Omega’s New Speedmasters Have Made Me a Two-Tone Convert

Is there any style of watch more associated with the 1980s than two-tone? The steel and gold combo was everywhere in the Reagan era, but in subsequent years, the look became a sort of shorthand for the many notable fashion missteps of the decade.

But trends are cyclical, and right now, the ’80s are hot again — especially in the world of watches. We’ve seen the return of glitz and glam this year, exemplified by Piaget reissuing its gaudy original Polo from 1979, a move that probably would have been considered unthinkable (or at least ill-advised) just a few years ago.

This demand for 1980s looks means that two-tone watches are back with a vengeance as well (truth be told, they’ve been gaining steam for a few years), and the latest evidence comes in the form of a pair of bimetal Omega Speedmasters.

Omega

Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Bi-Color Moonshine Gold

• $18,100 at Omega

Omega

Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Bi-Color Sedna Gold

• $18,100 at Omega

Two-Tone Moonwatches?

Omega slyly announced the arrival of the latest Moonwatches with its announcement of actor Barry Keoghan as a new Friend of the Brand. The Saltburn star models the new Speedmaster Moonwatch Bi-Color in a photoshoot for the brand.

The new Speedys come in two versions, both mixing stainless steel with one of Omega’s proprietary gold alloys. The first, and the one modeled by Keoghan in the campaign, has accents of 18K Moonshine Gold (Omega’s version of yellow gold) on the case and bracelet. The other Bi-Color Speedy utilizes the brand’s rose gold alloy, Sedna Gold.

Omega

Both watches use gold for their crowns, pushers, hands, indices, bezels and the center links of their bracelets, along with Ceragold — Omega’s proprietary method of blending ceramic with 18K gold — for their bezel inserts. But they approach their dials differently.

On the Moonshine Gold version, Omega uses a galvanic treatment to create gold subdials on a silver-colored dial. The Sedna version almost takes the opposite approach and goes with a sort of gold panda dial that pairs a Sedna Gold PVD-coated dial with black subdials.

Outside of the materials changes, these watches are essentially modern Moonwatch “sapphire sandwiches.” Both have domed sapphire crystals over the dial and sapphire exhibition casebacks through which the hand-wound Calibre 3861 chronograph movement is visible.

The Bi-Color Moonwatches: What We Think

The Speedmaster Professional is such an aesthetically perfect template that almost any configuration that doesn’t mess with the form too much is guaranteed to look good. And guess what? I think the Bi-Color Speedys look good.

Omega

The Moonshine Gold version definitely leans more into the ’80s glam revival and Wall Street vibes — Maybe it counts as part of the Mob Wife Aesthetic? Is that still a thing? — and it absolutely works if that’s the look you’re after.

The Sedna Gold version looks a lot more modern to me, both because rose gold is a more contemporary material than yellow gold and because the panda dial adds a bit of sportiness. If I had my pick, that’s the one I’d go with, as I’m not really on board with the whole ’80s revival thing, if I’m being honest.

But I won’t be buying either because these Moonwatches are priced well above my budget at $18,100 each. People are already complaining that their too expensive on social media, but the price seems in line for a modern Speedmaster that’s nearly half gold, as full Sedna Gold Speedys go for $42,600 and full Moonshine Gold references cost even more. Both are available now at select Omega boutiques.

Omega

Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Bi-Color Moonshine Gold

Specs

Case Size	42mm
Movement	Omega Cal. 3861 manual-wind chronograph
Water Resistance	50m

• $18,100 at Omega

Omega

Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Bi-Color Sedna Gold

Specs

Case Size	42mm
Movement	Omega Cal. 3861 manual-wind chronograph
Water Resistance	50m

• $18,100 at Omega

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