The White Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch — Better Than The Silver Snoopy Award?
After Omega introduced several Speedmasters not aimed at Moonwatch enthusiasts (e.g. the Speedmaster Super Racing with Spirate technology and the updated Speedmaster Apollo 8), the white-dial Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch finally came out on March 5th, 2024. I use the word “finally” because Omega had already shown it in October 2023 on the wrist of former 007 actor Daniel Craig during a red-carpet event in New York.
Omega sent me the new white Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch to wear for a few weeks, so I did. I wondered if it would meet my expectations. Would it still make the same impression on me as when I saw it in the flesh for the first time?
The white Moonwatch
The introduction of the white Moonwatch took my Instagram feed hostage for days, perhaps even weeks. Finally, there was some excitement for the Moonwatch fans again! I have been buying (or collecting) Speedmasters since 1999, and Omega’s decision to stop producing (limited-edition) variations in 2020 also put the brake on my spending on Speedmaster watches. Of course, when Omega announced the current Moonwatch in 2021, I had to have one. After that, though, I acquired no Speedmasters. I won’t say that these three years were meaningless to me, but they did leave me wondering when we would see a cool Moonwatch variation again. And I am not talking about the Swatch MoonSwatch that came out in 2022. Although I bought several, those didn’t satisfy my hunger for more Speedmasters.
No Speedmasters for three years in a row
This three-year gap made me spend my hard-earned money on watches from other brands, including Rolex and Breguet, as well as half a dozen watches from smaller brands. Distraction! Luckily, though, Omega came up with a new Moonwatch variation that I will need to buy sooner rather than later.
Snoopy 2015, Snoopy 2003, Snoopy 2020 (current model)
Looking at my collection of Speedmasters, I only own one other white-dial model. It’s the 2015 Omega Speedmaster Professional Silver Snoopy Award 45th Anniversary limited edition. To me, it is the most interesting Snoopy edition commemorating Apollo 13, with a limited run of 1,970 pieces. That’s still a higher number to some of you, but understand that it’s less than a day’s production at Omega. You should always put the number of watches of a limited run in perspective. For example, while 1,970 pieces would be a lot for A. Lange & Söhne, it would be zilch for Seiko. I believe that the third Snoopy edition, the 50th-anniversary model that debuted in 2020, has seen a much higher production than the 1,970 pieces for its predecessor. That said, Omega doesn’t give us any info about those numbers, so let’s not make wild guesses here.
Nothing like the previous white-dial Speedmasters
Anyhow, the Snoopy from 2015 is my only white-dial Speedmaster. During the release of the new white Moonwatch, we also carried a few discontinued Speedmasters in the Fratello Shop, such as the Alaska Project from 2008 and the Italian-market Albino from 1997 (now all sold). Whereas the Albino was off-white at best, the Alaska Project 2008 and Snoopy 2015 limited edition were very white — a “hard white,” I would say. The new Speedmaster Moonwatch’s white dial is quite different from those earlier white-dial Speedmasters.
A lacquered dial
The new white Moonwatch has a lacquered dial, giving it a bit of gloss but not too much. It’s as far from a shiny dial as it is from the matte white dials of the Speedmaster Alaska Project and Snoopy 2015. It’s an attractive dial because it also shows a lot of depth due to the applied hour markers (black with a mirror-polished finish) and the recessed sub-dials with circular graining. Based on the comments on our announcement posts for this white Moonwatch, the use of red on the dial is not for everyone, but it does make the dial a bit livelier in real life.
The white Moonwatch has seen a warm reception
Interestingly, this watch “just” has a different dial (and handset) from the regular black-dial Moonwatch, but that makes all the difference. Suddenly, it attracts an audience that was never interested in the Speedmaster. I also found that people noticed it quite often when I wore this white-dial Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch during the Watches and Wonders 2024 exhibition and the week after. That was not only true for those in the trade (Watches and Wonders) but also for people just slightly interested in watches. I was at a dinner with a friend who was wearing a classic black-dial Moonwatch 3570.50 but had no further interest in the watch or the Moon association. Even she commented that the white-dial Speedmaster was a beautiful watch without knowing that it was the latest model.
The most interesting comments were those from our Fratello team members when I had it on my wrist in the office. Those who weren’t convinced at first (Morgan and Gerard, I’m looking at you) quickly changed their minds and carefully admitted that they liked it.
I have a weak spot for white dials
I’ve always liked white dials, which explains my (previous) ownership of a white-dial Panerai Luminor Marina, a white-dial Grand Seiko GMT, and two white-dial Royal Oaks (one chronograph) aside from the Speedmaster Silver Snoopy Award 45th Anniversary edition. I was actually a bit bummed when I saw that the third and latest Silver Snoopy Award model had a silver dial instead of a white one.
According to Omega’s initial press release, this white dial was inspired by the white NASA suits of the Apollo astronauts and the red elements by the red lines on the suits since Apollo 13 in 1970 to underline the commander’s rank. Just so you know, I think they just look good, but I am aware that these kinds of changes or amendments to a watch need a bit of storytelling behind them.
Same, same but different (appeal)
Except for the dial and hands, the new white-dial Speedmaster Professional ref. 310.30.42.50.04.001 on a stainless steel bracelet has the same technical specifications as its black-dial/sapphire-crystal Moonwatch counterpart (ref. 310.30.42.50.01.002). I don’t have that one in my collection, but we put the new white Moonwatch and black-dial Hesalite version (ref. 310.30.42.50.01.001) side by side in a few images. They’re practically the same watch, but the white dial of this model gives the watch a very different aesthetic. It’s almost as if it were a different watch altogether.
That’s why I also believe that the white version complements the black one rather than replaces it. The white Moonwatch has a different appeal than the classic Moonwatch too. As I wrote earlier, the new white-dial version will likely attract a new audience that is not so into the history of the Moonwatch or strict about the watch’s heritage. I have noticed in comments on our articles and social media that several people who didn’t have a Moonwatch before bought this new model. Perhaps they weren’t that interested in the “boring” black Moonwatch. Besides that new target audience, I think some Speedmaster collectors will also be more than interested in acquiring one.
The white-dial Speedmaster Moonwatch over the Silver Snoopy Award?
I wore the new white-dial Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch for two weeks straight, and the excitement simply didn’t fade. Someone asked me whether I prefer this model or the Silver Snoopy Award 50th Anniversary, and I responded that the new white-dial Moonwatch is somehow more exciting to me. Perhaps it isn’t fair as I have had the Snoopy for a while now, but I like things simple. Sometimes, just a dial (and handset) change is enough to revive my enthusiasm for an existing model.
If I had to choose between the white-dial Moonwatch and the Snoopy 50th Anniversary edition today, I’d go with the white Moonwatch. Still, a large part of the fun of the Silver Snoopy is the automaton on the case back, so that version is a must-have for collectors.
“Black and white, dancing together”
Would I prefer the white Moonwatch over the classic Moonwatch with a black dial? I am too much into the history of the Speedmaster and perhaps too much of a purist to select the white-dial model as my “only” Speedmaster. But I think it is an excellent addition to the collection that could have come out much earlier. I prefer a dial-color variation of the Moonwatch over some of the Speedmaster collections that Omega has added “on the side.” I understand there’s a market for them, but I prefer it when things are not too complicated. Just a different dial color is sometimes enough, especially when the “standard” version of the watch is already iconic.
Micro-adjustment clasp
Being careful when adding more versions
A good example is the Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon, which was an excellent addition to the Speedmaster collection in 2013. Still, only a little later, Omega flooded the catalog with five or six different versions. The classic stainless steel Moonwatch is a very difficult watch to “touch.” Omega can go wild with the gold or platinum Moonwatches, but the classic one deserves to be treated with care. And I think that’s precisely what the brand did with the new white edition.
The difference in price explained
Unfortunately, all good things end, even my trial period with the white-dial Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch. I had to hand it back after a few weeks, resulting in me grabbing the Silver Snoopy Award from 2015 from the safe to wear a bit more often. But it’s not the same. The new bracelet (with the micro-adjustable clasp), the caliber 3861, and the case shape are all upgrades that have been made in more recent times. Consequently, I need to get this new white-dial Moonwatch. But, just like many of you, I need some savings to do so! This Moonwatch, on the bracelet, has a retail price of CHF 7,700 / €9,000, about €100 more than the black version with a sapphire crystal (and bracelet).
Gregory Kissling, Omega’s Vice President of Product, told us that it’s very complex to produce these white lacquered dials while keeping all the details (such as the sub-dial finishing) visible. This also explains the difference in price with the regular black Moonwatch model with sapphire crystal.
The Speedmaster (Moonwatch) portfolio is nearly perfect
Those new to the Speedmaster will have an even more difficult task now. Rather than “just” choosing between a Hesalite and sapphire crystal, they can now stress out about choosing a dial color. Luckily, the white Moonwatch is only available with a sapphire crystal, which makes it easier.
Omega’s Moonwatch lineup now consists of three standard stainless steel options, a hard-to-get Silver Snoopy Award 50th Anniversary model, the Moonshine, Sedna, and Canopus Gold versions, a platinum version with caliber 321, and a modern version of the 105.003 (Ed White/Gene Cernan) with caliber 321. With all these, I’d say the portfolio is near perfect.
To me (no surprises here, probably), the Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch with the white dial is the best release of 2024 thus far in a somewhat affordable price segment. Yes, I understand that “affordable” is different for everyone, but this is the only watch under €10K that excited me in these first months of 2024.
Let us know what you think of the new Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch with a white dial. Perhaps you already have yours?
