In May of 2025, actor Colman Domingo surreptitiously wore an unreleased Omega Speedmaster to the Met Gala, causing horological internet sleuths everywhere to break out their loupes in a desperate bid to suss out the truth.
Now we finally know what, exactly, was on his wrist.
On Tuesday, Omega released two new versions of the Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional in Black and White — or, as the watch world is inevitably going to call it, the “Reverse Panda.” (A “panda” is a white-dialed chronograph with black subdials, while a “reverse panda” features a black dial with white subdials.) While there have been reverse-panda Speedies before, these have largely been “reduced” automatic Speedmaster watches or special editions such as the “Speedy Tuesday” made with Fratello in 2017. What there has never been is a modern catalog version of the Moonwatch with a reverse panda dial, and collectors are sure to eat it up; vintage and modern panda and reverse-panda watches such as certain versions of the famed Rolex Cosmograph Daytona and Heuer Carrera are perennial watch-world favorites.
For those worried that the only version would be an out-of-reach solid-gold watch worn by the likes of A-list actors, fear not. There are two versions of the new reverse panda, one in 18K Moonshine Gold (as worn by Domingo) and one in stainless steel. With the exception of the case material, both share several defining attributes: The case design is the standard 42mm “twisted-lug” spec that features on every Moonwatch, which in this instance includes a ceramic bezel insert with a tachymeter scale in white enamel. (The insert is anodized aluminum on the standard Moonwatch.) If you’re a Speedmaster diehard, you’ll notice that the included brushed bracelet in matching metal features contrasting polished inner links, indicating that the crystal used is modern sapphire rather than Hesalite. (Unlike the standard Moonwatch, the reverse panda only comes with sapphire crystals front and back.)
The Complete MoonSwatch Buying Guide
The history and specs of the most collectible watch series of the 21st centuryThe dial, of course, is where all the fun is. As opposed to the normal Moonwatch — which features color-matched subdials and slightly vintage-tinted Super-LumiNova — the new steel reverse panda features a top plate in varnished and lacquered black with a white-transferred minute track. The subdials, which feature rhodium-plated frames, are in varnished and lacquered white with transferred numerical tracks in black. Rhodium-plated hands, hour indices and the Omega logo create a consistent aesthetic, making for a distinctly handsome take on the Speedmaster that doesn’t differ all too much from that of the standard Moonwatch.
On the 18K Moonshine Gold version, the configuration is largely the same, albeit with a main handset, sundial handset and hour indices in gold with white Super-LumiNova, and a central seconds hand in PVD Moonshine Gold. (The watch’s bracelet is also in matching Moonshine Gold, making this a significantly heavier watch than its steel cousin.) Both watches are powered by Omega’s Co-Axial Master Chronometer Cal. 3861, the hand-wound successor to the famed 861 that powered the Moonwatch for nearly three decades prior to the 2021 redesign.
The wrists of celebrities have become go-to spots for teasing new watch releases months ahead of their hard debuts. In this particular case, it took Omega quite a while to roll out the (official) red carpet for its new Speedmaster — but now that it’s here, it was sure worth the wait. Fresh versions of the Moonwatch don’t come along very often, and when they do, they invariably capture the hearts of collectors everywhere.
Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch “Black and White”
Case: Stainless Steel
Diameter: 42mm
Movement: Omega cal. 3861 hand-wound
Water Resistance: 50m
Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch “Black and White”
Case: 18K Moonshine Gold
Diameter: 42mm
Movement: Omega cal. 3861 hand-wound
Water Resistance: 50m
Meet your guide
More Like This
This article appeared in an InsideHook newsletter. Sign up for free to get more on travel, wellness, style, drinking, and culture.
