Omega releases the latest in their Speedmaster moon watches, with a new variation of the Apollo 8 timepiece.
1968 was a significant year for both NASA and OMEGA. History was truly made when Apollo 8 became the first human flight ever to orbit the moon. For Omega, this was also one of their crowning moments. Each astronaut on board the Apollo 8 shuttle was wearing an OMEGA Speedmaster, a tool watch that NASA has relied on for their lunar campaigns.
Now, as a way of continually honouring this historic moment, OMEGA has released the second version of their popular Apollo 8 Dark Side of the Moon timepiece. The first Speedmaster Apollo 8 Dark Side of the Moon (DSOTM) was released back in 2018, which marked the 50th anniversary of the mission. Following this first release, OMEGA has created this latest model with state-of-the-art technology and a variety of materials. The new timepiece comes with subtle aesthetic tweaks and a new movement compared to the first Apollo 8 Speedmaster (DSOTM).
This new Apollo 8 (DSOTM) comes with the same 44.25mm black ceramic case as the first version; however, the thickness has now been reduced from 13.8mm to 13.0mm. The 44.25mm case, polished bezel and caseback has been created by OMEGA using separate pieces of black ceramic. The tachymeter scale has been filled with bright white “Grand Feu” enamel to ensure that it stands out against the black on the bezel whilst also being aesthetic. The downside, however, is that this enamel has made way for the green Super-LumiNova tachymeter scale on the first Apollo 8 (DSOTM).
The skeletonised dial crafted from black anodized aluminium makes way for the moon-decorated movement underneath to be seen. Much of the dial’s design remains unchanged from the two models, besides the impressive detail on the 9 o’clock subdial. The lunar surface seen from the dial, is also more detailed on the latest model Apollo 8 (DSOTM). From afar, it may not be as noticeable, but once up close, the surface shows more details in terms of craters and lunar regolith. This “upgrade” in detail is thanks to the latest technological evolution in the laser ablating process.
The same stand-out colour theme from the first Apollo 8 Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon has been carried across to this latest piece as well. The “Speedmaster” lettering at 12 o’clock, sub-dial hands, and some sub-dial incremental markings along with the main chronograph seconds hand, is done in contrasting yellow.
What will be an iconic design feature in a Speedmaster moon watch is shown on the 9 o’clock sub-dial hand. This patent pending design has been engineered from Grade 5 Titanium and is shaped like NASA’s famous Saturn V rocket. Laser turning has obtained a powerful 3D structure, while the colours are achieved with white varnish, ablation, and laser blackening. This is a small yet inspiring detail that celebrates the success of the Apollo program.
While the design aesthetics may be subtle, the mechanical update is one of the significant features of this latest Apollot 8 (DSOTM) timepiece. The calibre 1869 of the first version has now been replaced by the calibre 3869. This is a much more modern movement, which comes with a co-axial escapement and a silicon hairspring, offering a magnetic resistance of 15,000-gauss. The movement is manual wound and operates at a frequency of 3Hz (21,600 VpH), with the movement accuracy being 0/+5 seconds a day, as stated by OMEGA. The power reserve has also been slightly increased, from 48-50 hours.
What this latest calibre movement has also done is reduce the overall thickness of the watch! The open case back retains the decorated view of the lunar texture that shows the Dark Side of the Moon. Like the lunar surface details on the dial side, the texture and fine details on the lunar surface on the case back are more prominent on the latest version of the Apollo 8 (DSOTM). The silicon balance wheel has also been colour-matched so that it blends in nicely with the surrounding lunar surface aesthetic.
Final Thoughts
More than four years have passed since the first Apollo 8 (DSOTM) was released, which means that the technology to create the lunar surface and other design features has been greatly upgraded, allowing for more detail on the watch’s surface and case back. This latest Apollo 8 (DSOTM) comes with a full rubber strap instead of the rubber leather mix in the first release. While both offer a comfortable fit, the full rubber strap should last longer in wear and tear.
While the movement is brand new, the design changes are incremental, making this latest Apollo 8 (DSOTM) a regular update rather than a brand-new watch. Personally, I think OMEGA should have done more in terms of the dial design to bring in more interest. The incremental detailed updates to the lunar surface and the new Saturn V rocket on the small seconds sub-dial don’t feel like enough of a change to the aesthetics of the dial, especially for newcomers and not die-hard fans of the Moon watches.
Reference: 310.92.44.50.01.001
Specification
- Case: 44.25mm x 13mm thickness
- Case Material: Black Zr02 ceramic case, brushed and polished – fixed ceramic bezel with a tachymeter scale in white grand feu enamel.
- Dial: Black anodized aluminium skeletonised dial with laser-ablated Moon texture
- Crystal: Box-shaped sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating
- Water resistance: 50m (5 Bar)
- Movement: Manual wound in-house calibre 3869
- Movement Frequency: 3Hz (21,600 VpH)
- Power reserve: 50 hours
- Bracelet: Double-layer black and yellow rubber strap – folding clasp in ceramic titanium.
