If you aren’t familiar with the legendary OMEGA caliber 321 you have been missing out. The OMEGA Speedmaster Moonwatch 321 was inspired by the iconic Speedmaster ST 105.003 that Astronaut Ed White wore in 1965 when he became the first American astronaut to walk in space during the Gemini IV mission. Additionally, the new Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch 321 Stainless Steel is only the second watch to use Omega’s re-issued Calibre 321 movement – the same movement that was fitted to the Omega Speedmaster watches that were worn on the moon.
Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch 321 “Ed White”
“Ed White” Omega Speedmaster Caliber 321 Key Features
- Year of Introduction: 2020
- Reference Number: 311.30.40.30.01.001
- Nickname: “Ed White” or “Caliber 321”
- Case Size: 39.7mm
- Materials: Stainless Steel
- Functions: Time w/ Running Seconds, 12-Hour Chronograph w/ Tachymeter Scale
- Dial: Black w/ Luminous Hour Markers
- Bezel: Fixed, Black Ceramic w/ Tachymeter Scale
- Crystal: Sapphire (Box Shaped)
- Movement: Omega Caliber 321 (Manual Wind)
- Water Resistance: 50 Meters / 167 Feet
- Strap/Bracelet: Stainless Steel Flat-Link Bracelet
- Approx. Price: $14,100 (Retail)
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“Ed White” Omega Speedmaster 321
Sized at 39.7mm, it’s slightly more subtle than the 42mm ‘Professional’ Speedys that are most popular in the current collection. Featuring a black step dial with a vintage-style applied Omega logo and the famed “Dot over Ninety” bezel the new Speedmaster Moonwatch 321 Stainless Steel is a thorough nod to the version worn by Ed White.
However, despite its vintage inspiration, the new Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch 321 Stainless Steel offers some modern updates and improvements. Unlike the original ‘Ed White’ version, the new stainless steel Speedmaster 321 features a polished black ceramic bezel with a tachymeter scale in white enamel, and a sapphire crystal caseback allowing the famed Cal. 321 to be admired in all its glory.
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Omega Caliber 321 Movement
A few years after it accompanied Ed White on his historic spacewalk, the Calibre 321 movement powered the Speedmaster ST 105.012 when it became the first watch worn on the Moon in 1969. Early last year, Omega announced that it had plans to revive the fabled and long-discontinued 321 movement, painstakingly recreating its original specifications.
A Premium Take on the Classic “Ed White” Speedmaster
Each Cal. 321 movement is produced entirely in-house by a single Omega watchmaker, and with an official retail price of $14,100, this is arguably the most premium rendition of the classic Speedmaster Moonwatch that has ever been offered in stainless steel. The 321 movement was originally re-released in a platinum version of the Moonwatch for the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, and this new steel timepiece is the model that Speedmaster fans have been waiting for since last year.
* All images courtesy of Omega watches.
