Today is a big day for the Omega Speedmaster, as it received a long awaited update that is sure to please many and create a lot of discussion within our community. The Speedmaster is a watch that everyone has an opinion on – Instagram and the various watch forums are filled with hot takes about the endless limited edition variants, the benefits and detriments of the Speedy Reduced, and the virtues and pitfalls of collecting vintage Speedmasters. Something that has remained relatively constant for decades, however, has been the standard ?Moonwatch,? the one with the ?Flight qualified by NASA?? language on the caseback, and, most importantly, the stalwart caliber 1861 beating away inside. This relatively simple hand wound chronograph caliber traces its lineage to Omega?s Caliber 321, which itself has roots with Lemania, one of the most important movement makers of the 20th century. Even beyond the moon landing, there?s a ton of history here, so it?s not a small thing when there?s an update to the movement inside the moonwatch.
The new Moonwatch features the updated Caliber 3861, which is essentially the 1861 fitted with a co-axial escapement and put through Omega?s rigorous METAS testing process. The 3861 is a relatively new movement, making its debut in a solid gold Speedmaster to commemorate the Apollo 11 anniversary back in 2019, and has been featured in a handful of special Speedmasters since then, including the recently announced Silver Snoopy. With the 3...