Omega has announced the long-awaited return of its iconic Caliber 321. To coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, the first Speedmaster Moonwatch featuring this movement will be released in December.
Known for its beautiful and intricate design, the original Caliber 321 was the first movement to be fitted to a Speedmaster in 1957. It's well-known that this movement powered numerous Speedmasters that flew into space, including the Speedmaster ST105.003. The Speedmaster ST105.00 was the only model to pass NASA testing and be certified as official equipment, and was worn by astronaut Ed White during America's first spacewalk. Now, after extensive trial and error and meticulous research in the manufacturing process, the Caliber 321 has been reborn while retaining the distinctive features of the original.
The Speedmaster Moonwatch 321 Platinum allows you to view the new movement through the sapphire crystal case back. As the name suggests, the case is 42mm polished and crafted from platinum-gold (Pt950Au20), a special platinum and gold alloy. The case design is inspired by the case design of the fourth-generation Speedmaster (ST105.012), which features asymmetrical twisted lugs.
The strap is black leather with a platinum buckle. The bezel follows the iconic Speedmaster design, featuring a black ceramic bezel with a white enamel tachymeter scale. The step dial is made of onyx, and the 18K white gold indexes and hands (except for the central chronograph seconds hand) are in perfect harmony with the onyx.
Another eye-catching feature is the three subdials adorned with lunar meteorites. Paying homage to the Speedmaster's history of lunar exploration, slices of actual lunar meteorite have been incorporated into the design. This chronograph, which not only offers a legitimate piece of Moonwatch history but also a piece of the actual moon, is the ultimate space romance, a timepiece whose value will only grow in the future. The Speedmaster Moonwatch 321 Platinum will be available this winter. Manual winding. Price details to be determined.
