BY HARLAN CHAPMAN-GREEN
The Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch, often referred to as just the “Moonwatch,” holds a significant place in horological history. Renowned for its association with NASA’s missions to the moon, the Speedmaster has become an iconic timepiece coveted by watch enthusiasts and space aficionados alike. With its timeless design and remarkable precision, the Omega Speedmaster continues to capture the imagination of all who appreciate the marriage of innovation and style; these two new releases from the brand show that even though the Speedmaster has been around for decades, there’s always something new to be seen.
Two-tone watches aren’t new, obviously, and they’re not new to the Moonwatch either, but they are a rarity. I did a quick check on Chrono24 before writing this article, and there are hundreds of gold Moonwatches for sale and thousands of steel ones, but fewer than 20 gold and steel models available. Of course, I can’t account for the number of watches listed incorrectly, but it does still give you an idea of the uniqueness we’re talking about here.
The new watches measure 42.0mm x 13.2mm and have Omega’s signature twisted lug shape complete with brushing and polishing to give a classy look. The watches come with 18k Moonshine or Sedna gold, which are both blends unique to Omega, and the bracelet also incorporates the particular gold blend. Both watches also have a Ceragold bezel. Ceragold is a variant of Omega’s Liquidmetal bezel, which uses heat and pressure to make the metal (gold in this case) form chemical bonds with the ceramic of the bezel; ergo, the bezel is all one piece.
The Moonshine model gets a silvery dial with Moonshine-coloured subdials, applied markers and hands with black text and printing. Meanwhile, the Sedna version gets a Sedna-coloured dial with black subdials, black printing and Sedna-coloured hands and applied markers. Both watches keep the simplicity of the Moonwatch going as they don’t feature any other information than the time and the chronograph time, but a tachymeter on the bezel means the watches are still useful instruments.
Inside both watches is the manually-wound calibre 3861, which is an updated version of the calibre 1861 which Omega has been using for some time. The 3861 movement is still a hand-wound affair, but it receives many upgrades so it can pass the METAS-certified Master Chronometer requirements. These mean, essentially, that the watch is highly accurate but also resistant to shocks and also higher levels of magnetism. It also helps that the lateral clutch and cams of the chronograph are on display through the caseback, so there’s plenty to look at. For those wanting the tech specs, the movement beats at 3Hz for around 50 hours, but the use of the chronograph may affect this.
Both watches are parts of the core collection and are therefore available to purchase immediately for a price of $18,100 pre-sales tax or €19,900 including VAT.
