Omega Moon Watch – The Speedmaster Grey Side of The Moon

Gandalf would love this one. Launched to riotous acclaim at Baselworld 2014, the Omega Speedmaster Grey Side of the Moon – also known as the “Lunar Dust” – remains coveted, scarce, and highly-sought by the sports watch faithful. Take everything you know about the celebrated Omega Speedmaster “Dark Side,” and add two critical ingredients: platinum and plasma.

Let’s establish one guiding thought; this is no conventional Omega Moon Watch. The 42mm, manual-wind, non-chronometer, steel and acrylic Speedmaster Professional is the historic replica of the range. This freed the designers of the Omega Speedmaster Grey Side of The Moon to create “concept watch” with no-holds-barred styling flair and contemporary technology that leaves the Omega Moonwatch looking like a pocket watch by comparison.

Start with the 44.25mm dual-finish grey ceramic case. Entirely crafted from the kiln-fired and plasma-treated material, the Speedmaster Grey Side of The Moon is scratch resistant (nearly immune, in fact) from lug-to-lug.

The addition of plasma treatment transforms the fundamental ceramic structure to the extent that it can be polished to a metallic gleam. Although just as resilient as black ceramic, the “grey” ceramic perfectly emulates the luster of polished metal and the cool subtlety of a brushed metallic surface.

A matching tachymeter scale and sapphire crystal – both unavailable on the Moonwatch – keep the Grey Side looking suitably imposing.

But the Omega Speemaster Grey Side of the Moon saves its best for the main event: a full 950 platinum dial. Its grained surface is lightly textured so that it reads differently in a range of light conditions. Worn indoors, the dial presents a gentle suede-like grey surface; in direct sunlight the micro-facets of platinum explode in a chaotic scattering of rays. This complex platinum dial is the perfect match for a watch inspired by the shifting complexion of the Moon.

The Speedmaster Grey Side’s dial provides an ideal backdrop for the mirror-polished 18-karat white gold hands and applied white gold indexes. At six o’clock, a small date window with color-coordinated grey disc offers discreet practicality.

Within the ceramic mother ship, the Omega Speedmaster Grey Side of The Moon houses technology that would make a Zeta Reticulan proud. The Omega in-house caliber 9300 co-axial chronometer chronograph features all of the latest Swatch group toys. A COSC Swiss Chronometer rating, silicon hairspring, column wheel function selector, vertical clutch chronograph engagement, 60-hour power reserve, and ultra-precise co-axial escapement are just the appetizers.

The 9300 and its non-chronograph 8500 cousin are the first Omega movements designed from scratch to employ Dr. George Daniels’ revolutionary co-axial escapement. After more than a decade perfecting this technology, the once theoretical advantages of short-term precision, long-term rate stability, and reduced wear have been realized.

See this Omega Speedmaster Grey Side of The Moon in high-resolution images with all Omega accessories on The 1916 Company.  Video and content by Tim Mosso.