A variant of the watch with a lacquered white face that pays homage to the company’s historical connections to space exploration was recently unveiled by the Swiss watchmaker. The Moonwatch, which was first seen on Daniel Craig as 007 in November, has now been formally unveiled and will soon be made public.
First, the specifics in technical terms: The Co-Axial Master Chronometer Calibre 3861 movement, the most recent iteration of the Calibre 321 that astronauts relied on during their mission to the moon, is housed inside the 42 mm stainless steel watch. The original version comes with a stainless-steel band with a vintage look, but you can upgrade to an antibacterial rubber strap with a moon-surface design on the bottom or a black micro-perforated leather strap with red and white stitching.
Each of these elements pays homage to the legendary past of the Moonwatch. Contrary to its original 1957 Speedmaster, which had a black dial with white hands and indices for ease reading, Omega has since changed the design. This is the first time that the glossy lacquered finish of the Moonwatch step dial has been applied, and it pairs well with the black applied indexes and ornamentation on the white dial. The Speedmaster moniker is prominently displayed in red font beneath Omega’s logo, owing to the simplified color scheme.
In addition to highlighting the Moonwatch’s space heritage, the white focus makes the watch function as an inverse of the original Speedmaster. Known for being the first watch to be worn on the moon, the model has been officially utilized by NASA astronauts since 1965. Therefore, the red detailing is similar to the lines that indicate a commander’s position, and the black-and-white coloring alludes to the spacesuits astronauts wear.
Similar inspiration came from another NASA partnership for Omega. The business collaborated with NASA on the Alaska I prototype in 1969 as a part of a covert effort to create the perfect space watch. In addition to having a protective red case, the model included a white dial with an extremely excellent thermal reflection coefficient.
The new Moonwatch is going to set you back at least $8,100. Additionally, the Omega appears to be a space enthusiast’s best option if a lunar expedition is not in the cards.