Omega’s Newest Speedmaster Gets Daniel Craig’s Approval
There have been a lot of Omega Speedmasters over the years. Like, a lot. The Swiss luxury watchmaker’s website lists more than 100 models in its current catalogue, from the iconic original Moonwatch Professional to limited production Dark Side of the Moon models with dials made of meteorite to 38 mm models in Sedna rose gold with diamond-set bezels. Given this, you might think that the current collection covers just about any kind of Speedmaster you could want. But if you think that, then you clearly don’t understand the level of devotion Speedy fans have to this historic chronograph — or their insatiable appetite for new models. For these folks (and everyone else who appreciates the look of crisp white lacquer against stainless steel) there is good news: Omega just dropped a new steel Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional with a white dial.
The recent announcement, and the rollout of the piece at Omega boutiques worldwide, followed months of speculation following Daniel Craig’s appearance at the Planet Omega event in New York City late last year. The former Bond and longtime Omega ambassador arrived at the event wearing an unidentified white-dial Speedmaster, the appearance of which managed to overshadow Craig’s new shaggy professorial hairstyle. Omega remained mum about the watch’s identity until recently, when it unveiled the latest addition to the Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional family.
As nicely as the new white enamel dial contrasts against the watch’s black bezel and polished-brushed steel bracelet, the new dial isn’t merely an aesthetic choice. As with every other version of the Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional, the details speak to the watch’s legacy of interplanetary travel. When the original Speedmaster was created in 1957, it was designed with white hands and indexes on a black dial for maximum legibility, a feature that helped it become standard-issue for astronauts on the Apollo missions of the 1960s.
The new white dial is no less legible, and according to Omega the primary inspiration for the Speedmaster’s new look was the spacesuits worn by NASA astronauts during extravehicular activities like spacewalks. Other details like the red Speedmaster logo and red-tipped seconds hands nod to red accents on NASA suits. Going still deeper into Omega lore, the new white dial is also a subtle reference to the famed ALASKA I prototype, which was part of a secret NASA project to design a new space watch in 1969.
As a descendant of the watch worn by the first men on the moon, the newest Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional bears all of the hallmarks of the original, from its tachymeter bezel to its manual wind movement. Other details, however, have been added to bring it in line with Omega’s other luxury watches, including a domed, scratch‑resistant sapphire crystal with anti‑reflective treatment and a sapphire display case back that reveals the carefully finished surfaces of the Omega 3861 calibre movement. Whether seen from the back or the front, the new Speedy offers plenty to admire and strong proof that, despite the diversity of the Speedmaster lineup, there’s always room for more
