Omega’s latest Speedmaster Moonwatch is exploring new surfaces
Omega’s Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional 42mm in Moonshine Gold, £41,300
Leave it to Omega to kick off 2026 with a fresh interpretation of its most celebrated icon. The Speedmaster, one of the most legendary timepieces around, has entered the new year with two black-and-white editions. These are the first 42mm Speedmaster Moonwatch models to feature a two-tone reverse-panda dial, a design that pairs a black dial with white sub-counters.
In watchmaking terms, a classic “panda” dial inverts the contrast, using a white dial with black counters. Panda and reverse-panda dials first rose to prominence in the 1960s, particularly among racing chronographs. Resembling the face of a panda, they became synonymous with tool watches of the era.
Launched in 1957 as a racing chronograph, the Speedmaster rose to fame when it became the first watch to be worn on the moon during the Apollo 11 mission in 1969. Endorsed by Nasa for all manned space flights, it earned its “Moonwatch” nickname and secured its place as one of the most iconic tool watches ever created. Each new reference builds on that legacy.
The 18ct gold model featuring a transparent sappphire crystal caseback that reveals the manual-winding OMEGA Calibre 3861 movement
The release comes with a newly constructed dial for both models, built from two distinct plates. The dial on each of the two new timepieces is a gorgeous glossy black with recessed white subdials set into the surface. A white minute tracks printed onto the black background, while each subdial is bordered with a black ring and finished with rhodium-plated surrounds.
Around the dial, a black ceramic bezel holds a tachymeter scale filled with white enamel, a feature historically used to calculate speed over a fixed distance. You’ve also got the choice between two case materials. A stainless-steel version (£8,700) keeps things classic, pairing rhodium-plated hands with white hour markers. The second option, meanwhile, is rendered in Omega’s proprietary Moonshine Gold (£41,300) – a paler take on yellow gold, thanks to its unique blend of gold with silver, copper and palladium.
Here, the hands and indices are also crafted from solid Moonshine Gold, while the central chronograph hand is finished in matching PVD. Both versions come in a chunky 42mm size, presented on Omega’s brushed and polished bracelet, equipped with a comfort release system for easy adjustment. Beating within is the hand-wound Co-Axial Master Chronometer Calibre 3861, boasting a 50-hour power reserve.
A stealthily luxurious update for this classic line, these new monochrome models prove there’s still plenty of space to explore within the Speedmaster range.
