Drum roll, please: In a not-so-surprising move, Omega today announced a new steel Speedmaster Moonwatch, this time with a white lacquered dial. It is covered by a sapphire crystal and presented within a familiar 42mm stainless steel case.

After James Bond actor Craig Daniel was spotted wearing a pre-release of the model in November last year, fans of the Moonwatch were already expecting and anticipating it. Still, it is quite a feat, as there have only been a handful of Speedmasters ? most importantly the Alaska Project models in the 60s and the Snoopy Dial in 2015 ? in the almost 70-year history of this iconic chronograph that have not been furnished with the signature black dial.

The white design was inspired by the suits worn by astronauts on space missions during extravehicular activity. The same goes for the Speedmaster red writing, which was chosen to reflect the rank of the commanders in the 1970s. Another inspiration comes from the ALASKA I prototype, which Omega unveiled in 1969 as part of a secret NASA project. Legend has it that a white dial was used because it offered a particularly efficient heat reflection coefficient.
The new dial option retains all its signature features, such as the step-down minute track that gives depth to the dial and the circular graining of the counters and subsidiary seconds. Omega has used diamond-polished black PVD hands to ensure best readability and contrast with the white background. The hands are coated with a...