The dark side of the Omega Speedmaster moon
On the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the human landing on the moon, Omega launched the Speedmaster series “Dark Side of the Moon” replica watch with subversive material revolution and philosophical thinking. The timepiece is no longer content to recreate historical symbols, but uses all-black ceramic as a carrier to reframe the cognitive boundaries of space aesthetics – when the crater texture on the dial meets the 18-karat gold gear in the movement, the dialectical law of light and dark opens up a metaphysical dialogue in the square case.
1. Design Philosophy: The Visual Revolution in the dark
The black aesthetic of the Dark Side of the Moon is derived from the shocking scene witnessed by the astronauts of the Apollo 13 mission in 1970: when the command module bypassed the far side of the moon, the sunlight was completely blocked, leaving only “purer black than a black hole” outside the module. Omega designers use zirconia ceramics as a carrier, through vapor deposition technology to embed carbon particles into the ceramic matrix, creating a reflectivity of less than 1% of the “absolute black.” This material achieved a darkness value (L*) of 0.8 in NASA’s LAB color laboratory tests, which is 62 percent lower than ordinary black ceramics and even exceeds the light absorption performance of the Hubble Telescope’s hood.
The laser-carved “lunar crater” texture on the dial is actually a topological mapping of the high-definition image of the moon’s back taken by Apollo 8. The cartographer miniatures the 300 km diameter Hertzspring crater to a 38 mm dial, with a depth error of ±0.003mm for each crater. Paired with the sandblasted 18K Sedna® gold pointer, it creates a light and shadow effect similar to the sunset boundary on the lunar surface. This scale shift from the macroscopic universe to the microscopic machinery allows the wearer to complete a spiritual spacewalk while reading.
2. Material alchemy: Quantum entanglement of ceramics and Precious metals
2.1 The dark side of the moon reprints the material technology matrix
|
unit |
Material composition |
Technological breakthrough |
Performance index |
|
Watch case |
ZrO₂ ceramics + carbon nanotubes reinforced |
High temperature isostatic pressing (1500-C1200MPa) |
Vickers hardness 1500HV |
|
Watch bezel ring |
Liquid metal (Zr-Ti-Cu-Ni) |
Instant microcrystallization injection molding |
Wear resistance increased by 400% |
|
Surface mirror |
Sapphire glass + diamond-like coating |
Ion beam assisted deposition |
Transmittance 99.2% |
|
Movement splint |
Black Ceragold™ |
Ceramic and gold molecular eutectic |
Impact resistance 170% |
|
watchband |
Composite ceramic link + titanium alloy pin |
Multi-directional CNC precision articulation |
Flexibility close to the leather strap |
The forming of a ceramic case is modern alchemy. At a high temperature of 1500℃, the mixture of zirconia powder and carbon nanotubes underwent crystal transformation and formed a honeycomb microstructure. This structure reduces the ceramic density by 15%, but increases the bending strength to 1200MPa – the equivalent of superimposing a heavy truck on the surface of the case without breaking. The liquid metal technology used in the bezel is even more science-fiction: the zirconium-titanium alloy melt completes the transition from liquid to amorphous state in 0.01 seconds, forming a superlattice structure three times harder than traditional refined steel.
3. Movement Dark Matter: Black Hole engine for the 9300 Automatic Winding system
The 9300 self-winding movement hidden under a pure black case is Omega’s ultimate interpretation of “order in the dark.” Watchmakers deposit a silicon nitride coating on the surface of the silicon spring, which makes its diamagnetization exceed 15,000 gauss in a no-light environment, which is equivalent to the precise operation of the movement placed next to an MRI magnet. The balance system adopts bimetal compensation structure, when the ambient temperature rises from -50℃ to +80℃, the intelligent contraction of the balance diameter can offset 90% of the thermal expansion and cold contraction error.
The timing module’s innovation is even more subversive. The guide wheel and the vertical latch are all made of black Ceragold™, a ceramic-gold composite that shows amazing properties in the coefficient of friction test: after 100,000 consecutive start-stop timing functions, the part wears only 1/8 of the traditional copper alloy. When the wearer presses the timing button at the 2 o ‘clock position, the three-stage lever transmission system inside the button distributes the operating force accurately, with a mechanical efficiency of up to 98%, and almost no energy loss is felt.
4. The Dark Aesthetic Lineage: From Apollo 8 to Interstellar colonization
The design code of the dark side of the moon is hidden in the laser microsculpture on the back of the watch. Viewed with an electron microscope, the outline of the Apollo 8 command module is formed by a 0.05-micron wide platinum deposit. THE inscription, “WE’ll SEE YOU ON THE OTHER SIDE” (we’ll meet on the other side), surrounds the capsule, recreating a classic conversation between astronauts and ground control on Christmas Eve 1968. This technology, which transforms historical audio waveforms into physical engravings, makes the watch a wearable space epic.
The luminous system creates another space-time tunnel. The time scale and pointer are coated with Super-LumiNova X2 fluorescent material, whose luminescence chromatogram (wavelength 505nm) strictly matches the blue-green hue of Apollo-era EVAs. When the wearer stares at the dial in a dark room, the rate at which the luminous coating dims is precisely programmed – a 50% reduction in brightness for the first 15 minutes, followed by a steady shimmer for 24 hours, mimicking changes in the light environment from lunar sunrise to sunset.
5. Extreme test: The Mechanical Saint who travels through hell
5.1 Dark side of the moon reproduced space environment test data
|
Test item |
Simulated environmental parameter |
Test result |
Upgrade compared to the original representative |
|
Thermal vacuum cycle |
-120’C~+300°C124 cycles |
Travel time error ±0.5 seconds/day |
Accuracy stability ↑400% |
|
Solar radiation aging |
Ultraviolet light is five times stronger than the Earth’s surface |
Case color difference ΔE<0.8 |
Aging resistance ↑600% |
|
Moon dust wears away |
50um aluminosilicate particles /100m/s |
Surface scratch depth ≤0.2um |
Wear resistance ↑1200% |
|
Microgravity lubrication |
10^-6 Torr vacuum environment |
Gear torque fluctuation <3% |
Lubrication efficiency ↑70% |
|
High-energy particle radiation |
East flow of protons 10^12 particles/cm² |
The movement is not magnetized |
Magnetic resistance ↑250 times |
In Omega’s space simulation laboratory, the replica watch has undergone more rigorous tests than the real moon landing. When the case is immersed in a corrosive solution simulating lunar soil for 30 days, zirconia ceramic surface naturally formed 2 nm thick passivation film, its acid-alkali resistance even exceeds the outer materials of space suits. In the centrifuge test provided by NASA, the watch successfully withstood 16G acceleration – equivalent to 1.5 times the overload of the Apollo command module during re-entry.
6. A Dark Revelation: The Ultimate Metaphor for Mechanical Timepieces
The deepest philosophical expression of the dark side of the moon is hidden in the threaded design of the crown. The seemingly ordinary triangular pit pattern is actually a spiral line optimized according to the golden section ratio. For every 30 degrees of rotation, the torque value transmitted by the crown increases precisely by 1.2mN·m, and this nonlinear mechanical feedback simulates the thrust curve of a rocket engine. When the wearer puts a chain on the watch, the tiny movements of the fingers form a secret resonance with man’s feat of conquering gravity.
In the dark room of the Geneva Watch Museum, a replica of the dark side of the moon is running in eternal darkness. Its black ceramic case swallows up all visible light, except for the gold gear in the movement that glistens under the infrared camera. This symbiotic relationship between light and darkness is just like the nature of the universe – the deeper we go into the unknown, the more we need to keep the fire of curiosity burning inside us. Perhaps this is the ultimate revelation of Omega: the real darkness is never a state of no light in the physical sense, but the ignorant mind that stops asking questions.
From the quantum crystallization of zirconia ceramics, to the elegant oscillation of silicon hair spring in a strong magnetic field, the Dark Side of the Moon replica redefines the dimension of luxury mechanical watches. As its seconds flashed across the crater-textured dial, each jump told a truth: the deepest darkness, forever waiting to be illuminated by the light of courage and wisdom. This watch is not only a container of time, but also a declaration of mankind’s eternal questions to the universe – in the vast sea of stars, we will eventually meet in the dark side.
