Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonlight Golden Moon Watch Personal Experience

Let me play among the stars.

Yesterday, Omega replica announced a series of new models in Miami, including the new Ultra Deep, two new colorways of the Aqua Terra series and the new generation Speedmaster ’57. For all of this (and more), we have stories of our own experience, but I want to start with my new favorite release: Speedmaster Moonwatch Moonshine Gold.

The last time I was in Miami was in the spring of 2019, when Omega showed off the first Speedmaster, Moonshine Gold, in its proprietary 18k yellow gold alloy. It’s a jaw-dropping tribute to the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11. And, as Speedy fans have pointed out, since then, Omega has updated its core steel Moonwatch collection with the 3861 Speedmaster Professional movement.

The watch you see here basically combines the above two steps of the Speedmaster series. The result is a fully bootlegged 3861 Speedmaster that joins the current ranks with Sedna and Canopus Gold Speedies. It’s easily my favorite precious metal Speedmaster trio.

For those who don’t know your proprietary brand alloy, Moonshine Gold was developed by Omega and launched in 2019 as a higher performance alternative to traditional 18k gold. Moonshine Gold uses a mixture of gold, silver, copper and palladium for a cooler and unique color than more common alloys, and its composition is designed to prevent the metal’s color and luster from fading over time.

The new Speedmaster Moonwatch Moonshine Gold (I’m going to choose the Moonshine Speedmaster because I’m not getting anything in return) is available in two dial styles with a matching gold bracelet or a lovely rubber strap. Moonshine gold dial with black subdials and decorations and black ceramic bezel, or PVD green dial with gold decorations and green ceramic bezel.

I’m a total sucker for gold when it comes to precious metal sports watches, and while I’m recorded as not being a huge Speedmaster guy, if we’re talking about gold it’s a whole different story. The Steel Speedmaster is undoubtedly an incredible watch with amazing pedigree, but for me, gold makes it all the more special, unusual and interesting.

Like the full-fledged 3861 model, the Moonshine Speedmasters are 42mm wide, 13.18mm thick and 47.5mm lug-to-lug. The 3861 is a hand-wound Co-Axial Master Chronometer that is METAS certified, runs at 3 Hz, offers a 50-hour power reserve, and has the same technical specifications as the 3861 Speedmaster we’ve seen in past iterations. Like most Speedmaster models, the Moonshine Speedmasters feature sapphire crystal on the front and sapphire glass on the back for display.

Of the two new models, if I found myself in such a wonderful predicament, I still don’t know which one I’d choose. The black and gold colorway of the Panda Edition is very classic to me, and it works just as well on a rubber strap as it does on a bracelet. But green is so dark and rich that it’s hard for me not to think it’s the more special and unique of the two. If you have a clear choice between the two, hit the comments and let me know why you prefer one or the other.

Speaking of bracelets and rubber straps, if you have the means to own one of these gold Speedies, I recommend getting both. The bracelet is simply fantastic. Mostly brushed, it’s thin, with rounded links that taper from 20mm at the lugs to 15mm at the clasp. The clasp isn’t particularly bulky, but thankfully, Omega managed to integrate a two-digit (2.3mm) extension on their buttons.

The rubber is thin and soft with minimal shape molding, it tapers to 16mm and flows nicely into the Moonshine Gold folding clasp. The tail runs underneath and the rubber feels comfortable. As an added lunar watch treat, the inside of the strap is decorated to look like the lunar surface around the lunar landing site.

What else is there to say? I’ll save the rest for these photos. Because the truth is, this Moonshine Gold is an aesthetic treatment with no real benefit over steel – it all depends on how it looks and how it makes you feel. Moonshine Speedy feels great for a collection launched against the bold and colorful backdrop of Miami.

Ulysse Nardin Skeleton X Magma

It’s rare for a new watch to get an immediate nickname when it comes out. I will continue to call it “Darth Maul®”. The Skeleton X Magma‘s flowing lines of red and black are reminiscent of the iconic villain’s skin and face tattoos, and is the company’s step into a new world of watch design. When it comes to the soul of a watch, Athens is usually at the forefront of materials (check out all the news of them integrating silicon into their movements over the past decade), but has been fairly stagnant when it comes to external materials. It’s not necessarily a bad thing (or a good thing), just “yes”.

Ulysse Nardin released something very unexpected but very cool today. Darth Maul® is a new interpretation of the Ulysse Nardin executive style watch. The general layout of the executive gets a much-needed facelift in the new Skeleton X Magma. In addition to the usual colors, Ulysse Nardin’s forays into more “experimental” materials now appear on the outside of what Ulysses calls a carbon magma case. The red and black finishes create a watch whose overall aesthetic will be the choice of many who normally look to Hublot for something more “edgy”. Review replica watch

Additionally, those on a smaller budget who like the look of some of the red Roger Dubuis Excalibur models will immediately love the look of the new Darth Maul®. Ulysse Nardin’s UN-371 movement also provides buyers with a 96-hour power reserve, which in no way detracts from the watch’s appeal.

The 43mm watch is big enough to stand out on the wrist, but not too big to be obnoxious. Wearing a watch with a red and black case isn’t a subtle accessory choice, so the typical wearer wouldn’t necessarily expect it to be subdued, but this watch does a good job of being both loud and fairly docile. Also, for those who liked the Ulysse Nardin Executive Skeleton Tourbillon “Stars and Stripes” edition a few years ago, this watch will be a more affordable option with a similarly unique color scheme.

If I were running Ulysse Nardin fake, I would want to price my more “edgy” watches a bit lower than Hublot’s in order to gain more market share and then start increasing the cost of “entering” the brand. Ulysse Nardin could do well with this more “exclusive” approach, but that’s a pretty high price to enter, especially considering it’s an increasingly saturated segment. Here’s their current competition: most of Hublot’s watches, some new Defy creations from Zenith, a colorful Royal Oak Offshore, Omega’s steady stream of Speedmaster and Ocean Planet ceramic color combos released, and more.