OMEGA’s MoonSwatch collaborations have been one of the Swiss luxury watchmaker’s most sought-after timepieces in recent years.
However, to kickstart 2024, OMEGA is going it alone with what is essentially an inline MoonSwatch of its own.
Officially named the Dark Side of the Moon, OMEGA’s newest timepiece is the latest addition to its famed Speedmaster collection and a reworked take of the Dark Side of the Moon Apollo 8 timepiece that was released back in 2018.
The original Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon marked fifty years since Apollo 8 became the first human flight to ever orbit the Moon.
This year, OMEGA is once again honoring the famed mission with a revamped state-of-the art timepiece with a refreshed palette of materials.
The OMEGA MoonSwatch, which is a collaboration between the Swiss brand and Swatch, is essentially an affordable riff on the Speedmaster which uses the same lume as the OMEGA Speedmaster.
Since its first release back in early 2022, though, the MoonSwatch has been in high demand and, as such, has seen various iterations dropped on an almost monthly basis.
This time around OMEGA is going it alone.
The new Dark Side of the Moon comes equipped with a moon-decorated movement that can be seen through the watch’s skeletonized dial, as well as a 44.25 mm case, polished bezel, and the caseback.
Elsewhere the watch’s central chronograph second hand is varnished yellow, a color theme that continues on the watch’s perforated strap that’s made from black rubber with a yellow interior.
Although OMEGA’s Dark Side of the Moon Speedmaster may bear all the characteristics of a MoonSwatch and much of the same build, their price points are deceptively different.
Where the MoonSwatch will retail at around $260 (one of the reasons it’s proven to be so popular), OMEGA’s Dark Side of the Moon Speedmaster will cost over $16,500 more at just over $17,000.
That being the case, you can see why OMEGA’s MoonSwatch is proving to be in demand such is its affordability. But, then again, if you have the means to do so, getting yourself an actual Speedmaster is a big flex too, even if they are kinda similar.
