Tag Archives: chronograph

Omega celebrates the first human flight to orbit the moon with a new Speedmaster

Despite how large the sun appears in our sky, the moon is the closest celestial body to Earth. And for thousands of years, it has remained a great source of intrigue for all civilisation. One year before man was able to set foot on the moon, however, in 1968, Apollo 8 became the first ever human flight to orbit Earth’s only natural satellite. More than 50 years ago these pioneering astronauts were the first human beings to experience the dark side of the moon and it has been well documented that all of them wore Speedmasters.

To celebrate this milestone for humanity, in 2018 Omega launched the first Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon Apollo 8 and this year they have updated the watch with even more mooninspired details. The most noticeable of which is the relief of the moon’s surface that you will find on the dial side of this watch. Fantastically, on the back of the movement, Omega has also created a laser-ablated moon relief on the blackened mainplate and bridges. While the dial side represents the view of the moon as seen from Earth, on the back, through the transparent caseback, one will see the other side of the moon.

Interestingly we only ever see one side of the moon even though the moon itself rotates on its own axis. This is due to a phenomenon called tidal locking where the gravitational pull of the Earth adjusts the moon’s spin so that it is in perfect sync with the rotation of Earth. Therefore, it was only when Apollo 8 orbited the moon, that we managed to catch a glimpse of the “far side of the moon” as it is often called.

The other cool feature, and I think most posted on social media, is the fact that instead of a traditional small seconds hand, Omega has managed to swap it out for a tiny little rocket modelled after NASA’s Saturn V. As the seconds tick away, this little rocket spins around on the subdial almost as if it is weightlessly floating in space. This tiny little miniature also has a patent-pending status because it has been engineered from grade 5 titanium, sculpted via a laser turning process and the colours were achieved through white varnish, ablation and laser blackening. Talk about high tech.

 

As for the case, it is made from black ceramic along with an anodised aluminium dial which is fitting with this whole aerospace theme. Its lightness, at only 99 grams, is also welcomed because even though the movement is a manualwinding Calibre 3869, it still sits quite hefty on the wrist at 13mm high and 44.25mm in diameter.

Meet the sportier sibling of the Tonda PF, the Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Sport Chronograph

If the name wasn’t already a dead giveaway that this new collection ventures into sportier territory, then I don’t know how else Parmigiani could be clearer. If you are familiar with the Parmigiani from before their current CEO, Guido Terreni’s, tenure, you will note that the Tonda PF Sport’s aesthetics seem to represent a modern revamp of their Tonda GT collection.

The most obvious difference is that the big date that was usually at the 12 o’clock position is gone, replaced by the PF insignia which is one of the identifying factors of the new Tonda PF collection. There is still a date, but now it has been relocated to the 4 o’clock position. One small detail to note is that, unlike other date windows in this position, the numerals are actually oriented vertically instead of following the date wheel’s circumference making it palatable to the more discerning watch enthusiast.

The more nuanced changes to the collection come in the form of a new knurled bezel which now has 160 incisions rather than 225. Translated to visual terms, this means the knurling is now more obvious as compared to the Tonda GT and also to the regular Tonda PF. Inversely, the hand-guilloché ‘triangular nail’ pattern is finer than that of the Tonda GT giving the dial a seemingly smoother texture which from afar almost looks like a matte finish.

 

 

A few other stand-out features of the new Tonda PF Sport, especially for the Chronograph version, are the chronograph pushers that have been cleverly integrated into the lugs which match the smooth flowing lines of the case. And of course, internally the watch is equipped with a Calibre PF070 movement which beats at an above-average frequency of 5Hz or 36,000 vph while still being able to offer a 65-hour power reserve. It is a column wheel chronograph, which is clearly visible from the transparent caseback and the function is also engaged via a vertical clutch system.

Just to be clear, according to Parmigiani Fleurier, the Tonda PF Sport is not replacing the Tonda GT, at least for now, so both versions will be sold in tandem. The Tonda PF Sport Chronograph is available in stainless steel or 18ct rose gold and there is also a Tonda PF Sport Automatic if you prefer.