The Omega Seamaster 300m Ref. 2531.80 entered production in the early 1990s and became the definitive version of the model after Pierce Brosnan strapped one on in GoldenEye in 1995. That Bond association transformed the watch from a competent professional diver into a genuine phenomenon. The 41mm stainless steel case houses the calibre 1120 — a self-winding movement based on the ETA 2892-A2 with Omega finishing — offering a 40-hour power reserve and running at 28,800 vph. Water resistance sits at a genuine 300 metres, backed by a screw-in crown and caseback. The wave-guilloche blue dial, luminous baton indices, and aluminium insert on the unidirectional rotating bezel define the look that an entire generation of watch buyers came to associate with the Seamaster name.

Among collectors, the 2531.80 occupies an interesting position. It is not a rare watch — Omega produced vast quantities throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s — but its condition-sensitivity and Bond provenance mean clean examples with original bracelets and signed buckles command serious attention on the secondary market. The bracelet reference 1503/569 with the deployment clasp is frequently replaced, making full original configurations increasingly desirable.

Clarkson's choice is fitting. The Grand Tour and former Top Gear presenter has long favoured watches that communicate substance over status anxiety — a philosophy that aligns naturally with a tool watch that happens to be one of the most recognised references in 20th-century watchmaking. He wears it without apparent ceremony, which is exactly how the 2531.80 was designed to be worn.

On the grey market, honest examples of the Omega Seamaster 300m Ref. 2531.80 trade steadily between $1,500 and $2,800 depending on condition, box, papers, and bracelet integrity. It is one of the most accessible entry points into vintage-adjacent Omega collecting, and its cultural footprint ensures it will not quietly disappear from the conversation anytime soon.