Models
The Omega Seamaster Ploprof
By the Encore Luxe specialists · Updated October 2026
Some watches are designed to look like tools. The Ploprof was designed to be one. It was built for professional divers working at depth, and every unusual feature of its case, from the asymmetric shape to the bright orange bezel button, answers a practical problem. More than half a century on, it remains one of the most distinctive watches Omega makes.
Key facts
| Introduced | Tested 1970, offered from 1971 (Seamaster 600 Ploprof); 2009 (Seamaster Ploprof 1200M) |
| Name | From plongeur professionnel, professional diver |
| Signature details | Asymmetric case, bezel-lock button, crown guard |
| Water resistance | 600 m (original), 1,200 m (modern) |
| Bracelet | Steel mesh or rubber strap on many versions |
Built for saturation diving
In the late 1960s, commercial divers were working deeper and longer than ever, living for days in pressurised chambers. Omega set out to make a watch that could survive the conditions and be read and set reliably with gloved hands. Working with divers, including those of the French firm COMEX, it developed a case milled from a single block of steel, with no removable caseback. That monobloc construction gave water nothing to enter through. The result was tested with COMEX divers in 1970, offered from 1971 and rated to 600 metres.
The case was striking: broad and angular, with a guard around the crown and a separate push-button to unlock the rotating bezel, so it could not be knocked out of position.
The modern Ploprof
In 2009 Omega reintroduced the watch as the Seamaster Ploprof 1200M. The design kept the spirit of the original while updating almost everything else. It is rated to 1,200 metres and has a helium escape valve, which lets gas that has seeped into the watch during saturation dives escape safely during decompression. The crown sits at nine o'clock under a protective guard, the helium valve at four o'clock, and the bezel is released by the orange-ringed button at two o'clock. The watch is in stainless steel, with later versions in titanium.
Our Omega Seamaster Ploprof 1200m in steel, c. 2011 is from this modern series.
Wearing a Ploprof
There is no hiding a Ploprof. It is large, heavy and unapologetically functional. Yet its short lugs and low-set case make it wear better than its dimensions suggest. On the steel mesh bracelet it feels substantial; on rubber, lighter and more relaxed. It sits most naturally with casual and outdoor clothing, and it has a strong following among collectors who prefer watches with a clear purpose.
Within the Seamaster family
The Ploprof is the most specialised of Omega's Seamasters. The Seamaster Diver 300M is the everyday diver; the Planet Ocean is the larger, more robust modern diver; the Aqua Terra brings the Seamaster name to an elegant everyday watch. Our Seamaster guide traces the whole family back to 1948.
Care
Like any diver's watch, a Ploprof should have its water resistance tested periodically, and its crown screwed fully home after setting. The helium valve should be left alone unless you are decompressing in a chamber. Rinse the watch in fresh water after salt water. Our watch care guide covers servicing and magnetism.
Authenticating a Ploprof
We check the case, bezel action, button, crown, dial printing, hands, bracelet and the serial and reference against what we expect for the watch's year. Our Omega authentication guide explains our approach. See all our Omega pieces.
Questions we’re often asked
- What does Ploprof stand for?
Ploprof is short for plongeur professionnel, French for professional diver. The name reflects the watch's origins as a tool for saturation divers.
- When was the Ploprof introduced?
The original Seamaster 600 Ploprof was tested with COMEX divers in 1970 and offered from 1971. The Seamaster Ploprof 1200M, a modern interpretation rated to 1,200 metres, followed in 2009.
- Why is the Ploprof crown on the left?
On the 1200M the crown sits at nine o'clock, on the left of the case under a crown guard, protected by the case shape, so it does not dig into the wrist or catch on equipment. The large orange button on the right releases the rotating bezel.
- Is the Ploprof comfortable to wear?
It is large and heavy, with a distinctive asymmetric case, but the lugs are short and the case sits low. Many owners find it more comfortable than its size suggests, particularly on a rubber strap or the mesh bracelet.