Okay, so I’ve been eyeing this OMEGA Speedmaster 310.92.44.50.01.001, also known as the Apollo 8 “Dark Side of the Moon” with the little rocket, for a while now. You know, the one that’s got that awesome Saturn V rocket hand? Finally, I pulled the trigger and bought one. Here’s how it all went down.
First off, I did a ton of window shopping, just staring at pictures online. This watch, it’s something else. 44.25 mm, ceramic, it’s got this whole “space” vibe going on. Apparently, OMEGA made it because of that Apollo 8 mission in 1968, where they went to the dark side of the moon. That’s pretty cool, right? And they made a reference to this watch being a part of 6 moon landings, but I don’t know if this one was included.
So, after drooling over the pictures for like, weeks, I decided to just go for it. It’s got that skeletonized dial, so you can see all the inner workings. And that movement, it’s supposed to look like the surface of the moon! Plus, all the history of the Speedmaster and the moon landings, the whole thing just felt special.
I started digging deeper to make sure what I am getting is worth it. There is not too much information about this watch since it’s an old model. I did find some articles mentioning “Dans ce modle de 44,25 mm.” in French, but I am not so sure what it means. It seems like people are talking about the size of the watch, but I don’t think it’s that important. I want the watch because it’s cool.
- Finding a Seller: This wasn’t easy. I mean, it’s not like they sell these things at the corner store. I checked out a bunch of different places online and finally found a seller that seemed legit.
- The Purchase: This was the scary part. We’re talking about some serious money here. I wired the funds, said a little prayer, and waited.
- The Wait: This was the hardest part. Every tick of the clock felt like an eternity. I was constantly tracking the shipment, refreshing the page like a maniac.
- It Arrived!: Finally, the day came. The package arrived, and I ripped it open like a kid on Christmas morning. There it was, in all its glory. The OMEGA box, the watch, the papers, everything.
I carefully took the watch out and put it on my wrist. Man, it felt good. It looked even better in person than in the pictures. I spent the next few hours just staring at it, winding it, and checking out all the details. The rocket hand, the moon-like movement, everything was perfect.
Wearing It Out
I’ve been wearing it almost every day since. It’s definitely a conversation starter. People notice it, and they always ask about it. I get to tell them about Apollo 8, the dark side of the moon, and all that cool space stuff. It is a bit big for my wrist, but I don’t mind. It’s my grail watch, and I am not planning to take it off anytime soon. I will try to wear it to some watch meet-up events to show it off. Hopefully, I can meet some other watch nerds, too.
Honestly, this whole experience was a bit of a rollercoaster. But it was totally worth it. This watch isn’t just a timepiece, it’s a piece of history. And it’s mine. I am one happy camper.
Click to consult