The Green Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch In Moonshine Gold Might Not Be The Best But Still Looks Like A Winner

The Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch collection is growing, and it is doing so at a rather rapid pace. Is this a good thing? It depends on how you look at it. If you are a purist, you have probably raised an eyebrow or two with the introduction of the different gold versions of the watch. But if you are a fan of the Moonwatch in general, you might have enjoyed the diversity of gold models that Omega has released. The latest addition to the lineup is the Moonshine Gold version with a dark green dial. Green seems like an odd choice for the Moonwatch, but the reality is that a great design can use a bit of green. A certain shade of green, that is.

If you know something about rock music, you might know that “A Certain Shade Of Green” is the title of a great song by the band Incubus. Go check that out as background music for reading this article; my guess is that you will be done reading in no time. All jokes aside, that certain shade of green plays a big part in making this Moonwatch a hit or a miss. Green, in particular, is a color that can ruin a watch completely if not done right. Was it done right? Was this going to be the ultimate summer watch for me like the Moonshine Gold “Panda” version was for Lex? As it turns out, it takes more than a certain shade of green.

First impressions are lasting

This was not the first time that I got a taste of this new green version of the Moonshine Gold Moonwatch. I wrote the introduction article back in March, and we had the watches in the office for a short stint back then. At the time, I was really impressed by this new version. The color combination of Moonshine Gold and dark green added something new to the Moonwatch lineup, and overall, it was a massively impressive watch to see and wear. Sure, it’s not historically related to any of the previous gold Speedmaster models. But can you blame Omega for expanding the realm of the Moonwatch by introducing a series of spectacular gold versions of its icon?

In the introductory article, I mentioned that this green version is stiff competition for the Canopus Gold edition. That Canopus version is my current favorite of all the precious-metal Moonwatches. When I laid eyes on that watch, it was truly love at first sight. The understated beauty makes for a mightily impressive luxury statement for true Speedmaster fans. Not only that, but it also fits the “ultimate tool watch” character of the Moonwatch really well. That character stays intact when you see the Canopus Gold version, but put it on your wrist, and there is this instant sensation of wearing something really special. The impressive weight, the sparkling shimmer, and the brilliant silver dial make this something truly extraordinary.

The impact of the Moonshine Gold is different

So could the Moonshine Gold edition with its dark green dial have the same impact? Straight out of the gate, there was an important difference. This time around, we had the watch in the office on a green leather strap, and that affects the overall impact tremendously. It’s the difference between a sophisticated luxury statement and an impressive, unapologetic luxury statement. While I respect the sophisticated luxury statement, I want the full experience with these Moonwatches. The current bracelet is one of the biggest assets of the watch, and I would want to experience that with every single version, no matter what material it comes in. With this one, however, the Moonshine Gold takes a backseat in favor of an abundance of dark green.

Omega and green

Omega has an interesting relationship with the color green. It never seems to be one of the first colors that the brand chooses when releasing a new model. A good example is the Seamaster Professional Diver 300M that Nacho reviewed last week. At the time of writing, we still have the watch in the office, and experiencing it in that green color made me like it a lot. It also changed the watch’s imprint in my brain. The color alone transforms the Seamaster into a completely different beast. The Seamaster Professional 300M Diver is not necessarily my favorite Omega in the collection, but seeing this green version on the wrists of multiple Fratello colleagues made me realize how versatile it is.

In my mind, the Seamaster is Omega’s iconic dive watch that “should” come with a blue or white dial. The watch looks great in black too, so that could also be part of that equation, but blue and white are the colors that I subconsciously connect to the Seamaster Professional Diver 300M. Seeing it in that green and on the wrists of others, however, lifted that watch out of the water for me. It made the Seamaster a more toned-down, less outspoken watch that is perfectly in its element on land, and I really love that about it. But I also perfectly understand that not everyone sees this green colorway as a natural fit for the Seamaster. So if for that reason, Omega always introduces the green version of a watch later, that makes perfect sense.

Omega does green well

Another example is the Seamaster Aqua Terra 150M with a dark green dial. I have told this story before, but when Robert-Jan first laid our eyes on this version of the Aqua Terra, we were really impressed. Funnily enough, we were at a dealer that day to pick up the Moonshine Gold Speedmaster 50th Anniversary. But as we had both seen that one up close — Robert-Jan owns one — we were more intrigued by this new version of the Aqua Terra. This too was a case in which Omega introduced the green color after the model was initially presented. And once again, it had an impact on me.

Unlike what happened with the Seamaster Professional Diver 300M, the color did not completely change my perception of the watch. It did, however, give the watch a very nice presence that made it my favorite Aqua Terra by a mile. Especially on the bracelet, the Aqua Terra with the green dial is one of my favorite daily wearers. The shade of green is absolutely crucial in cementing that perception for me. I come from a background in graphic design and working with colors every single day affected my preferences. I noticed that green in particular usually gives me an immediate reason to like or dislike a watch. This is a lot more noticeable than with other colors like blue, brown, or red. But at least in my mind, Omega has nailed the color green every single time in recent history.

The green color on the Moonshine Speedmaster

With this new Moonshine Gold Speedmaster, the brand once again nailed the green shade that makes this watch work for me. The dark green color is used for the dial and the bezel (and the leather strap too, but we’ll get to that later). The watch comes with a 42mm Moonshine Gold case that is 13.18mm thick and 47mm from lug to lug. The Moonshine Gold bezel features a green ceramic inlay with a Ceragold tachymeter scale with the “Dot Over Ninety” (DON). The brass dial gets a PVD treatment to match the green of the bezel and features a sunburst finish. The hands and hour markers are also executed in Moonshine Gold and have received an application of Super-LumiNova.

Usually, I am not the biggest fan of the green-and-gold combo, but the way Omega executed it is very nice. The shade of green is very dark, as you can see in the pictures. It only reveals its lighter side if confronted with bright daylight, but even then, it’s clear that this is a classy shade of green. The color provides a spectacular contrast with the paler hue of the Moonshine Gold case. The two work very well together to create something different by Moonwatch standards. While wearing the watch, however, I genuinely missed the phenomenal Moonshine Gold bracelet. The green leather strap has a brownish, grayish hue that scales down the overall impact tremendously. Knowing how impactful it looks on the Moonshine Gold bracelet, I knew the watch needed it to make the green dial and bezel the visual stars of the show.

Caliber 3861

If you turn the watch around, you will see the Omega caliber 3861 through the sapphire case back. This familiar movement powers all the current Moonwatch models, and here, it features the same rhodium plating. As such, the 2019 Speedmaster Apollo 11 50th Anniversary Moonshine remains the only model with a Moonshine Gold-finished caliber 3861. The manual-wind movement operates at 21,600vph, has 26 jewels, and provides a power reserve of 50 hours.

Speaking of the Moonshine Gold Apollo 11 50th Anniversary, we lined the two watches up next to each other, and you can see the difference in overall appearance. Seeing them side by side, you will probably understand that the Moonshine Gold bracelet adds so much to the watch, both in terms of its visual presence and wearing experience. The way the bracelet tapers from 20 to 15mm and the way it hugs the wrist is simply brilliant. This new Moonshine Gold edition deserves the bracelet in order to shine at its brightest. Luckily, Omega offers it as an option.

Wearing the Moonshine Gold Moonwatch in green

On the wrist, the 42mm gold case wears very well. Without the Moonshine Gold bracelet, it does not weigh as much, which makes the watch comfortable and easy to wear. So easy, in fact, that you sometimes forget you are wearing an incredibly expensive watch with a very chic presence. And that is part of the overall charm of the Speedmaster models. They are comfortable on the wrist, and there is always this familiar feeling, in this case, despite the new combination of materials and colors. The green leather strap tapers from 20mm to 16mm and comes with a Moonshine Gold foldover clasp. The clasp is very easy to open thanks to the two pushbuttons on the side, and it helps make the watch a joy to wear.

Final thoughts on the Moonshine Gold Speedmaster in green

In all honesty, though, I want more from this watch than for it to just be a joy to wear. I want a gold Moonwatch to captivate me and give me the feeling that I’m wearing something spectacular. This watch has the potential, but it didn’t quite deliver. The green colorway was not enough to take it all the way. By now, you’ll understand that I think this watch needs the Moonshine Gold bracelet to have maximum impact. I know this from experience, and if equipped with the bracelet, I think this addition to the Speedmaster Moonwatch lineup could win people over. That, however, has a financial impact as well. The green Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch has a list price of €40,100 on the bracelet. On the leather strap, the watch is €28,400.

But if you’re going to spend that kind of money on a watch, don’t you want everything to be perfect? Unfortunately, gold Moonwatch perfection will set me back a whopping €52,200 because the Canopus Gold version is still my top pick of the current gold Moonwatch models. And I have a feeling that it will be hard to beat that due to its brilliantly understated presence. This Moonshine Gold and green version is the total opposite. On the Moonshine Gold bracelet, it is a brilliant luxury statement that makes it the second-best gold Moonwatch for me in the impressive lineup. Let me know what you think of it in the comments!