Undoubtedly, the Omega Speedmaster is the model that has largely made Omega the brand it has been for the last 50 years, and for this reason, it is the one that first springs into the imagination of every watch enthusiast at its mention.
Today, for the first time, we have the pleasure of presenting to you a much more special model, which, along with its two predecessors, has become one of the most sought-after Moonwatches ever and carries an extremely interesting story behind it. Probably some of you are wondering what Snoopy is doing on the dial – in this case, we would recommend that you familiarize yourself with the story of Apollo 13, the incident (“Houston, we’ve had a problem”), the role of the Speedmaster in the successful return of the astronauts, as well as the Silver Snoopy Award presented to Omega in 1970.
In the past, there have been numerous Speedmaster models related to the Apollo missions and space exploration in general. However, the watches dedicated to the "Silver Snoopy Award" before the current model are only two, and today's is the first that is not a limited edition and introduces a number of new and interesting features.
We will not dwell in detail on the base Moonwatch "Sapphire Sandwich" upon which the model is built, but will instead focus on its distinctive characteristics.
First and foremost is the impressive silver-and-blue color combination – a logical choice for a model associated with the "silver" Snoopy award, but here realized in a particularly expressive way. The dial is crafted from solid silver (marked "Ag925"), with a fine matte finish and delicate metallic reflections. Laser etching reveals the subdials and the Snoopy emblem at "9 o'clock", colored in blue for contrast. The inscriptions, tracks, and logos are also in a blue tone, and the bezel completes the composition with a dark blue color.
The theme continues with the strap – made of blue nylon with silver stitching, soft and comfortable, with a steel buckle that completes the overall look.
While the dial is relatively restrained in terms of commemorative elements, the case back is the real attraction. It is fitted with a sapphire crystal, decorated with a photorealistic lunar surface. The movement is covered by a blue plate with white dots, symbolizing the starry sky, and bears the inscription "Eyes on the Stars".
The most impressive features are the two mechanical animations. The first is a rotating image of the Earth as seen from the Moon, which operates continuously and is linked to the small seconds hand. The second is activated when the chronograph is started – Snoopy in his command module orbits the case back, recreating the journey of the Apollo 13 crew around the dark side of the Moon.
The movement is the Omega Calibre 3861 – a modern interpretation of the legendary Lemania 1873. It is a mechanical manual winding movement, with 26 jewels, approximately 50 hours of power reserve, and a frequency of 21,600 vibrations per hour. In this version, the movement is co-axial with a silicon balance spring and holds a METAS certification, guaranteeing anti-magnetic resistance up to 15,000 gauss. The rhodium-plated finish, "Geneva waves", and fine engravings elevate the level of finishing to an exceptionally high class.
