Impressions about the new Omega Speedmaster Moonphase Meteorite

A moonphase complication on a watch that went to the Moon and is named, at least for some of the editions, the Moonwatch… Add to that a glass of moonshine and a slice of mooncake, and you’ll be over the moon. I allow you to blame me in the comments for this lame introduction, which doesn’t feel like asking for the moon… Maybe I should do a moonlight flit and disappear. Right, back to business. Yesterday, as its first introduction of the year – it has become a tradition for Omega to present a new Speedmaster on one of the first Tuesdays of the year – the Biel-based brand introduced a remake of its Speedmaster Moonphase. Smaller, slimmer, powered by a modern hand-wound movement, slightly over-engineered as you’d expect from Omega, using bits of the Moon on the dial, it promised the moon. But has Omega shot for the moon here…? Let’s find out. (yes, I’m done with the moon-related jokes)

A quick history of the Speedmaster Moonphase

The first time a moonphase complication appeared on the dial of an Omega Speedmaster was in 1985, back when the industry was slowly (very slowly) starting to recover and get back to creativity. This watch, produced between November 1985 and December 1988, was the Speedmaster Professional Moonphase reference ST 345.0809, also known as the SpeedyMoon. A rare watch, with an estimated production of about 1,300 watches (according to Moonwatch Only), it was an evolution of the Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch, with which it shares many technical elements. It uses the same 42mm asymmetrical case, the same black dial as a base, same handset but, of course, adds a moonphase display with a pointer-date at 12 o’clock.

This early Speedmaster Moonphase was powered by the calibre 866, an evolution of the classic hand-wound calibre 861 found in the Moonwatch. This version was made available in three sub-generations with different moon design (small, big, moon face) and featured a tritium dial. Also notable in between this 1980s model and the following 2000s edition, Omega made a white gold model (ref. 3689.30) with a silver dial – a rare watch first seen in 1999 – as well as a steel version with broad-arrow blue hands (ref. 3575.20) first seen in 2000, nicknamed the Ivory Moonphase. A silver edition (ref. 3575.30) was also produced.

In 2003, Omega revamped the concept of the Speedmaster Moonphase with the reference 3576.50, the second iteration of the black dial Speedmaster Moonphase. Also made in steel, its dial was identical in layout to the SpeedyMoon but with framed sub-dials, a sapphire crystal and a see-through caseback. This version is powered by the calibre 1866, an evolution of the calibre 1861. The Black Moonphase was produced from 2003 to 2017. The dimensions were close to that of a Moonwatch, with an identical 42mm diameter.

In 2016, things changed rather drastically for the Speedmaster Moonphase, which entered a new era. Larger, much more modern, using a technically advanced automatic chronograph movement, the collection was now part of the two-counter range and not the Professional lineup anymore. First seen in steel with a black or a dark blue dial (precious editions also exist), these modern Speedmaster Moonphase models measured 44.25mm (like a Speed Racing, sharing the same base architecture), with a substantial thickness of 16.9mm and inside the in-house, Master Chronometer automatic calibre 9904. These models, with a date indication at 9 o’clock and a single-moon display at 6 o’clock, are still available. Big and bold, and probably not really in tune with the current trends…

The new Speedmaster Moonphase Meteorite

While at first these new 2025 Speedmaster Moonphase Meteorite models seem like a slight evolution of existing versions, with new materials for the dial and redesigned layout, there’s actually not much left from the old watches here. Basically, it’s an all-new Speedmaster Moonphase watch, but not an entirely new watch either. It’s more the sum of existing parts found in various sub-collections, and reunited in a new version that’s been made slimmer, smaller, more precious regarding materials and, as you’ve guessed, more expensive too.

What are we looking at with these Speedmaster Moonphase Meteorite? In short, a Speedmaster Chronoscope base with the functionalities of the Speedmaster Moonphase on top, all dressed up with meteorite dial and moon cabochons. As such, the case is the same as the 2021 Chronoscope collection, meaning somewhere in-between a professional Moonwatch and the larger automatic models. Let’s break down the specs; 43mm in diameter like the Chronoscope, meaning 1mm larger than a Moonwatch, 1.25mm smaller than an old Speedy Moon automatic. 13.6mm in thickness, meaning 0.4mm thicker than a Moonwatch Sapphire, 0.6mm thicker than a Chronoscope, and a whopping 3.3mm slimmer than the previous automatic Speedmaster Moonphase. Lug-to-lug is here 48.6mm, identical to the Chronoscope, 1mm longer than a Moonwatch and 1.4mm shorter than the old Moonphase models.

So how does that translate on the wrist? Well, fairly well actually. Despite the slightly imposing diameter, the new Speedmaster Moonphase, just like the Chronoscope, is fairly short compared to many other 43mm watches – that’s a thing with asymmetrical Speedmasters, they have short lugs. Also, the thickness has been drastically reduced compared to the automatic models, to a level that’s comparable to a Moonwatch or a Chronoscope. And while it remains a watch with its fair share of wrist presence, it wears comfortably on most wrists – ok, for someone like me and my 16.5cm wrists, that might be a tad too large. But our editor Xavier, who served as a wrist model here, can easily wear this watch. We can only applaud Omega for coming back to more reasonable dimensions, specifically regarding thickness – one of the recurring complaints about many modern Omega watches.

As for the case and design, no major changes compared to the Speedmaster Chronoscope, with the same asymmetrical base in stainless steel. The case is topped by a box-shaped sapphire crystal, gets a sapphire crystal on the back and classic pushers and crown partially inserted in a lateral guard. One difference here, the fixed bezel features a ceramic insert (in black or blue, depending on the version) with a tachymeter scale done in white enamel. Other than that, the Speedmaster Moonphase Meteorite models are basically identical to a Chronoscope. Including the rather limited water-resistance of 50m.

Moving to the dials, things are fairly different, however. While still part of the two-counters Speedmaster collection, the new Speedmasters Moonphase have been slightly revamped regarding the display, and inaugurate new materials and colour schemes. For starters, we now have a twin-moon display for the Northern and Southern hemispheres, framed by an age-of-the-moon scale. This is only a visual evolution, as the previous models already feature a disc with two moons. The moon cabochons are here made from genuine pieces of Moon meteorite, over a starry sky that mimics the position of the stars as they were on the night that Apollo 11 reached the Moon in 1969, viewed from Biel, Switzerland. The rest of the display is classic two-counter Speedmaster, with a single register for elapsed time (60-minute, 12-hour), and a date by hand in the small seconds at 9 o’clock.

The Omega Speedmaster Moonphase Meteorite is offered in two variants. One plays on fairly traditional tones of black and grey, the other one adds touches of blue. What remains for both is the use of a meteorite for the base of the dial, adding a lot of depth or business to the display, depending on how you want to look at it. The black model, with a black ceramic bezel, has a black PVD-coated meteorite dial with black sub-counters, hands and applied markers (all lumed) in white gold. The blue model is bolder, but also quite appealing, with its galvanic grey-coated meteorite dial, its blue PVD counters and its white gold markers and hands coated in blue by PVD process. It also features a blue ceramic bezel. Both have small touches of red on the seconds hand, the date hand and the Speedmaster logo.

As for the mechanics, these new models rely on an existing base. The Speedmaster Moonphase is powered by the new calibre 9914, which shares its technical base with the hand-wound calibre 9908 of the Speedmaster Chronoscope and the calibre 9900 of the Speedmaster 57. These are hand-wound evolutions of the 99xx series of automatic movements, modern and technically advanced engines with an integrated architecture, a column wheel and a vertical clutch. Being now manual movements, the back hardly hides the transformation and shows a large plate that covers most of the technical elements – it’s not the most visually attractive calibre, despite its great technical qualities. This new calibre 9914 adds complications, namely the moonphase and the date-by-hand. It runs at a 4Hz frequency, features two barrels in series for a comfortable 60h power reserve and being a Master Chronometer-certified movement, it is resistant to magnetic fields up to 15,000 Gauss.

The two Speedmasters Moonphase Meteorite come on a steel bracelet, the same 21mm Nixon-style one that’s used on the Chronoscope, itself very close to the bracelet found on the updated Moonwatch. Flexible, thanks to its rounded links, it’s presented with polished mid-links, and a striated folding clasp with comfort release.

Conclusion, availability & price

Available now as part of the permanent collection, these new Omega Speedmaster Moonphase Meteorite models are priced at EUR 18,800 (incl. taxes), CHF 15,000 (excl. taxes) or USD 17,100 (excl. taxes), a notable increase compared to a steel-on-steel Speedmaster Chronoscope (10,400 euros) or the previous automatic Speedmaster Moonphase (12,700 euros).

I have some very positive things to say about these new releases. First of all, the case and dimensions are slowly going back to more classic measurements, specifically regarding the thickness. I know the Chronoscope to be a comfortable watch and this new Speedymoon will be too. Then, design-wise, and even if it’s a bit over the top, the all-meteorite look is quite impressive and attractive. It makes this watch polarizing and unique.

Now, we’re facing again new editions of the Speedmaster, showing that this collection has a twofold strategy. On one side, some argue that the Speedmaster was and should remain exclusively the Moonwatch, the only model worthy of the name. I can understand this position, even if I think it’s a bit extreme. Yet, we can see the Speedmaster collection as two main ranges; the classic Moonwatch and a few historic models on one side (Calibre 321, Speed FOiS, some editions like the Silver Snoopy), and everything else on the other side – the Dark Side of the Moon and the Two-Counters watches. And these are very different models, possibly targeting a different audience.

So, while some argue that we don’t need yet another Speedmaster, and while I do think that diversity is the enemy in the classic Professional and Heritage ranges, it is welcome in the modern versions of the Speedmaster. Maybe the only issue is about the wide use of the name, and Omega could differentiate these collections… As a whole, the new Speedmaster Moonphase Meteorite is a polarizing, bold addition but one that shows that the brand is working on optimizing its collections. Is it perfect? Nothing is, and its looks might not suit everyone’s taste. Is it expensive? It is, no doubt. But it’s a greatly made watch, as always with the brand.

For more details, please consult OmegaWatches.com.