The Omega Speedmaster Dark Side Of The Moon Apollo 8 Is Back And Renewed
In 1968, NASA astronauts Frank Borman, Jim Lovell and Williams Anders traveled for the first time in the Saturn V Rocket into space to see the other side of the Moon.
And it was in 2018 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the mission, that Omega joined the festivities by launching the Speedmaster Dark Side Of The Moon Apollo 8, whose watch now appears revitalized, in a new case, a more detailed dial and with a new movement internal.
Featuring a ceramic tachymeter bezel like the previous one but now without yellow inscriptions or luminescent material, sapphire crystal on the front and back, fluted crown at 3 o’clock flanked by two pump-pushers and 50m of water resistance. Featuring a ceramic tachymeter bezel like the previous one but now without yellow inscriptions or luminescent material, sapphire crystal on the front and back, fluted crown at 3 o’clock flanked by two pump-pushers and 50m of water resistance.
The semi-skeletonized dial once again shows the surface of the Moon seen from Earth at night but now with the screws better disguised and showing better depth, the same layout of three registers substantiated in a 30-minute counter, a 12-hour counter and a running seconds at 3-6-9 o’clock, with the three chronograph hands including the central seconds painted yellow.
The main highlight of the dial is undoubtedly the small seconds hand that appears in the form of the Saturn V Rocket in the impressive scale of 1:19,000 where no detail has been forgotten such as the inscription ‘USA’ on the rocket’s fuselage. Made in Grade 5 Titanium with a white varnish that recreates the flight over the lunar surface, benefiting from its being suspended on the central pinion and from the depth of the counter.
On the dial we can also find the same 1/3 second minute track on the flange with applied hour markers which, together with the two black central hands, are filled with Super-LumiNova and finally the embossed white brand’s logo at noon followed by the inscription ‘Speedmaster’ in lacquer yellow.
The other novelty is the Caliber 3869, based on the 3861, which comes with laser ablation recreating the lunar surface in greater detail. The new automatic movement is Master Chronometer by METAS, and comes with the Co-Axial escapement, operating at the same 3 HZ frequency as its predecessor Caliber 1869 but now offering 50 hours of power reserve. Like the previous version, the ceramic rear case is engraved with module commander Jim Lovell’s phrase “We’ll See You On The Other Side”.
The watch comes attached to a perforated black rubber strap, with a yellow stitching whose tone extends to its interior, which tapers from the 21mm of the lugs to the 18mm of the ceramized titanium folding clasp.
The watch is available from today in the brand’s official boutiques and authorized retailers for a price of €16,100.
More information at www.omegawatches.com.
General Specifications:
Brand: Omega
Model: Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon Apollo 8
Reference: 310.92.44.50.01.001
Dial: Black aluminum
Lume: Super-LumiNova
Case Material: Ceramic
Case Dimensions: 44.25 mm Diameter, 12.97 mm thick, 50 mm lug-to-lug
Crystal: Sapphire Glass
Case Back: Sapphire Glass
Water Resistance: 50 Meters
Strap: Black rubber strap with a ceramized titanium folding clasp
Calibre: Omega 3869
Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds, chronograph
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 3 Hz (21,600 Vph)
Power Reserve: 50 Hours
Price: € 16,100
Availability: Now
Limited Edition: No
