For Baselworld 2016, Omega has made a big push to incorporate METAS Master Chronometer movements into their watches, but not all pieces are getting that specific upgrade. For one of their latest releases, they have come out with a new version of the Speedmaster Grey Side of the Moon made with a historically apt material. The new Omega Speedmaster Grey Side of the Moon Meteorite watch seems a bit obvious when you think about it, but the folks at Omega know fans of the line will appreciate the novelty.
Yeah, that is not exactly a name that rolls off the tongue, is it? The Omega Speedmaster Grey Side of the Moon Meteorite (ref. 311.63.44.51.99.001) does tell you very clearly in its name what it is all about. In this case, it’s the meteorite dial from a rock that fell from space in Namibia long, long ago. I have seen one meteorite-dialed watch in person, and plenty of photos, and I will admit that the etched surface never fails to captivate, as that crystalline weave is unlike anything else I have seen. It also makes sense in the context of the Speedmaster being known as the Moon Watch – why not get another space reference in the mix?
The meteorite is not the only interesting material in use on the Omega Speedmaster Grey Side of the Moon Meteorite. The 44mm ceramic case is there but how it’s topped is new this time around as well. Not just a “simple” ceramic bezel, the bezel ring is made of silicon nitride which is supposedly both harder and lighter than ceramic, with a tachymetre scale printed with OMEGA Ceragold™. Trademarks aside, this looks to be a clever way that the brand has gotten their rose gold compound to bond with the ceramic, creating a smooth (and I would hope durable) application.
The rose gold provides a soft burst of mellow color against the overall appropriately grey look of the Omega Speedmaster Grey Side of the Moon Meteorite, and manages to get the indices and handset standing out against the patterned dial without the brashness that a yellow gold could carry. I know I personally shy away from gold watches as well as those with gold accents, but I think it does make sense here. If you went with any sort of non-colored metal say, polished steel or silver, it would have a tendency to get lost in that dial. With the red gold here, you get the demarcation you want without it overwhelming the watch.
For all I have to like about the materials and overall look of the 13’000 CHF Omega Speedmaster Grey Side of the Moon Meteorite, it’s just a new take on a watch Omega has been producing over the past few years. Yes, the 9300 is a solid movement, and the Speedmaster itself is an iconic design. A few years back, I was rather enamored of the ’57 variants of the Speedmaster, but this latest one – the Omega Speedmaster Grey Side of the Moon Meteorite – isn’t doing quite the same thing for me. The dial and material usage is interesting, for sure but I think Omega knows that this is a watch for a specific kind of enthusiast with a price of 13,000 CHF. omegawatches.com
