Last year, former Bond (the spy, not the female string quartet) and Omega aficionado Daniel Craig set the rumour mill working overtime after he was spotted wearing a mysterious Omega timepiece at the Planet Omega event. It was the iconic chronograph, Speedmaster. But it was with a white dial, nothing that had been seen before. Well, until (cue first five notes of “Also Sprach Zarathustra”)... now.
Displays of the Speedmaster needed to be easily readable: white markers on a black dial. There were several Speedmaster models but those were in limited runs. A piece that came close to the Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional in Canopus Gold aka white gold. But “white gold” isn’t the same as “white-white”.
Thus, the white dial Speedmaster Professional aka Moonwatch. Now, as part of Omega’s main collection, not only is the dial white, it is lacquered as well, a finish that’s never before been used on a Moonwatch’s step dial. This new steel case, white dial piece has black detailing and applied indices. Coupled with a vintage-inspired five-link bracelet; the anodised aluminium bezel sporting the “Dot over Ninety” on the tachymeter scale; and powered by the Co-Axial Master Chronometer Calibre 3861, makes this model a more attractive get.
It’s easy to assume that the selected colours served as inspiration for an astronaut spacesuit. But there’s another deeper significance to it. Let’s turn the clock back to the 1969 ALASKA I prototype. Omega was working on creating a timepiece that was optimally suited for space travel. To reflect the sun’s heat, the white dial chosen for the ALASKA I. The removable protective red case? That is now an homage to the red “Speedmaster” name on the Moonwatch white dial.
It’s said that “space is the final frontier” but that’s not the case with Omega as it pushes against its limitations to find what else can keep it ticking.
