At this point, we all know about Omega’s connection to space travel. The Speedmaster Moonwatch is called the Moonwatch for good reason, being the first timepiece worn by an astronaut on the surface of our celestial neighbour. Plus, watches like the Dark Side of the Moon with its lunar surface pattern dial won’t let us forget. However, the newest addition to the Moonwatch range is not focused on the moon itself but the astronauts who visit it, with a white lacquer dial inspired by the suits worn during spacewalks.
Jumping straight to the dial, it’s very pretty. It caused a stir last year when Daniel Craig was spotted wearing the as yet unreleased version at the Planet Omega Exhibition in New York. This is the first time Omega have given the Speedmaster step dial a lacquer finish, giving the white display an exceptionally smooth and slightly shiny appearance. It’s a very striking look that contrasts with the typical black dial with white markings of the standard Speedy.
Enhancing the visual impact of the white dial Speedmaster Moonwatch is the addition of new black applied indexes and red text for the “Speedmaster” inscription. The use of red is a reference to the red commander’s stripes found on white astronaut space suits used during extravehicular activities, such as space walks. It’s also a reference to one of the earliest examples of a white dial Speedmaster in the Omega archives, the Alaska I, a NASA prototype with a large red case and red chronograph hands.
Beyond the new white lacquer dial, the watch is more or less identical to the current generation of Moonwatches from 2021. It has a 42mm diameter stainless steel case with a black anodised aluminium bezel with the famous “Dot over Ninety” marking. It also has the retro-style five-link steel bracelet reintroduced with the 2021 collection, although it’s also available on a perforated leather strap or a rubber strap with moon surface pattern on the inside.
Powering the piece is the Omega calibre 3861 Master Chronometer, the most modern iteration of the calibre 321. It’s a manual winding movement with a 50-hour power reserve and a Co-Axial escapement. It looks fantastic through the exhibition caseback, unobstructed by the rotor you’d find on an automatic movement.
The Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional White Lacquer Dial on steel bracelet is priced at £7,600 and on either of the straps it’s approx. £7,300. So it’s not too dissimilar in price from its black dial equivalents, £100 more on each strap option. Ultimately, it’s a relatively simple update to the existing Moonwatch so it’s not the craziest new release in the world. But, as I’ve said a million times before, new colour options should always be celebrated for giving collectors more choice and more chances to buy watches that match their personal styles.
Price and Specs:
More details at Omega.
