Omega Speedmaster 311.92.44.30.01.001 Dark Side of the Moon Apollo 8 Edition Black Ceramic Black Dial (2024)

Description

The reference 311.92.44.30.01.001 represents Omega’s tribute to the historic December 1968 Apollo 8 mission when astronauts Frank Borman, James Lovell, and William Anders became the first humans to orbit the Moon and witness the far side that remains perpetually hidden from Earth, relying on their Omega Speedmaster chronographs as critical timing instruments throughout the mission. Launched to commemorate the 50th anniversary of this groundbreaking achievement in space exploration, this reference advances Omega’s Dark Side of the Moon collection through innovative use of laser-ablation technology applied directly to the movement itself creating a three-dimensional representation of the lunar surface visible through both the skeletonized dial showing the near side familiar to Earth observers and transparent caseback revealing the mysterious far side astronauts experienced, appealing to collectors who value both horological innovation and space heritage combined with bold contemporary materials construction entirely in black ceramic.

The 44.25mm case crafted entirely in brushed and polished black ceramic features fixed polished black ceramic bezel with engraved tachymeter scale filled with Super-LumiNova for visibility in darkness, polished black ceramic crown with engraved and luminous-filled Omega logo, polished black ceramic chronograph pushers, sapphire crystal, and transparent sapphire caseback engraved with “APOLLO 8, DEC 1968,” “DARK SIDE OF THE MOON,” and “WE’LL SEE YOU ON THE OTHER SIDE” quoting astronaut Jim Lovell’s final words to ground control before traveling to the Moon’s far side. The skeletonized black dial reveals the specially decorated manual-winding Caliber 1869 movement with main plate and bridges laser-ablated to create remarkably detailed three-dimensional lunar surface texture in lighter shade representing the near side visible from Earth with landscape full of craters, applied blackened index hour markers with luminous fill, blackened hour and minute hands with luminous fill, varnished yellow central chronograph seconds hand with luminous tip providing striking contrast against black background, small seconds subdial at 9 o’clock, 30-minute totalizer at 3 o’clock, 12-hour totalizer at 6 o’clock, approximately 48 hours of power reserve. Black perforated leather strap with yellow rubber interior and yellow decorative stitching secures with black ceramic tang buckle.