Fresh from the Showcase here at SwissWatchExpo. Today,
we've got a pretty straightforward one. We've got a Speedmaster MoonWatch with a moonphase,
which is really beautiful and what's not to love. So let's check it out.
I have with me today, one of my favorite Speedmaster references, one of my favorite
complications, really, in all of watchmaking, and something that is sure to piss off a ton
of MoonWatch fans out here. I have a sapphire sandwich MoonWatch with a moonphase and date
indicator, which in many ways makes this not a MoonWatch at all, but I'm going to say it is
because Omega says it does. Omega calls this a MoonWatch, they call this particular reference
part of the MoonWatch line. So I am not in any position to disagree with them,
although I'm sure a lot of collectors just might. And I, for one, absolutely love this complication
on a lot of different chronographs. I also really just love this complication on the MoonWatch,
which might be just sheer anathema for so many of the Speedmaster Professional collectors out there.
But I love, love, love just how symmetrical this does make the dial. Now we have four sub-dials
on the dial and a perfectly circular round motif that I think is really well done here.
I mean, obviously, the sub-dials at 3, 6, and 9 have stayed exactly the same.
In many ways, this dial is identical to the MoonWatch dial that you know and love.
But the most glaring difference is going to be the addition of this moonphase indicator
as well as a date wheel surrounding it, which I think is a beautiful, beautiful complication
that they've added to this dial. And it also keeps the perfectly circular motif, I think of
this. I don't even know how intentional that was, but it is an absolutely incredible-looking watch.
And I think really took an iconic-looking watch and made it even more aesthetically pleasing.
Now, I say as with so many watches, particularly the MoonWatches that have
used this. The moonphase indicator is almost entirely aesthetic for a lot of reasons. One
when's the last time you thought about what the moonphase is. I don't even know what you
would have to be doing professionally to require that knowledge everyday,
but say you did the fact that this does have a manual winding caliber, the caliber 1866,
which is just a modified 1861 with a moonphase and date. That's it. Otherwise, it's exactly the same
the fact that you would need to wind this watch everyday would make it pretty hard to keep in sync
with the moonphase, but that's also why I think it's very aesthetically beautiful complication
with this beautiful blue background here, which I think does add just a little bit of richness
to the dial, a little extra color, but it's a very light or a very dark color. A neutral color.
So it's not really gonna throw your eyes off or be super distracting.
Couple of small differences here, Speedmaster and Professional have been moved
down to the lower half of the dial. So in a traditional MoonWatch, as you would know,
you would have the Omega symbol as you do see it here but with Speedmaster and Professional
right next to it as well. They've since moved that down but of course they needed to keep that
script on the dial. I think really an effort to keep this ain't MoonWatch. They're calling this
a MoonWatch. I think the fact that they have the same text on the dial, albeit in different places
definitely means that they're keeping, you know, in that tradition. Otherwise this is a beautiful
watch to the professional style bracelet from this generation, which I think might be my favorite.
I love a mostly brushed finish. And the fact that this is gonna be really durable,
not show a lot of scratches, a super thin high polish line here, but that's gonna be
super, super clean and it's gonna stay that way. So this would make a fantastic choice for
a watch that you really wanted to make your daily wear. And I think the fact that this does have a
sapphire sandwich, which is another feature that we'll say might be a bit controversial
amongst the purists. But as you know, I love them. You're looking at a guy who has ruined
many acrylic crystal. So at this point, if I'm investing in something like a MoonWatch,
I am going to want that the protection that that sapphire crystal provides, and as well as
the fact that you get to see this beautiful 1866 movement. Here the 1861 is beautiful.
I've held both of these side by side and they look pretty much identical to my novice eyes
from the back of this. So they must be hiding that date in moonphase somewhere deep, deep,
deep into these beautiful mechanics here, but they did keep the sapphire crystal on the back
so you are able to get that beautiful view when you're not wearing this watch. I feel like a lot
of people watching this video have probably already made up their minds whether or not
they would really be as liberal in their definition of a MoonWatch to consider this,
but you can consider me amongst them. It is beautiful. I absolutely love the circular
pattern. The circular motif that having that fourth sub-dial on the dial sort of gives you.
And the fact that I understand that a moonphase is a pretty much exclusively aesthetic complication.
So I'm not gonna be overly concerned by the fact that this is a watch that you would have
to wind every day and it would not stay in sync unless you were super on top of it all the time.
But that being said beautiful watch and a beautiful addition to the Speedmaster line
to the MoonWatch line. That's right. I'm putting my flag in the ground. I'm calling it a MoonWatch
too. But if you want more of a traditional you know, acrylic crystal version, maybe even one
with an 861 or a 321 movement. Guess what? We've got that too. So give us a call. Any MoonWatch,
any Speedmaster you want, you need to be checking out our website first that's SwissWatchExpo.com.