The Long-Awaited White Dial Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch is Here

You’ve probably already seen that watch… But up until today, it was not officially there. For decades, besides special and limited editions, the Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch in stainless steel has primarily flaunted a black dial watch. Yet, at an event hosted by Omega in November last year, Daniel Craig, whom we are more accustomed to seeing wearing a Seamaster when portraying James Bond, was spotted wearing something special… An unprecedented version of the classic Moonwatch with a light-coloured dial. And no, this wasn’t the silver dial of the Canopus Gold Moonwatch. It had to be steel. And here it is confirmed, with the introduction as part of the permanent collection of a lacquered white dial Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional. 

A full-white dial Speedmaster Moonwatch isn’t something that common. Look closely, and you won’t find anything of the sort, at least in the standard collection. There have been some white dial special, commemorative, regional or limited editions in the past, but nothing permanently available. Besides the chocolate version of the Moonwatch (circa 2007-2012), it’s always been a sea of black for the steel models. Even the current collection comprises only four steel references, and all are black. 

We’ve seen several other steel versions, however, with a full white dial (panda dials being excluded here). The 2015 Speedmaster Moonwatch Apollo 13 Silver Snoopy Award is, of course, one of the best examples. We can also mention the highly-collectable Speedmaster 40th Anniversary “Albino” made for the Italian market, dating back to 1997 and produced in 500 pieces – which is, according to R.J. Broer (a relatively reliable source on this topic, I suspect…), “the last (non-panda) white-dial Speedmaster Professional without a comic character, moonphase display or special reference” produced by Omega, even though it’s more off-white than pure white. But the most important white dial Speedmasters are, without a doubt, the Alaska Project models – original models from the late 1960s or the re-edition of 2008, a limited run of 1970 watches. 

Above: a Speedmaster 40th Anniversary Albino for the Italian market and a Speedmaster Alaska re-edition (both images from Fratello Watches shop)

Following the teaser Mr Craig offered us a few months ago, we can now say that the Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional White Dial is officially part of the permanent collection and made of stainless steel. And indeed, without being a re-issue of the Alaska project models, it shares a bit of their flair, mostly due to the use of bright red accents. A bunch of good news for this Speedy Tuesday, right?

So, what’s new? Well, we have a new “Albino” Speedmaster. And although it has a new dial, it’s first and foremost a Moonwatch Professional in steel, with everything the black versions already feature. In short – if you want all the details about the watch, check this in-depth article – we’re talking about a stainless steel Speedmaster with the classic asymmetrical case measuring 42mm in diameter, 13.2mm in thickness and 47.5mm in length. It features sapphire crystals on both sides (no hesalite version is available) and is 50m water-resistant. The bezel retains the classic DON style printed over a black anodized aluminium insert. Nothing new here.

As for the movement, no surprises either, as this White Speedmaster Moonwatch is powered by the in-house calibre 3861, an evolution of the classic 1861 movement now equipped with co-axial escapement and certified Master Chronometer – anti-magnetic, precision 0/+5 seconds/day. The bracelet, being a sapphire sandwich version, has brushed and polished links and is closed by a relatively compact clasp (which has had a comfort extension integrated for about a year now) – all identical to the black sapphire models. More options are available, and details are to come at the end.

So, let’s talk about the white rhinoceros in the room (the elephant metaphor wasn’t really adequate): the full white dial. This is the first regular Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional in steel to have such a dial, so, in a way, this is quite big news. The dial retains the black editions’ stepped profile, brought back in 2021 as part of the model’s update. While the base is white lacquered and glossy (which is a first for a Moonwatch), the contrast has been respected with the use of black hands and markers, as well as a small touch of colour on the model’s name, the Speedmaster logo being printed in red – a style that is identical to the Seamaster Diver 300M white. And this combination of colours inevitably brings to mind the Alaska series. I would have personally loved a full red central seconds hand instead of only the tip being coloured. 

There are a few notable differences between this white dial Speedmaster Moonwatch and the classic black versions, the first being the applied markers instead of painted markers, which are black and feature a small lume insert. Following this evolution, the Omega logo is also blackened and applied, and all secondary hands are also black – again, to respect the great contrast of the original model.

While the classic retro-styled stainless steel bracelet is the main option offered by Omega, two more versions are also available, including one on a black micro-perforated leather strap with red and white stitching and another on an anti-bacterial rubber strap with a moon surface pattern in positive relief on the underside for increased comfort and aesthetics.

Availability & price

Released as part of the permanent collection, the new white dial Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional will soon be available from boutiques and retailers. Prices are EUR 9,000 for the steel bracelet (100 euros more than the black version) and EUR 8,600 for the two strap options. For more details, please visit www.omegawatches.com.