Video: Hands-On With The New Omega Speedmaster Dark Side Of The Moon Watches

In 2013, there were two very significant releases in Omega’s catalog. One was the Speedmaster Professional “Racing,” which Fratello quickly dubbed “Tintin” due to its story with the Belgian reporter and his adventures on the Moon. The other was the Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon. It was a revolutionary watch at the time, as people had been longing for a black Speedmaster for a while. It was a black ceramic version of the caliber-9300-powered Speedmaster that Omega had introduced two years earlier, featuring a two-register dial and a domed sapphire crystal on the back. The case wasn’t the only ceramic component, though, as the dial and bezel were also made of this scratch-resistant material.

Omega’s Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon saga continues

I already expected an update of this model in 2023 to mark its 10th anniversary. Plus, it was one of the last remaining Speedmasters without a Master Chronometer-certified movement. Nevertheless, Omega took its time.

The original Dark Side of the Moon featured Omega’s caliber 9300, an in-house-developed and -manufactured chronograph movement with a column wheel and a bonus 12-hour dual-time function. Just like its steel counterpart, the case had a 44.25mm diameter. However, the size was not an issue at the time since big watches were still very much alive in 2013, and perhaps more importantly, the lug-to-lug wasn’t much larger than that of the 42mm Moonwatch. Side by side, though, the Dark Side of the Moon was (and is) visibly larger — more on wearability later.

A welcome update to the Dark Side of the Moon models

What I vividly remember about the original Omega Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon is that I wanted one badly, and there was a massive demand for it. I never had the chance to purchase one, though, and the collection eventually became diluted when Omega released several black ceramic variations on this model, as well as an all-white version, a Grey Side of the Moon, a Porsche Club America edition, an Alinghi edition, and a skeletonized Apollo 8 model (which was later upgraded in 2024).

Whenever I was ready to purchase the original 2013 Dark Side of the Moon, something else would pop up (mostly other Speedmaster models), and it slowly disappeared from my watch radar.

With the new Omega Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon watches, the craving has returned. There are three of these models in black ceramic, each available on a 21/18mm rubber strap (as we received them here) or the famous black nylon strap. Both straps come with a folding clasp.

Then, there’s a new version of the Speedmaster Grey Side of the Moon. It didn’t arrive in time for us to include it in our photo shoot, so I will only cover it briefly in this article. A hands-on review will follow later on.

Dark Side of the Moon “Classic” — 310.92.44.51.01.004

Let’s start with the updated classic Dark Side of the Moon. The good news is that it now uses the Master Chronometer-certified caliber 9900 rather than the 9300. There are also several aesthetic changes. As with the Moonwatch line, Omega now uses a “step dial” for the Dark Side of the Moon models. It provides more depth than the previous dials did.

As you can see, the white gold applied indexes now have a slight angle following the step rather than just being straight pieces. Of course, “Master Chronometer” is now printed on the dial in silver. Just like the indexes, the hands are made of 18K white gold and use green-glowing Super-LumiNova. Surrounding the dial and crystal is a black ceramic bezel with Omega’s patented Liquidmetal tachymeter scale. This applies to all three variations we have here.

Omega also slightly changed the dimensions of the watch with an approximate 1mm reduction in thickness. It still has a 15.09mm profile, but the domed sapphire crystal on the case back and the box-type sapphire crystal on the front make the case itself look quite sleek. On my 18cm wrist, it fits perfectly. The 44.25mm diameter remains, and the watch has a 50mm lug-to-lug. That means the Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon isn’t for everyone, but it also never was.

Dark Side of the Moon “Black/Black” — 310.92.44.51.01.005

The all-black version of the Dark Side of the Moon is not a new model. Rather, it’s an upgrade of the existing one. It even keeps the same reference number as before. This model shares identical dimensions with the Dark Side of the Moon above, but it now has a sandblasted (matte) dial made of ceramic. The hour markers and hands are all blackened and feature black Super-LumiNova with a green emission.

Whereas its predecessor had a rhodium-plated caliber 9300 inside, this watch now houses the Master Chronometer-certified 9900 as well. However, for this all-black version, Omega decided to blacken the rotor, mainplate, and bridges. It’s now truly all black!

Caliber 9900 in two executions

Omega’s 9900 movement is not new, but it’s basically the brand’s most modern version of the 9300, with two barrels offering 60 hours of power reserve, a column-wheel chronograph mechanism, and a dual-time function. If you play it well, you can use the chronograph’s hour and minute recorder at 3 o’clock as home time, depending on when you start the chronograph. You can also set the hour hand independently from the minute hand. This way, you can adjust the local time very quickly without hacking the movement.

This movement doesn’t have a quick-set date, but with the independently adjustable hour hand, changing the date is still an easy and relatively quick task. As written above, the movement is a METAS-certified Master Chronometer. This also applies to the 50m water resistance rating, and METAS adds a +25% margin. As a result, it’s safe to swim with the watch, but don’t use the crown and pushers underwater.

The Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon Classic and Black/Black versions cost CHF 12,200 (ex. taxes) / €15,400 (inc. VAT) / US$15,700 (ex. taxes).

Dark Side of the Moon “Dark Vader” — 310.92.44.51.01.001

This model is new to the Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon collection. It’s an all-black ceramic Speedmaster, except for the chronograph seconds hand and “Speedmaster” wording on the dial.

The sandblasted step dial has a grainy look when observed up close, and as you can see, there’s no date aperture. This all-black Dark Side with just two red accents looks very different from the other two variants, reminding us a bit of that famous Star Wars character. At certain angles, it looks like the red chronograph hand is floating above the dial.

That’s because the movement is different from the other two Dark Side watches. This Dark Vader is equipped with a hand-wound 9908 movement, which does not feature a date complication.

This movement also ensures a slimmer 13.02mm case profile. That’s thinner than a Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch! Just as with the self-winding all-black version, Omega also blackened the movement for the Dark Side of the Moon ref. 310.92.44.51.01.001. This Dark Vader version costs CHF 12,500 (ex. taxes) / €15,800 (inc. VAT) / US$16,100 (ex. taxes).

Grey Side of the Moon — 310.92.44.50.06.001

As mentioned above, we didn’t receive this model in time to take any photos or video of it. We’ll publish a hands-on review of it later, so I will keep it brief for now. The Grey Side of the Moon was also featured in the previous Dark Side collection, but it had the caliber 9300 instead of the 3869. You may recall the latter caliber from the Apollo 8 model. It features laser-ablated bridges and a mainplate that represent parts of the Moon’s surface.

Laser-ablated caliber 3869

For the Grey Side, Omega used the same technique and aimed for a lighter version to represent the lunar dust. This watch’s plasma-treated ceramic case and dial give a very different tone than the black ceramic models, of course. The hand-wound movement is based on the Master Chronometer-certified caliber 3861 and is designated as 3869. Pleasingly, the hand-wound movement also allowed Omega to give this watch a 12.97mm total thickness. The case diameter and lug-to-lug length are equal to those of the Dark Side of the Moon watches.

This model is available with either a gray rubber or gray nylon strap. The retail price of the Grey Side of the Moon is slightly higher than the Dark Side of the Moon models, at CHF 12,800 (ex. taxes) / €16,200 (inc. VAT) / US$16,400 (ex. taxes).

The Dark Side of the Moon on the wrist

I had the pleasure of wearing the new Dark Side of the Moon watches for a few days before they went live today. The all-black version was never my favorite, but I know some guys here in the office dig it. My preference has always been the original Dark Side of the Moon, and with the new step dial and caliber 9900, Omega has just made it better. Although all three watches are available with a fabric strap, we received them on the rubber strap (with the lunar-surface pattern inside), and I prefer them this way. The rubber strap is incredibly comfortable and a joy to wear.

Now, the Dark Vader is new to the collection, and it is rapidly becoming my favorite pick. The case is thinner than the other models, but that’s not the decisive factor for me, as the other cases also fit my wrist perfectly well. Rather, it’s the stealthy look of the case and dial with the pop of the bright red chronograph hand that puts this one in the lead.

It was tough to take these watches off in the last couple of days. I thought that large watches weren’t for me anymore, but the black cases and dials make them appear smaller than they actually are. Additionally, the rubber strap adds so much comfort that all big-watch worries disappeared like snow in the sun. That said, the Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon does look big on small wrists, so in the end, it’s a watch you should try before buying. It’s all a matter of preferences, certainly not of discomfort, which is no question with the Dark Side of the Moon on a rubber strap. Finally, Omega has notified us that all previous Dark Side of the Moon models (except for the Apollo 8) will be discontinued immediately.

What do you think of the latest Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon watches? Share your thoughts in the comments below!