When a model is as successful as the Speedmaster, introduced in 1957, keeping interest fresh without denying the original spirit can be a hard task. When Omega had the intuition to introduce a Dark Side of the Moon theme, it opened the creative space to explore an edgier, stealthier, technical aesthetic. And so it is that, since 2018, collectors have been treated to a resolutely contemporary Speedy for the twenty-first century.
Lunar DNA
Omega’s designers built this collection pretty much from the ground up, rapidly ruling out the option of adding a black PVD coating to a regular Speedmaster. The Dark Side of the Moon is more powerful, more imposing. Its movement and exterior deploy the very latest technologies.
The collection is structured around several visual reference points. The first is the laser-ablated dial that recreates the lunar surface. The second is the yellow accents for the hands and certain indices. The third is the 44.5mm diameter: the Dark Side of the Moon is no shrinking violet. The fourth is the perforated rubber strap with yellow lining and top stitching. It too is a defining feature of the collection.
The first Master Chronometer movement
All these elements combine in the version released in January 2024. This aesthetic and historical continuity is a good thing. Omega is clearly committed to preserving a unifying theme, a “family resemblance” for the collection… which doesn’t exclude several substantial innovations.
The most significant is the calibre. This is the first Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon to run off a Co-Axial Master Chronometer movement, in a specially decorated version. Probably one of the most reliable mechanical movements available right now, it is chronometer-certified and built to resist the magnetic fields that are part of modern life. Solid, accurate and in-house manufactured, it ticks all the boxes.
Rocket seconds
Dial-wise, fans of the Speedmaster Snoopy will appreciate a visual gimmick at 9 o’clock, where the kennel-surfing beagle has been replaced by a miniature model of NASA’s famed Saturn V rocket as a seconds hand that “floats” in space above a completely hollowed-out small-seconds counter. It’s a slightly geeky and truly ingenious touch that keeps the eye riveted.
The price is right?
This Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon Apollo 8 is the first to be priced above the €15,000 mark. By way of comparison, earlier models - which don’t have a Co-Axial Master Chronometer movement or the rocket running seconds or the new bezel in reinforced ceramic - currently change hands on the pre-owned market for around €10,000.
This 50% mark-up is certainly substantial but justified by the product. Going forward, future Dark Sides will likely be equipped with a Co-Axial Master Chronometer movement. As the first, we can expect this Apollo 8 to retain its value.
