In 1968, astronauts Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and William Anders became the first humans to reach the moon, completing 10 orbits before returning to the earth. The mission was Apollo 8, and this was just the second manned space flight in the program’s history. These three men became the first to set eyes on the far side of the moon, and after emerging from the first orbit, Lovell described the view thusly “The Moon is essentially grey, no color; looks like plaster of Paris or sort of a grayish beach sand.” The allure of the forever hidden side of our lunar partner remains, and 45 years later this would serve as the basis for a new Speedmaster collection from Omega called the Dark Side of the Moon, and subsequently, the Grey Side of the Moon.
The first Dark Side of the Moon Speedmaster was introduced in 2013 with a 44.25mm monoblock black ceramic case, and it didn’t stop there. The dial, pushers, and crown were also ceramic, creating a uniform appearance that showcased the brand’s ability to wield the material effectively at such scales. This watch also arrived on the upswing of the large watch trend, and was an immediate hit that would spawn a litany of additional variations, and even a Grey, and White Side of the Moon collections, each using the same formula. Today, Omega continues to the next chapter, revealing a trio of new Dark Side of the Moon references, and one Grey Side of the Moon reference, and while all bring a familiar structure to bear, there are some new details to appreciate, as well as some that are suspiciously absent.
First and foremost, the footprint for these new Speedmasters remains unchanged. They are still 44.25mm in diameter even though we are well beyond the large watch trend. While there are plenty of other smaller Speedmaster options out there, none boast the same ceramic construction. While the diameter remains robust, the examples containing the automatic caliber 9900 have been trimmed to 15mm in thickness, while the handwinding models are closer to the 13mm mark. Refinements have been made, but make no mistake, these aren’t small watches and aren’t really aiming to be. They have a bold presence and that’s kind of the point. More importantly, like many Speedmaster references, they wear more comfortably than the numbers let on.
The new watches include three in black ceramic with black ceramic dials. Two of them take the full black-out approach, with one setting itself apart thanks to a red timing seconds hand and a matte finish over the dial. This edition uses Omega’s hand winding 9908 Black Edition movement, and there is no date at the bottom of the dial. The remaining black variation uses a more traditional dial set up with white hour markers and hands, and uses Omega’s automatic 9900 caliber. This one measures 15mm in thickness.
Finally, the Grey Side of the Moon takes a familiar approach, appearing in line with the Apollo 8 DSOM variations seen since 2018. This time, everything is rendered in grey. The notable exception is the Saturn V rocket that served as the running seconds hand is absent here. This watch uses Omega’s hand winding 3869 Grey Edition, complete with bridges finished to look like the moon’s surface. On the caseback here we find an excerpt from Lovell’s quote above, with the line “The Moon is essentially grey” framing the exhibition window. Like the Apollo 8 update released in 2024, this is a METAS certified watch, guaranteeing master chronometer accuracy.
In fact, each of these watches are METAS certified. One feature you won’t find, however, is that Spirite regulation system the brand touted in late 2023. When it was introduced in the Speedmaster Super Racing, it seemed production ready, and that we’d start to see it roll out within this caliber family, with watches such as these new DSOM references being perfect candidates.
The new Dark Side of the Moon watches are priced from $16,100 on rubber or fabric straps, while the Grey Side of the Moon is priced at $16,400. Omega
