The Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch doesn’t need reinvention to stay relevant, which is exactly why this black-and-white version is interesting.
Rather than alter the formula, Omega has given the current Moonwatch a more graphic dial treatment that was once largely associated with limited or regional editions. The result is a sharper, sportier take on one of watchmaking’s most familiar chronographs.
At a glance
- Omega has added the first permanent inverted panda version of the Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional to the core collection.
- The watch pairs a polished black lacquer step dial with white varnished subdials, rhodium-plated details and a black ceramic tachymeter bezel.
- Reference 310.30.42.50.01.004 uses the manual-wind Co-Axial Master Chronometer Calibre 3861 and is delivered with a five-year warranty.
Dial architecture and inverted panda balance
The defining change is the dual-layer step dial, with a polished black lacquer upper plate framing white varnished subdial bases.
That contrast gives the Speedmaster a different visual rhythm from the traditional matte black Moonwatch, making the chronograph registers stand out immediately without compromising the familiar layout.
The three-register arrangement remains classic Speedmaster, with chronograph minutes at 3 o’clock, chronograph hours at 6 o’clock and running seconds at 9 o’clock.
Omega has used rhodium plating for the hands, hour markers, applied Ω logo and subdial frames, adding a brighter metallic edge against the black-and-white composition.
The minute track is printed in white on the main dial, while the subdial scales are printed in black, reinforcing the inverted panda effect.
Subtle details matter here, including the domed tips of the central hands, which follow the bevel of the step dial, and the teardrop counterweight on the central chronograph seconds hand.
Super-LumiNova on the central hands and hour markers keeps the watch readable after dark, a practical point that suits the Speedmaster’s tool-watch identity.
Current-generation case and bracelet
The case is the current-generation 42 mm asymmetrical Moonwatch design introduced in 2021, made from 316L stainless steel.
It keeps the twisted lyre lugs, integrated crown guards, flat-capped chronograph pushers and double-bevel caseback that define the modern Professional line.
The bezel separates this version from the standard black Moonwatch references fitted with aluminium inserts.
Here, Omega uses a stainless steel bezel with a black ceramic insert and a white enamel tachymeter scale, including the collector-favourite Dot Over Ninety and Diagonal to Seventy markings.
A box-shaped sapphire crystal covers the dial, with anti-reflective treatment on the inner surface.
At 13.54 mm thick, the watch remains close to the familiar proportions of the current sapphire Moonwatch, while water resistance is rated to 5 bar, or approximately 50 metres.
The bracelet is Omega’s contemporary five-arched-link stainless steel design, combining satin-brushed and polished surfaces.
It tapers from 20 mm at the lugs to 15 mm at the clasp, where oval pushers and a tool-free comfort-release extension make small fit adjustments easy during the day.
Calibre 3861 behind the sapphire back
Through the sapphire caseback, the Speedmaster Moonwatch Black and White shows the manual-wind Omega Co-Axial Master Chronometer Calibre 3861.
This movement is the modern evolution of the long-running Calibre 1861, bringing a Co-Axial escapement, a silicon balance spring and non-ferrous components into the Moonwatch platform.
Master Chronometer certification means the fully assembled watch is tested by METAS for precision, power reserve and magnetic resistance up to 15,000 gauss.
The calibre runs at 3 Hz, or 21,600 vibrations per hour, and offers a 50-hour power reserve.
Omega specifies an average daily rate of 0 to +5 seconds, a meaningful improvement over the performance standard associated with the earlier 1861.
The movement also includes hacking seconds, allowing the balance to stop when the crown is pulled for more precise time setting.
Even the dial scale reflects the movement architecture, with the track divided into three increments per second to match the 3 Hz beat rate.
Details & Specifications
| Brand | Omega |
|---|---|
| Model | Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional Black and White |
| Reference | 310.30.42.50.01.004 |
| Case size | 42 mm |
| Case material | 316L stainless steel |
| Case thickness | 13.54 mm |
| Bezel | Stainless steel with black ceramic insert and white enamel tachymeter scale |
| Crystal | Box-shaped sapphire crystal with inner anti-reflective coating |
| Caseback | Sapphire crystal display back |
| Dial | Polished black lacquer step dial with white varnished subdials |
| Movement | Omega Co-Axial Master Chronometer Calibre 3861 |
| Winding | Manual-wind |
| Frequency | 3 Hz, 21,600 vibrations per hour |
| Power reserve | 50 hours |
| Magnetic resistance | Up to 15,000 gauss |
| Water resistance | 5 bar, approximately 50 metres |
| Bracelet | Five-arched-link stainless steel bracelet with comfort-release extension |
| Warranty | Five years |
| Availability | Permanent core collection |
The appeal of this Speedmaster is that it doesn’t ask collectors to choose between history and a more expressive dial.
It keeps the professional Moonwatch architecture intact, while bringing a previously harder-to-access black-and-white chronograph look into regular production.
For buyers who find the standard black Moonwatch timeless but a little restrained, this version adds just enough edge without turning the Speedmaster into something it isn’t.
