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Omega Speedmaster Grey Side of the Moon Review
Gandalf would love this one. Launched to riotous acclaim at Baselworld 2014, the Speedmaster Grey Side of the Moon - also known as the “Lunar Dust” - remains coveted, scarce, and highly-sought by the sports watch faithful. Take everything you know about the celebrated Speedmaster “Dark Side,” and add two critical ingredients: platinum and plasma.
Let's establish one guiding thought; this is no conventional Moonwatch. The 42mm, manual-wind, non-chronometer, steel and acrylic Speedmaster Professional is the historic replica of the range. This freed the designers of the Speedmaster Grey Side to create "concept watch" with no-holds-barred styling flair and contemporary technology that leaves the Moonwatch looking like a pocket watch by comparison.
Start with the 44.25mm dual-finish grey ceramic case. Entirely crafted from the kiln-fired and plasma-treated material, the Speedmaster Grey Side of The Moon is scratch resistant (nearly immune, in fact) from lug-to-lug.
The addition of plasma treatment transforms the fundamental ceramic structure to the extent that it can be polished to a metallic gleam. Although just as resilient as black ceramic, the “grey” ceramic perfectly emulates the luster of polished metal and the cool subtlety of a brushed metallic surface.
A matching tachymeter scale and sapphire crystal - both unavailable on the Moonwatch - keep the Grey Side looking suitably imposing.
But the Speemaster Grey Side of the Moon saves its best for the main event: a full 950 platinum dial. Its grained surface is lightly textured so that it reads differently in a range of light conditions. Worn indoors, the dial presents a gentle suede-like grey surface; in direct sunlight the micro-facets of platinum explode in a chaotic scattering of rays. This complex platinum dial is the perfect match for a watch inspired by the shifting complexion of the Moon.
The Speedmaster Grey Side’s dial provides an ideal backdrop for the mirror-polished 18-karat white gold hands and applied white gold indexes. At six o'clock, a small date window with color-coordinated grey disc offers discreet practicality.
Within the ceramic mother ship, the Omega Speedmaster Grey Side Of The Moon houses technology that would make a Zeta Reticulan proud. The Omega in-house caliber 9300 co-axial chronometer chronograph features all of the latest Swatch group toys. A COSC Swiss Chronometer rating, silicon hairspring, column wheel function selector, vertical clutch chronograph engagement, 60-hour power reserve, and ultra-precise co-axial escapement are just the appetizers.
The 9300 and its non-chronograph 8500 cousin are the first Omega movements designed from scratch to employ Dr. George Daniels' revolutionary co-axial escapement. After more than a decade perfecting this technology, the once theoretical advantages of short-term precision, long-term rate stability, and reduced wear have been realized.
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Video and content by Tim Mosso.