Omega has launched two new Speedmaster models, one in steel and one in Moonshine Gold, both with a reverse panda dial.
Sticking to tradition, Omega has done it again, where they teased us last year in May of a potential unreleased Speedmaster in gold and a reverse panda dial on the wrist of actor Coleman Domingo at the Met Gala. If you check that article out, we did a mock-up of what it could potentially look like, and it seems we were not far off. And true to form, seven months later, that teased Omega Speedmaster has become a reality with the launch of not one but two reverse panda dial Speedmasters, one in steel and the other in Omega’s proprietary Moonshine Gold.
It seems like each year, Omega are now teasing and seeding new pieces on the wrists of actors and ambassadors, and part of me feels Omega does this for two reasons. The first is to build up a bit of hype and anticipation around the new release, which seems to work well. How many times has the internet been abuzz when we see an unreleased watch on the wrist at an event? People start talking and forming opinions very quickly.
Secondly, it is also a good way to get market feedback on the potential design of a watch while still having time to make changes and tweaks to the design based on what the wider watch community is saying online. Personally, I feel it’s more about teasing to drive a bit of hype around the new pieces, as we have seen in the past with Daniel Craig. Nonetheless, all has been revealed, and we now have the new collection released.
Both watches feature the Moonwatch’s step dial, which is put together via a double plate – the top plate being polished black with a varnish and lacquer finish, ensuring a beautiful shine. The second layer, or the base layer for the sub-dials, has also been done in a vanished and lacquer finish, but in white to offset the black top plate. Around the edges, Moonshine Gold indices are applied in a step fashion, which gives the dial a nice depth.
Each watch also features a black ceramic bezel ring that has the iconic tachymeter scale in white enamel. This also surrounds the scratch-resistant sapphire crystal that has been done in a glass box fashion, similar to what we saw in the First Omega In Space (FOIS) model that was launched back in October of 2024.
Holding each watch on the wrist is Omega‘s new generation Speedmaster bracelets, which draw inspiration from the 4th generation Speedmaster worn on the moon. Both the steel and moonshine gold models have the three major links that are brushed with the small inner separators being polished to give them a more elegant and elevated feel. The clasp on the new generation bracelets also comes with Omega’s patented comfort release adjustment system, meaning that for those people who have wrists like mine that fluctuate in the hotter weather, you can let out the bracelet by a few millimetres.
Of course, the Omega Speedmaster wouldn’t be what it is today without the Calibre 321, which was inside the watches worn by the NASA Astronauts back in the days of the Mercury and Apollo Missions, and originally introduced in 1957. Today, the modern incarnation is the Calibre 3861 – A Master Chronometer movement certified through METAS. It beats at 3Hz / 21,600 VpH and has a reasonable 50-hour power reserve. It is also one of the nicer-looking mass-produced manual winding movements on the market today.
Initial thoughts
The Omega Speedmaster is a classic. And you don’t mess around with classics too much in my opinion. This new reverse panda dial collection is Omega doing just this. They are essentially keeping the look and feel of the watch plus the DNA of the Speedmaster Moonwatch, and just giving it a slight aesthetic tweak to be just that little bit different. For those who are fans of the original Moonwatch, this is not much of a departure from it; however, it does blend some of the vintage DNA with the modern iterations of the Speedmaster Moonwatch.
A reverse panda dial is nothing new; however, when done in the right way, it can change the look of the watch, and in this instance, it blends both the white lacquer dial and the standard black dial together for a bit of a new look. Personally, I love the Moonshine Gold variant, as it looks amazing with the colour combination of the Moonshine Gold, the black varnished and lacquer dial, along with the white stepped sub-dials.
When we saw this on Colman Domingo’s wrist, I think the general consensus, casting my mind back to May 2025, was that this was a very nice watch and would be cool to see in production. Omega has delivered this, and now the wait is over.
References: Steel – 310.30.42.50.01.004 / Moonshine Gold – 310.60.42.50.01.002
Specifications:
- Dimensions: 42mm, 47.5mm lug-to-lug and 13.63mm thick (gold) / 13.54 (Steel)
- Case material: Brushed and polished steel or 18k Moonshine Gold
- Dial: Black varnished and lacquered dial with white varnished and lacqured step sub-dials. Hands and indices rhodium plated steel or 18k Moonshine Gold
- Bezel: Black ceramic with a white enamel tachymeter scale
- Crystal: Hesalite‑like shaped scratch‑resistant sapphire crystal with anti‑reflective treatment inside
- Water resistance: 50 meters/ 5ATM
- Movement: Omega 3861, manual-winding chronograph movement, beating at 3Hz and Master Chronometer certified by METAS
- Power reserve: 50 hours
- Bracelet/Strap: Steel or 18k Moonshine Gold bracelet with brushed and polished links with a push button folding clasp with comfort extension.