To the Moon and Back

Omega presents what is perhaps the most succinct but momentous line to be put on a caseback

What is it that makes an Omega watch special? The design, for sure, as well as the overall quality of a typical timepiece from the brand, to say nothing of the mechanical intricacies that are harbored deep within it. In quite a few cases, though, an Omega watch will have quite a tale to tell. Such is the case with the Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon Apollo 8.

Now, space exploration has long been part of Omega’s heritage, but this one covers a chapter not many now about. See, before the Apollo 11 mission carrying the first men to the moon, there was, among others, the Apollo 8 which was the first to orbit it. The Apollo 8 astronauts subsequently became the first to view the far side of the moon, aka the dark side of the moon.

A final touch on this new Dark Side of the Moon watch is an engraving of a quote uttered by Jim Lovell, pilot of the Apollo 8’s command module, to ground control, shortly before the spacecraft was to go “behind” the moon and as such would lose radio contact until it “reappeared” again: “We’ll see you on the other side.” Naturally, this engraving can be found on the caseback and serves as yet another point of connection between Omega, the wearer of the watch and the history of space travel.