Pre-Baselworld 2016: Speedmaster Moonphase Chronograph Master Chronometer

Pre-Baselworld 2016: Speedmaster Moonphase Chronograph Master Chronometer

The first thing that strikes you about this extraordinary new timepiece is the representation of the moon. It has never looked more realistic. The high resolution image, in sharply contrasting black and white, is as detailed as a NASA photograph; so detailed in fact, that a closer look reveals an astronaut's footprint.

The Speedmaster is no stranger to the lunar surface, given that it was the first watch worn on the moon. And as a Master Chronometer, this watch celebrates another pioneering moment: OMEGA's exacting new standard of testing, set in late 2015, by the Swiss Federal Institute of Metrology (METAS). 

True to its name, the timepiece displays the phases of the moon. Contrary to popular belief, a lunar month is not 30 days, but slightly more than 29.5 days. A difficult time span to manage for a standard gear train, but OMEGA's Moonphase is up to the task. Its highly accurate mechanism only needs adjusting after 10 years, and all it takes is a few turns of the crown. 

And it's not just the moon's wobbles kept in check. The watch is also balanced visually, with twin two-handed subdials, to create a beautifully symmetrical look.      

The Speedmaster Moonphase has many other striking features: including a stunning sun-brushed blue dial, ceramic bezel and stainless steel case. Liquidmetal® has been used on the tachymeter scale; another Speedmaster first, and a closer look reveals rhodium-plated circles on the subdials.   

Though the hands are classic Speedmaster, the internal workings are a giant leap forward. The revolutionary new 9904 movement is made up of 368 components and marks the start of a whole new era in watchmaking. 

Of course, no OMEGA timepiece is complete without the ultimate finishing touch. For a watch with such a stunning blue dial, it has to be a blue leather strap, clasped with a foldover buckle.