The Speedmaster’s Darker, Wilder Brother

The Omega Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon takes one of the most recognizable chronographs ever made and gives it a decidedly modern edge.

The story behind the name reaches back to 1968 and Apollo 8, the first crewed mission to orbit the Moon. Astronauts Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and William Anders became the first humans to see the Moon’s far side with their own eyes, while Omega Speedmasters accompanied them on their historic journey.

That Apollo 8 connection is brought to life in one of the watch’s coolest details: the small-seconds hand at 9 o’clock is crafted from grade 5 titanium and shaped like NASA’s Saturn V rocket — the very rocket that launched Apollo 8 toward the Moon. It’s a subtle detail at first glance, but once you notice it, it becomes one of the defining features of the watch.

Reference 310.92.44.50.01.001 carries that legacy forward in a dramatically modern form. Its 44.25mm case is crafted from black ceramic, paired with a black ceramic bezel and black rubber strap for a stealthy look that feels completely different from the traditional Moonwatch while remaining unmistakably Speedmaster.

Inside is Omega’s Co-Axial Master Chronometer Calibre 3869, featuring a laser-ablated main plate and bridges that recreate the contrasting textures of the lunar surface. Even the movement continues the Apollo 8 story, with the near side of the Moon visible through the skeletonized dial and the far side revealed through the caseback.

It’s a Speedmaster with genuine spaceflight history behind it, some seriously creative modern watchmaking inside it, and enough attitude to stand apart from the sea of traditional steel sports watches. For the collector who appreciates the Moonwatch story but wants something darker, bolder, and far less expected, the Dark Side of the Moon Apollo 8 delivers.