New Omega Speedmaster Dark Side Of The Moon ‘Apollo 8’

Here at Chrono 10:10, we think that Omega is one of the coolest watchmakers which also has quite an interesting history.

 

Their models are a piece of art, loved by the old and the young. And even though the competition is fierce, they still managed to stay relevant, even after decades of struggle and hardships.

 

To this day, they use a manual winding movement for their flagship product, the Speedmaster - and it works. If you think about it, you would probably not name many watches with a manual winding movement that are as popular and widespread as the Speedmaster.

 

Photo source: Monochrome Watches

 

Yes, Omega is definitely a cool brand.

 

Apart from having beautiful and functional timepieces, they also scored some pretty interesting collaborations in the past, among the most iconic being the one with NASA. Together, they managed to make a big step for humanity - NASA provided the astronauts and all the tech, while Omega took care of the space timekeeping. We think it’s safe to say that both parties nailed it.

 

Photo source: Monochrome Watches 

 

In 2018, as a tribute to 50 years since the mission itself, Omega released the infamous Speedmaster DSOTM (Dark Side Of The Moon). The acceptance was very hesitant since the timepiece was least to say unfinished.

 

Well, this changes now…

 

Photo source: Monochrome Watches 

 

The new version of the DSOTM improves upon the original design, adding slight changes that basically combine into a brand-new watch, which is simply breathtaking.

 

The two most notable are the dial and the movement.

 

The new Calibre chosen for this timepiece is the 3869, which in itself includes a partial Moon relief in unbelievable details. The face of the watch shows how we see the Moon from the Earth, while the open caseback presents the Dark Side.

 

Photo source: Monochrome Watches

 

The second addition, which makes this watch a true one-of-a-kind thing, is the small-seconds hand. You probably never heard about a patented small-seconds hand - that is up until now. And Omega has a very good reason for doing so.

 

Instead of having the traditional sword-shaped hand, Omega crafted one that mirrors the appearance of Saturn V, the rocket used in the Apollo programs. It is insanely detailed and looks unbelievably well. With this addition, Omega really stepped up the game.

 

Photo source: Monochrome Watches

 

Now yes, some people may complain about the size of the watch (44,5mm), but that is hardly a problem when the overall piece is so beautiful. In our opinion, Omega made the right choice to upgrade the 2018 version of the DSOTM, giving them a very strong start for 2024.