The New Omega Speedmaster Dark Side Of The Moon Alinghi Rocks The Boat
Sponsored by Watches of Switzerland

Seaworthy: The New Omega Speedmaster Dark Side Of The Moon Alinghi Rocks The Boat

Available at Watches of Switzerland’s Omega boutique, Wynn in Las Vegas, and Watches of Switzerland and MAYORS e-commerce platforms, this new timepiece celebrates the partnership between Omega and the Swiss sailing team, Alinghi.

By Rhonda Riche
Editor-At-Large

Surprise! Omega and Alinghi have officially joined forces in a brand new sailing partnership. For more than 25 years, Omega has been proudly committed to the world of sailing, and it will continue that legacy by accompanying the Alinghi team on its competitive circuits.

Today, Omega is launching the Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon Alinghi: a stunning timepiece that pays tribute to Omega’s rich nautical heritage as well as its unlimited potential in the future.

And while it’s not a limited edition, it is a limited production model, so Speedy collectors will have act fast to secure one at watchesofswitzerland.com and mayors.com. Here’s a first look at this amazing professional watch.

Ship Shape

With its cool carbon dial, the Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon Alinghi explores characteristics both partners share. Namely, a history of technical excellence and a love of the sea.

Formed in 2003, Alinghi was the first European syndicate to win the America’s Cup, and the first team ever to win on its debut. These feats are even more impressive when you consider that the team is based in a land-locked country. Omega and Alinghi first teamed up in 2019 and have already enjoyed racing success by taking the GC32 World Championship title in June 2019, the D35 Trophy in September, and the GC32 Oman Cup in November.
 

Omega’s love affair with the water also runs deep, starting with the 1932 Omega Marine, the first commercially available wristwatch tested to withstand subaquatic depths. After that came definitive dive watches such as the Seamaster 300, the Constellation Dive, and the Ploprof. And who can forget the mother of all mega quartzes – a model famously owned by oceanographer Jacques Cousteau – the 1511 Marine Chronometer?
 

Speaking the new Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon Alinghi, Omega’s President and CEO, Raynald Aeschlimann, said in a press release, “The new watch is about two great Swiss brands combining their passion for innovation and sailing. To match Alinghi state-of-the-art boat creation, we’ve harnessed some truly impressive technology, along with the best materials and a very original design concept.”
 

Night Moves

All of which begs the question: Why would Omega and Alinghi choose a Speedmaster, not a Seamaster, for the first timepiece collaboration?

Firstly, sailors have always used the skies to navigate. From ancient times, seafarers studied the stars, moon, sun, and horizon to calculate their position. So, a moon watch seems apropos.
 

Then there’s the matter of speed. The Alinghi team’s boats are so fast that sometimes they appear to fly over the water rather than sail on it. To win a race, the sailors need split-second accuracy, and the Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon Alinghi provides!
 

This seafaring speedy has been outfitted with the manual-winding chronograph Calibre 1865 movement. This thin mechanism is ideal for sailing crews who need to be light on their sea legs.

The decorations on the movement also pay homage to Alinghi’s latest vessel, the TF35 catamaran. Using laser ablation, the main plate and barrel bridge have been given a honeycomb effect, very much like the interior of the TF35’s carbon hull. The same technique is also used to embellish all the other bridges with this black carbon pattern.
 

“It’s been an immense pleasure to collaborate so closely with Omega on this wonderful new timepiece. Throughout our history, we’ve been very aware of the watchmaker’s incredible expertise in sports timekeeping and passion for sailing,” said Ernesto Bertarelli, Founder and President of Alinghi, in a press release.
 

Team Colors

To signify the unity between the two partners, Omega has incorporated the Alinghi logo, which utilizes red to represent passion and black for technology.

These team colors are incorporated throughout the new Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon with features such as the perforated black and red rubber strap and the 44.25mm case in black zirconium oxide ceramic. The tachymeter scale in Super-LumiNova also sports the Alinghi signature on the red varnished stop/start pusher.
 

The layout also integrates subtle, yet readable, touches like a 3 o’clock sub-dial with a red 4-minute or 5-minute tactical time display to aid with instant accuracy on the water. And at 6 o’clock, the traditional sub-dial design has been swapped for a sandblasted and anodized rotating aluminum disc prominently displaying the team’s scarlet insignia – the letter “a” that symbolizes two boats in the water before the start of a match race.
 

Teamwork is paramount in competitions like the America’s Cup, and both Omega and Alinghi are happy with their new partnership. “It is a very special moment to have worked on a watch together and now see the exquisite results,” said Bertarelli. “It’s the perfect start to our relationship and a real sign of more to come in the future.”
 

Where to Buy

In the past year, Watches of Switzerland and Omega have collaborated on some exciting projects (HERE and HERE). So, it should come as no surprise that the horological juggernauts have teamed up again!
 

Retailing for $10,800 (plus tax), the new Omega Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon Alinghi is available for purchase from Watches of Switzerland's in-store Omega boutique, and the Omega boutique at Wynn Las Vegas. You can also shop for your seafaring Speedy today, July 28th, at watchesofswitzerland.com, and mayors.com.
 

(Images provided by OMEGA)

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