It’s nearly impossible to compare any watch to the iconic Omega Seamaster Professional 300M popularized by James Bond. However, there’s a case to be made for a diver made by a heritage Swiss brand that is well-built but is not as saturated on the market in the way that the Seamaster has become.

Enter Ulysse Nardin with their 42mm caliber UN8163. I’ve been able to spend some time with both of these watches thanks to Troverie, a partner of the channel. If you’re looking for unparalleled access to new watches from major brands, make sure you check them out. Links are below.

Both the Seamaster and the Diver Chronometer have similar qualities: a 42mm case, sapphire crystal, three-hand dial with date, Super-LumiNova throughout, 300m water resistance, 120 clicks unidirectional bezel, and Swiss-made movement.

More About Ulysse Nardin

While the Seamaster needs no introduction, the Ulysse Nardin’s history is notable. The company was founded in 1846, just two years before Omega. Ulysse Nardin has been decorated with numerous awards thanks to their watches all while operating out of the same building in Le Locle, Switzerland since 1865.

The GPS coordinates on the dial are that of their Le Locle headquarters since their founding. At distance, both historic watchmakers have built amazing brands while innovating on timekeeping itself.

While one can lay its hat on landing on the moon, the other pushes forward, letting the craft speaks for itself. These two timepieces also illustrate a convergence. Over the years, the Seamaster has slowly increased its price while adding technology, a move usually made by Ulysse Nardin into making the brand more accessible.

To date, this is one of Ulysse Nardin’s smallest divers and with a retail price of $6000, this has become their entry-level line. You can see their heritage and fine watchmaking in the details. The stainless steel is impeccably finished with a gorgeously sand-blasted matte-blue face that is quite simple.

The hand-stitched bracelet feels incredibly sturdy and a uniquely refined choice for a diver. It has an excellent clasp mechanism that leaves no doubts that it can make it to the bottom of your dive.

Internally, there is a heavily modified automatic movement that incorporates in-house technology created specifically by Ulysse Nardin. This was the first time watches had ever seen this type of modified automatic movement.

With a 42-hour power reserve, the only shame on this watch is that there is no sapphire display back to show off the heartbeat of this incredible timepiece.

Omega Seamaster 300M

Leave it to Omega to come through on a gorgeously decorated, in-house, co-axial 8800 movement under sapphire. Omega brought back the wave dial from the original 300m professional and they brought their A-game.

Ceramic 60-minute bezel, navy-blue dial, and their iconic skeleton hands make for some of the many features that the Omega Seamaster has to offer. These all come together to bring you the Seamaster you know from Pierce Brosnan’s days as Bond but slightly updated to meet the modern expectations of Omega.

Being a Seamster owner myself, one of the first things I noticed is that the new clasp has these microadjustments so that the clasp can expand in the summer and contract in the winter. This makes it extremely easy to adjust the clasp.

Comparing the Seamaster vs. Ulysse Nardin

Both watches come in at 42mm. They can seem large, but the curvature of the Ulysse Nardin diver helps it maintain a low profile on my wrist compared to the Omega Seamaster. Both watches bring incredible luxury to your wrists while honoring the heritage each brand represents.

Ulysse Nardin used to just be a watch brand that I knew from seeing their ads in the Zurich airport, but now I can see that it’s a great contender if you’re looking for a watch that is tough like a Seamaster as it hasn’t been on the wrist of any famous international spies.

Omega Seamaster 300M Co-Axial

Ulysse Nardin Diver Chronometer

Omega Seamaster 300M vs. Ulysse Nardin Diver