Omega Stories: The Seamaster Electric Blue 2255.80 / 2232.80 & The Royal Navy Clearance Diver LE

padders · Feb 4, 2025

josiahg52
I don't know the subtleties, but the ref. 2231.80 from the late 90s and early 2000s comes on a Seamaster "Bond" bracelet and at 41.5mm with a white outline and the 2232.80 from the 10s comes with a Speedmaster bracelet and at 41mm with no outline.

It’s a good theory but I don’t think it’s quite right. All full size Blake 3 hand and GMT models are the same ~41mm, it’s just they changed how they quoted the size on the website at some point. Also the last Blake dial 1120 movement models were made in 2006 so a little earlier than you suggest maybe. I do agree on the bracelet differences you state. The white border is never seen on some models like the 2254, but on others it’s seen on some examples and not others. Not sure which is earlier, with or without. Note a quick search throws up 2231 and 2232s with or without the border but it could be a case of misidentification by sellers I guess.

josiahg52 · Feb 4, 2025

padders
It’s a good theory but I don’t think it’s quite right. All full size Blake 3 hand and GMT models are the same ~41mm, it’s just they changed how they quoted the size on the website at some point. Also the last Blake dial 1120 movement models were made in 2006 so a little earlier than you suggest maybe. I do agree on the bracelet differences you state. The white border is never seen on some models like the 2531 or 2254, but on others it’s seen on some examples and not others. Not sure which is earlier, with or without. Note a quick search throws up 2231 and 2232s with or without the border but it could be a case of misidentification by sellers I guess.

I agree probably misidentification as most eBay electric blue watches are 2255.80 regardless of metal, movement, size, etc. it seems. I didn't think the size mattered much or was an intentional change - 0.5mm - but the rest was from looking at Omega's website. The years I specified were very general but were on the website, too. I did a quick search and I thought there was a clear disparity, but that was a about a minute of looking. Seems to be a design cue from the Bond Seamaster.

Rheide · Mar 28, 2025

josiahg52
I don't know the subtleties, but the ref. 2231.80 from the late 90s and early 2000s comes on a Seamaster "Bond" bracelet and at 41.5mm with a white outline and the 2232.80 from the 10s comes with a Speedmaster bracelet and at 41mm with no outline.

Correct. My original 2231.80 came with a white outline date box. My most recent service (got it back FEB 2025 with a dial replacement that had no white outline date box). It also had a replacement watch back that had the Omega global service logo etched on it. All new to me. Owned this watch for almost 30 years with multiple services. The explanation form Omega when asked about the date box was that as the hour lumes dull over time, the white outline date box was “out of balance” with the rest of the dial. So they removed it to balance the aging of the dial. Obviously a style issue as the outline makes no difference in the visual operation of the watch. All that being said, and admittedly biased, I think the 2231.80 is a woefully under estimated model in the Seamaster line. Light, thin and no longer in production. All pluses to me! Here is a post service pic.

watch_my_six · Nov 9, 2025

Rheide
Correct. My original 2231.80 came with a white outline date box. My most recent service (got it back FEB 2025 with a dial replacement that had no white outline date box). It also had a replacement watch back that had the Omega global service logo etched on it. All new to me. Owned this watch for almost 30 years with multiple services. The explanation form Omega when asked about the date box was that as the hour lumes dull over time, the white outline date box was “out of balance” with the rest of the dial. So they removed it to balance the aging of the dial. Obviously a style issue as the outline makes no difference in the visual operation of the watch. All that being said, and admittedly biased, I think the 2231.80 is a woefully under estimated model in the Seamaster line. Light, thin and no longer in production. All pluses to me! Here is a post service pic.

Interesting, so only service dials have no white date outline? And do service dials affect the value one way or the other for this watch, given that they're all luminova anyways?

Rheide · Nov 10, 2025

watch_my_six
Interesting, so only service dials have no white date outline? And do service dials affect the value one way or the other for this watch, given that they're all luminova anyways?

Good questions. No idea. I’ve never had the watch valued and no intent to sell/trade. I’m not a guy who chases the nuances of value, either. Subjective, but I’d pay more for a used modern watch that is fully functional over one that is original, but has a dead face. It’s not a special edition, so I don’t think any damage is done to its value by putting a new dial in. It’s a tool to me. A nice one, but a tool. Changing out the dial for one that illuminates “as new” is better to me than having the original watch face that doesn’t glow any longer. Besides, OMEGA just did it. Didn’t ask and didn’t charge me extra. Here’s a pic in its current form.