Omega Adds “Reverse Panda” Dial to the Speedmaster Moonwatch Lineup
There are two types of people in this world: those who love the Omega Speedmaster and those who aren’t into watches. That’s only partly an exaggeration. Along with a handful of other iconic 20th-century timepieces, Omega’s signature chronograph is one thing that everyone from hardcore collectors to casual watch fans can agree on. This, of course, has not gone unnoticed at Omega HQ, which has pumped out a steady stream of new Speedies year after year, from riffs on the original Moonwatch worn by astronauts in NASA’s Apollo program to bejewelled 38mm versions to the much-hyped Swatch x Omega MoonSwatch. But, with nearly 200 pieces in the current Speedmaster catalogue, there’s plenty more gas — or, more appropriately, rocket fuel — left in the Speedmaster’s tank, and a seemingly endless appetite for new models. This month’s release of two new Speedmaster Moonwatches with black and white “reverse panda” dials is the latest example.
The new 42mm models, one of which was teased on the wrist of actor Colman Domingo at the Met Gala back in May, reinterpret the chronograph’s look by inverting the high-contrast monochrome configuration of the original NASA-approved watch. The Speedmaster worn by the Apollo crews had white markers on a black dial, a combination which was believed to provide optimum legibility. The new version, which is available in stainless steel or 18k Moonshine Gold, offers white subdials on a black dial, a combination that — thanks to its resemblance to the masked face of a certain bamboo-chomping mammal — earned it the nickname “reverse panda.”
Elsewhere, the new Speedmaster sticks to the script of its 1965 forebears, with a step dial, a a “Dot Over Ninety” (DON) tachymetre scale bezel, and a five-link bracelet. Despite their resemblance to these vintage chronographs, both of the new releases have been thoroughly upgraded with hesalite-like sapphire crystals, which have a familiar 1960s box shape but are also scratch-resistant and anti-reflective. They are also equipped with a Co-Axial Master Chronometer Calibre 3861 hand-wound movement, an advanced evolution of the famous Calibre 321 that NASA astronauts trusted on the moon. Visible through the sapphire caseback, this Master Chronometer calibre is certified by METAS to the highest Swiss standards of precision, performance, and anti-magnetism, and is accompanied by a 5-year warranty.
The classic appeal of a steel Speedmaster more or less speaks for itself, but the 18k Moonshine Gold version has almost as much historical precedent, and continues a tradition started in 1969 when Omega created a run of solid gold watches for the Apollo Astronauts and US President Richard Nixon. It joins a growing lineup of Moonwatch Professional models with cases and bracelets made from the precious metal, including versions in Canopus (white gold) and Sedna (rose gold), and a choice of black, silver, and forest green dials. In the unlikely event that you can’t find one you love among them, don’t worry. More iterations of Omega’s famed chronograph are surely on the way.
Learn more about the Omega Speedmaster.
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