Omega Dark Side of the Moon

Omega first presented the Dark Side of the Moon at Baselworld 2013. It is a modern interpretation of the famousSpeedmaster Professional, the first watch to reach the Moon. Since then, it has evolved into its own collection with many different models. The design of the Dark Side series is very similar to that of the original Moonwatch, but it forges its own path in terms of materials and technology.

One of the key distinctions is the case size. With a diameter of 44.25 mm, the Dark Side is 2 mm larger than the traditional Moonwatch. The case material is different, too. Instead of stainless steel, Omega uses black ceramic for the Dark Side. The manufacturer also crafts the dial from this hard, scratch-resistant material.

The automatic Omega Co-Axial caliber 9300 powers Dark Side watches. Unlike the classic manual 1861 movement, which you can find in the Speedmaster Professional, the 9300 features a date display at 6 o'clock. The Speedmaster Professional has two separate subdials for its minute and hour counters, while the Dark Side relies on a more unique approach: It features just one subdial with two hands for both the minutes and hours at 3 o'clock.

All Dark Side models saw their value increase in the two-year period between July 2020 and July 2022. The top performer was the ref. 311.92.44.51.01.003, which appreciated by almost 30%.

Reasons to Buy the Dark Side of the Moon

• Chronometer-certified, Co-Axial caliber with a silicon spring
• Low-maintenance, long-lasting movement technology
• Scratch-resistant cases in black ceramic
• Sporty and modern design, 44.25 mm in diameter
• Anti-reflective sapphire crystal

Prices for Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon models that have never been worn begin at around 9,300 USD. You can buy the ref. 311.92.44.51.01.003, which features white hands and indices, for this amount. The completely black ref. 311.92.44.51.01.005 costs around 10,000 USD. If you are interested in buying a gold timepiece, such as the Dark Side of the Moon Sedna Black, you should plan on spending about 12,000 USD. The most expensive model is adorned with diamonds and requires an investment of roughly 19,000 USD.

The Pitch Black ref. 311.92.44.51.01.004 is almost entirely black, except for the dial's light green numerals, indices, and inscriptions, which are made of the luminous material Super-LumiNova.

You can purchase a new Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon Pitch Black for about 9,600 USD. Between July 2020 and July 2022, this Omega watch appreciated by around 26%. Unlike the standard Dark Side of the Moon with a nylon strap, the Pitch Black comes on a leather strap. What's more, the Dark Side of the Moon has somewhat wider indices and lacks any luminous material on its tachymeter scale.

The Black Black ref. 311.92.44.51.01.005 is solid black. While it scores plenty of style points, its black luminous material is difficult to read under poor lighting conditions. If that's important to you, you'd probably prefer some of the other models, like the Sedna Black ref. 311.63.44.51.06.001. It pops thanks to its Sedna gold hands, indices, date, and bezel edge. Sedna gold is Omega's proprietary rose gold alloy. The Vintage Black ref. 311.92.44.51.01.006 is black except for its tan indices and numerals. It also features a brown leather strap, which underscores this watch's retro charm.

Prices for the Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon Black Black in mint condition sit at roughly 10,000 USD. The Sedna Black model costs a good 12,000 USD new. You can also plan on spending around 10,000 USD on a never-worn Vintage Black. Compared to 2020, all three Speedmaster models have increased in value by around 25% (as of July 2022).

The Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon with diamonds is by far the most expensive chronograph in this series. Numerous diamonds ornament the bezel and indices of this black ceramic watch. You can find this model under the reference number 311.98.44.51.001. Be prepared to spend close to 16,000 USD for a never-worn timepiece.

Omega also produces some light-colored ceramic watches. For example, the Grey Side of the Moon and the White Side of the Moon. The Grey Side features a gray case inspired by the color of moondust. As astronaut Jim Lovell put it, "The Moon is essentially gray." This watch with a Co-Axial caliber and chronograph function comes with either a sandblasted platinum dial or a "meteorite" dial (ref. 311.63.44.51.99.002) made from slices of the Gibeon meteorite. Each of these dials has a unique pattern, making every Grey Side of the Moon "Meteorite" one of a kind. This is all topped off by Sedna gold hands and indices, as well as a ceramic bezel with a Sedna gold tachymeter scale and edge. These models change hands for around 13,000 USD in mint condition. As recently as July 2020, this model cost less than 10,000 USD.

You will need to spend around 9,500 USD to call the Omega Speedmaster Grey Side of the Moon with a platinum dial your own.

The Omega Speedmaster White Side of the Moon is solid white and inspired by the Moon's radiance as viewed from Earth. Two small splashes of color on this chronograph include the red tip of the stopwatch second hand and the red "Speedmaster" inscription. Hands and indices in 18-karat white gold add value to this 44.25-mm timepiece. The version with a mother-of-pearl dial and diamond-studded bezel is especially elegant. This model also features gold indices embellished with diamonds. White leather straps underscore the clean look of this series.

You can find the version with the mother-of-pearl dial under the ref. 311.98.44.51.55.001. Omega lists this model for 25,800 USD, but you can buy it in mint condition on Chrono24 for closer to 20,000 USD. If you can go without the diamonds, prices drop to around 10,000 USD. The MRSP for this timepiece is 12,000 USD.

The Speedmaster Professional Blue Side of the Moon (ref. 304.93.44.52.03.001) pays tribute to the night sky. The Co-Axial caliber 9904 provides this timepiece with a beautiful moon phase display at 6 o'clock. The case measures 42.25 mm in diameter and is made of ceramic. Indices in 18-karat white gold sit atop the blue ceramic dial. Omega creates the blue tachymeter scale using their proprietary Liquidmetal alloy, which also contains ceramic.

If you are interested in buying one of these Omega Speedmasters, expect prices around the 10,000 USD mark. The value of this model has increased by roughly 20% since July 2020.

The name of the series has many interpretations. Omega dedicated the Dark Side of the Moon to the astronauts who participated in the Apollo missions. The Apollo 8 mission in December 1968 played a particularly special role in the naming of the series: It was the first time that humans saw the other side of the Moon with their own eyes. Space travel made this possible, as only one side of the Moon is visible from Earth. The Moon makes a full rotation on its axis in the time it takes to orbit the Earth one time. Scientists refer to this as synchronous rotation.

The crew of Apollo 8 hadn't truly uncovered new territory, however, as the Soviet space probe, Luna 3, had already photographed the dark side of the Moon in 1959. Furthermore, the Moon's far side isn't truly dark; it also receives sunlight.

The phrase "dark side of the Moon" doesn't just refer to space, either. Mark Twain used it as a metaphor for the dark side of man, and music lovers know it as the name of the popular 1973 album by the British band Pink Floyd.

Omega leaves the door open to interpretation with the name "Dark Side of the Moon." The watch has many qualities in common with the Speedmaster Professional, the official timepiece of the Apollo program. Both are chronographs and have fixed bezels with tachymeter scales, as well as small seconds subdials at 9 o'clock. Two push-pieces control the chronograph functions: starting, stopping, and resetting to zero. Furthermore, both models are water-resistant to 50 m (5 bar, 164 ft).

Omega pairs the base model of the Dark Side of the Moon and the Black Black edition with a black Cordura strap. This synthetic material is more tear-resistant than nylon, which is why you'll often find it used for belts, bags, and protective clothing for motorcyclists. The Pitch Black, Sedna Black, and diamond version all feature a black leather strap.

Sapphire glass protects the Dark Side of the Moon on the dial side as well as the back. The words "Dark Side of the Moon" are engraved in the case back's edge.

The display case back gives you a clear view of Omega's in-house caliber 9300. This movement has a 60-hour power reserve thanks to its two barrels. It also boasts high shock resistance and low friction as a result of its co-axial escapement. Furthermore, Omega chose to use a silicon balance spring to keep the watch unaffected by magnetism.