The Omega Speedmaster is the chronograph that went to the Moon, and the Speedmaster Professional "Moonwatch" is still, in its essentials, the same watch NASA qualified in 1965. This guide explains the current Moonwatch references, the Hesalite versus sapphire decision, how the 2021 calibre 3861 changed things, the pre-2021 models, and what to check before you buy an Omega Speedmaster pre-owned.
What the Speedmaster is, in one paragraph
Omega launched the Speedmaster in 1957 as a sports and racing chronograph, with the tachymeter scale moved from the dial to the bezel. NASA tested a range of chronographs in the mid-1960s and qualified the Speedmaster for its crewed missions in 1965, and in July 1969 Buzz Aldrin wore one on the lunar surface during Apollo 11. That history is why the Speedmaster Professional is called the Moonwatch, and why its design has changed so little: an asymmetric 42mm case with crown guards, a black dial with three sub-dials, and a manually wound chronograph movement.
The current Moonwatch: calibre 3861
In 2021 Omega updated the Speedmaster Professional with calibre 3861, a manual-wind Co-Axial chronograph certified as a Master Chronometer, which means it has been tested for accuracy and resistance to magnetism. The case and dial were refined at the same time, with a step dial and a bracelet redesigned to taper more closely to the vintage feel. It remains a hand-wound watch: there is no rotor, and you wind it through the crown.
Hesalite or sapphire: the first decision
Every current Moonwatch comes in two crystal options, and this is the question buyers ask most.
- Hesalite is an acrylic crystal, the material used on the missions because it will not shatter into shards. It has a warm, slightly domed look, and minor scratches polish out easily. Reference 310.30.42.50.01.001.
- Sapphire is harder and more scratch-resistant, and the sapphire "sandwich" versions also have a sapphire display caseback so you can see calibre 3861. The steel sapphire model on bracelet is the Speedmaster 310.30.42.50.01.002.
Choose Hesalite if you want the watch as it was worn in space. Choose sapphire if you want the most practical everyday version and like seeing the movement.
Speedmaster Moonwatch variants in our collection
Beyond the black-dial core models, the Moonwatch family includes special dials and complications. A few that are currently listed:
- Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch 310.30.42.50.04.001 — the white-dial Moonwatch in steel on a steel bracelet, with the black tachymeter bezel kept from the standard model.
- Speedmaster "Silver Snoopy Award" 50th Anniversary 310.32.42.50.02.001 — silver dial, blue sub-dials and bezel, and Snoopy on the small-seconds sub-dial, marking the award NASA gave Omega after Apollo 13.
- Speedmaster Moonphase 304.33.44.52.01.001 — a 44mm Master Chronometer that adds a moon phase display and uses an automatic movement, so it is the Speedmaster to choose if you do not want to wind a watch by hand.
Pre-2021 Moonwatches: calibre 1861 and earlier
From 1996 to 2021 the Moonwatch used calibre 1861, an updated version of calibre 861, the manual-wind chronograph that replaced the original calibre 321 in 1968. These watches are widely available pre-owned and are a very good way into a Speedmaster: the look is essentially the same, and the movement is proven and straightforward to service. Our Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch 311.30.42.30.01.001 is a 2008 example supplied with its box and papers.
Earlier still are the vintage references, including the 105.012 and 145.022 of the Apollo era, which are collector pieces in their own right and priced on condition and originality.
Beyond the Moonwatch: other Speedmaster families
Search for "Omega Speedmaster" and you will see several watches that share the name but not the Moonwatch's specification. It helps to know which is which before you compare prices.
- Speedmaster '57 takes its cues from the original 1957 model, with straight lugs and broad-arrow hands, and a different case shape from the Professional.
- Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon is a larger, ceramic-cased chronograph with an automatic movement: a more modern, heavier-looking watch.
- Speedmaster Racing (such as the 326.30.40.50.11.001) and the discontinued Speedmaster Reduced use automatic movements in sportier or smaller cases, and are often the least expensive way into the name.
None of these is a lesser watch, but if the Apollo history is the reason you want a Speedmaster, the Professional Moonwatch is the one that carries it.
How to wind and use a Speedmaster
The Moonwatch has no automatic winding, so it needs winding by hand. Turn the crown clockwise, without pulling it out, until you feel resistance; stop there rather than forcing it. Once a day, at roughly the same time, keeps it running consistently. Pull the crown out to set the time.
The top pusher starts and stops the chronograph and the bottom pusher resets it. The small sub-dials record elapsed minutes and hours, and the tachymeter on the bezel converts an elapsed time over a known distance into an average speed. Unlike a Daytona, the Speedmaster's pushers do not screw down, which makes it quicker to use.
How much is an Omega Speedmaster?
The Speedmaster is one of the most accessible ways into a historically significant watch. As an indicative guide from the pre-owned market in September 2026:
- Pre-2021 calibre 1861 Moonwatch: broadly £4,000–£5,500, depending on condition and set.
- Current calibre 3861 Moonwatch in steel: broadly £5,500–£7,500, with sapphire versions at the upper end.
- Special editions and complications: from around £8,000, and considerably more for limited editions.
Every listing in our Omega collection carries its exact price, and that is the figure to rely on.
What to check before you buy an Omega Speedmaster
- Winding. Wind the watch fully through the crown and check it runs for around two days. A calibre 3861 should give roughly 50 hours.
- Chronograph action. The start/stop and reset pushers should be firm and consistent, and the chronograph seconds hand should reset exactly to zero.
- Bezel. The aluminium tachymeter insert on older models scratches and fades. Check it is original to the watch if originality matters to you.
- Crystal. On Hesalite, light scratches are normal and polish out. On sapphire, check for chips at the edge.
- Papers and service history. Check that the warranty card matches the case, and ask when an older 1861 model was last serviced.
Every watch we sell is authenticated and inspected before it is listed. The Oakbury Assurance explains what that covers.
Speedmaster or Rolex Daytona?
These are the two chronographs most buyers compare, and they suit different people. The Speedmaster is manual-wind, lighter, more affordable and carries the space-flight story. The Daytona is automatic, more formal on the wrist and sits in a much higher price bracket. Many collectors end up owning both. Our Rolex Daytona buying guide explains the Rolex side, and a steel Daytona 116500LN is in the collection if you want to compare them on the wrist.
Where to buy an Omega Speedmaster in the UK
Oakbury's showrooms in Lichfield, London, Brighton and Liverpool are by appointment, so you can compare Hesalite and sapphire versions on the wrist before choosing. Bring the watch you wear now if you would like to compare sizes; the Moonwatch's 42mm case wears smaller than the number suggests because of its short, curved lugs.
Browse the current Omega Speedmaster stock in our collection. If the reference or dial you want is not listed, our watch sourcing service can find it, and if you have a watch to put towards it, see sell or part-exchange. If you would rather have an Omega diver, the Seamaster Diver 300M is the natural alternative.