Omega shrinks an iconic watch to a size everyone loves

FOR a line of watches best-known for being on Nasa’s manned space missions, the Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch is decidedly grounded. We are not saying that it is ordinary, mind you. Rather, the chronograph that was first launched in 1957, and later famously worn by astronaut Buzz Aldrin to make history as the first watch to be worn on the Moon in 1969, has never stopped being an everyday, utilitarian tool watch despite its storied legacy and iconic stature. 

The Speedmaster celebrates its 70th anniversary in 2027. Yet, having lived through the heady 1960s, the financial excesses of the 1980s, the Internet boom in the 1990s, and the dawn of a new millennium, the watch has stayed commendably true to its roots in both design and performance. 

Put a Speedmaster from any decade in front of a collector, and he probably can identify it in seconds. The watch’s symmetrically strong dial with three counters, the slim outer bezel with tachymeter scale, the tapered lugs, and the tactile pump pushers all contribute to a design vocabulary that the Speedmaster has all but made its own.

Evolution, of course, is inevitable. In its time, the Speedmaster has undergone changes that span its birth as a race-car-inspired chronograph with a distinctive broad arrow hour hand (Ref CK2915), to numerous technical upgrades to improve movement robustness and reliability. 

The newest arrivals carry the same virtues. Seven new iterations of the Speedmaster 38 mm join the family, built on a case size Omega introduced in 2017 that has since become a favourite among brands and collectors alike. After several decades in which sports watches ballooned well past 44 mm, a return to more sensible dimensions is most welcome, with a case size that fits the wrist rather than seeks to overpower it.

A Speedmaster for everyone

The most distinctive of the new releases is also the most familiar to Omega aficionados: a steel model with a black varnished dial and a black aluminium bezel that recalls the look of the original Moonwatch. Driven by the in-house Co-Axial Calibre 3332, it is the only reference in the line-up without a date display.

For those who desire a touch of colour and shine, the remaining offerings will give you pause for consideration. There are two more Speedmasters in steel, one featuring a white dial and blue ceramic bezel with white enamel tachymeter scale, and a slightly more regal option anchored by a silver opaline physical vapour deposition (PVD) dial with Sedna Gold PVD hands and indexes, framed by a grey aluminium bezel. 

The line-up also stretches to bi-colour and diamond-set territories. The former comprises two references that ooze a certain retro appeal, whether the version that flaunts a polished 18-karat Moonshine Gold bezel with green aluminium bezel ring, or the one fitted with polished 18-karat Sedna Gold bezel and brown aluminium bezel ring.

Moonshine Gold, which bears a subtle yellow gold sheen, and Sedna Gold, which exudes a warmer rose gold shade, are proprietary gold alloys concocted by Omega. Deployed here with a light touch, both gold alloys elevate the look ever so subtly to lend the watches their distinctive characters.

Blinged out

While most 38 mm-sized watches are presented as unisex options, the two diamond-encrusted creations that complete this roll-out are unapologetically feminine. These models are set with 52 diamonds on the bezel. Totalling 1.53 carats, the stones imbue seductive glamour without appearing excessive. At the same time, they offer a chic contrast to the Speedmaster’s sportive spirit. 

The version with ice-blue dial is subtly striking if you desire a more contemporary option. Meanwhile, the version with white mother-of-pearl dial offers a statelier accompaniment. Either way, these gem-encrusted Speedmaster 38 mm models will take their owners from the office to the cocktail party with ease.

Every model but the reference with the black dial runs on the Co-Axial Calibre 3330 rather than the Co-Axial Calibre 3332. The difference between them, though, is slight. Both movements offer 52 hours of power reserve, five-year warranty, and are equipped with Omega’s famed co-axial escapement. 

For those who are unfamiliar, the co-axial escapement is a regulating system within the watch that promises better timekeeping precision and reliability. This is courtesy of its unique architecture that minimises friction between the components. Models with the Co-Axial Calibre 3330 feature a date display at six o’clock – a small but useful feature that complements the chronograph complication.

“The Speedmaster 38 mm has always taken its cues from the Moonwatch, while keeping size, colour, and simplicity in mind,” says Raynald Aeschlimann, President and chief executive officer of Omega. “With this latest update, we’ve taken the Moonwatch inspiration even further, helping to enrich the Speedmaster DNA while still retaining the refined and unique nature that the 38 mm range is known for.”