Omega has released its first new watch of the year: A fresh take on its iconic Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon.
The timepiece was first released back in 2018 to mark the 50th anniversary of the launch of Apollo 8 – the first human flight to orbit the moon. To aid their mission, each of the astronauts onboard wore an Omega Speedmaster.
Now, the Swiss watch manufacturer has updated its Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon model with some flash new details. The watch’s Calibre 3839 features a laser-ablated moon relief on the blackened main plate and bridges.
In a further nod to the moon, the movement has two different sides; the dial side represents our view of its surface (as seen from Earth), while the back of the watch shows the jet-black side that only a handful of astronauts get to witness.
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Crafted from striking black anodized aluminum, the watch’s skeletonized dial reveals the moon-decorated movement. Omega used separate chunks of black ceramic to painstakingly create the 44.25mm case, polished bezel and caseback.
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Other dazzling new touches include the central chronograph seconds hand which has been varnished yellow, and the patent-pending small-seconds hand at 9 o’clock which has been made from Grade 5 Titanium and fashioned into a shape reminiscent of NASA’s Saturn V rocket.
Our favorite detail, however, is the engraving on the case back, ‘WE’LL SEE YOU ON THE OTHER SIDE’ – the last words spoken to ground control by command module pilot Jim Lovell moments before Apollo 8 made it to the far side of the moon.
Omega’s Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon watch – which costs $14,300 – is finished with a perforated strap crafted from black rubber with a yellow interior that is just visible through the gaps, reflecting the black-and-yellow color scheme on the dial.
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