The rumours were true. Just months after outgoing James Bond actor Daniel Craig was spotted at a red carpet event sporting a never-before-seen Speedmaster, OMEGA has made the prototype a reality. The Swiss watchmaker today unveiled the new Speedmaster Moonwatch with Lacquered White Dial, a refined take on arguably the industry’s most important timepiece, complete with an inverted colourway. Crisp white dial, stunning black detailing and a hefty dose of OMEGA red thrown in for good measure, the new Speedmaster is, quite literally, out of this world.
Looking at OMEGA’s latest effort, it becomes immediately clear why the original Moonwatch was so popular. Not so much a homage as a continuation of the line, the new release bears all the hallmarks of the late ’60s icon; the asymmetrical case, the effortless legibility and even the fabled ‘Dot Over 90’ black aluminium bezel. At 42mm, the new White Dial Speedmaster is big enough to stand out and most important, robust enough to house the watchmaker’s Master Chronometer-certified calibre 3861 chronograph movement, a modern take on the Calibre 321 that made its way to the moon.
One thing that OMEGA fans will love is the customisation potential of the new piece. If the brushed and polished stainless steel bracelet isn’t quite your style, the piece can be swapped onto a black micro-perforated leather strap with red and white stitching or an anti-bacterial rubber strap with a fitting moon surface pattern.
According to OMEGA, the new white dial design was inspired by the traditional white and black colours of the astronaut spacesuits used during extravehicular activity, most notably with the ‘spacewalk’. For any other brand, that connection would seem slightly tenuous but for OMEGA, a maison that has stood at the very edge of our galaxy, adorning the wrists of celestial explorers for almost 60 years, it makes perfect sense.
By now, the Moonwatch story has been well-told but it may surprise some watch fans to learn that OMEGA’s space exploration journey goes well beyond Aldrin, Armstrong and Collins’ fateful expedition. In fact, the very same year Armstrong uttered the words that would forever be etched in human history, OMEGA crafted the ALASKA I prototype, a secret tool watch designed in collaboration with NASA.
That piece featured a unique white dial, chosen for its effective thermal reflection coefficient properties and while rarely seen by the public, the new Moonwatch comes about as close as you can get. The brand has even confirmed that the red Speedmaster name on the new model is a nod to the protective red case that surrounded the original ALASKA I watch.
Importantly, OMEGA has confirmed that the new Speedmaster Moonwatch with Lacquered White Dial will not be a limited-edition, meaning that fans will be able to pick up the watch once it officially hits boutiques later this month. Priced at AUD$13,450, the white dial Moonwatch isn’t just a quality timepiece, it’s certified Bond-worthy.
OMEGA Speedmaster Moonwatch with Lacquered White Dial
- Brand: OMEGA
- Model: Speedmaster Moonwatch with Lacquered White Dial
- Reference: ref.310.30.42.50.04.001
- Movement: Co-Axial Master Chronometer Calibre 3861
- Diameter: 42mm
- Water-Resistance: 50m
- Power Reserve: 50 hours
- Bracelet: Stainless steel/Black micro-perforated leather strap/Rubber strap with a moon surface pattern
- Price: AUD$13,450.00
