Omega Updates the 38 mm Speedmaster

Swiss company Omega has updated the 38 mm Speedmaster collection with seven new models. Among them is one that closely echoes the style of the legendary Moonwatch: a more traditional version with a black aluminum bezel insert, black lacquered dial, and white luminescent coating on the hands and indices. Why is this update important? Most importantly, the new models change the direction of the collection in several respects:

• oval subdials have given way to classic round counters;

• the bezel has returned to a single tachymeter insert in the Moonwatch style;

• at the same time, the dimensions, elegant simplicity, and color palette of the space watch have been retained.

According to the company’s President and CEO, Raynald Aeschlimann, the new Omega Speedmaster collection brings the classic watch back to the aesthetic codes of the brand’s famous model: “With this latest update, we’ve taken the Moonwatch inspiration even further, enriching the Speedmaster DNA while retaining the refinement and uniqueness that the 38 mm line is known for.”

Speedmaster 38 mm — a Compact Version of the Moonwatch for Everyday Wear

When it comes to the Speedmaster, most brand enthusiasts immediately think of the famous Moonwatch Professional. It is easy to understand why: this iconic model became the first watch worn on the Moon and the only timepiece officially approved by NASA for space missions. Today, however, the Speedmaster is not only the famous watch in the brand’s collection but also an extensive model range. It includes automatic versions, skeleton watches, retro-style models, and watches in different sizes, since the classic Moonwatch, while comfortable on the wrist, is actually not particularly compact — 42 mm in diameter.

The main novelty among the updated models is a version with a black dial, no date, round subdials, and a classic bezel with the dot above the “90” marker. Experts and collectors describe the new model as the closest modern counterpart to the popular 39 mm automatic Omega chronograph produced from 1988 to 2009. Looking at the contemporary models in the 38 mm Speedmaster collection, let us focus on the main differences from previous generations:

1. In addition to the subdials returning to a round shape, they are now positioned closer to the center. This visually supports a more balanced dial with a cleaner overall layout.

2. The tachymeter bezel, known for the “dot over 90,” is a detail used by vintage watch collectors to identify a particular period in watchmaking.

3. Another Moonwatch-inspired detail is the caseback featuring a seahorse, beneath which sits either the automatic Omega 3330 caliber for models with a date display or the Omega 3332 for versions without one. Both movements feature a co-axial escapement, a column wheel for smooth operation of the pushers, and a 52-hour power reserve.

The Speedmaster line includes models in stainless steel and two-tone gold with various dial and bezel shades, ranging from matte black to mother-of-pearl, as well as diamond-set versions. But the key point remains that the 38 mm Speedmaster is a Moonwatch for those who want a smaller, more compact, and more comfortable watch.

Speedmaster Reduced: the Charm of Space-Born Precision and Comfort

Watch industry experts have always regarded the design of the space watch as unique and versatile. At the same time, for more than two decades Omega sold a downsized automatic version of the 42 mm Moonwatch, affectionately known among enthusiasts as the 39 mm Speedmaster Reduced. This collection was discontinued in 2010, although it went through several stages:

• 1988 — the introduction of the 39 mm Reduced with an automatic ETA-based movement and a Dubois-Depraz chronograph module;

• until 2010 — numerous richly colored versions, including Schumacher editions, models with “racing” dials, “panda”-style versions, models with mother-of-pearl inserts, as well as numerous examples in steel and gold or entirely in gold;

• 2010 — the Reduced decreased to 38 mm in diameter, received the Valjoux 7753-based caliber 3304 with a date display and a more feminine design.

Seven years later, the Speedmaster Reduced design was updated with oval counters and a new two-part diamond-set bezel. The new movement — caliber 3330 — was certified by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC) as a chronograph with a column wheel and co-axial escapement. And although the model was conceived as unisex, it was particularly favored by female Omega enthusiasts.

Then came 2026, bringing the legendary Moonwatch model back to its roots — the idea of utilitarian purity, classic design, and a convenient movement.

Black Speedmaster Moonwatch: the Spirit of Space Missions in Miniature

According to experts and collectors, the updated version of the legendary space watch with a black dial and bezel best illustrates the new direction of the downsized model line. Unlike its six counterparts in the update, model 324.30.38.50.01.002 deservedly attracts the most market attention because it captures the spirit of space chronographs better than the others. A closer look at this version of the Speedmaster Moonwatch immediately reveals its main features:

1. Design:

• 38 mm diameter, steel, no date display;

• matte black dial, printed Super-LumiNova markers, white hands;

• minimal dial inscriptions (logo, Omega, Speedmaster);

• classic round counters instead of the oval ones used since 2017;

• black bezel with an aluminum insert.

2. Case:

• asymmetrical case, lyre-shaped lugs;

• box-shaped sapphire crystal;

• caseback — steel with Speedmaster and Seahorse medallion;

• water resistance of 100 m (better than the original Moonwatch).

3. Movement:

• caliber 3332 (without date);

• automatic, column wheel, co-axial escapement;

• 52-hour power reserve;

• COSC certification.

The steel case and 5-link Nixon-style bracelet with fit adjustment and folding clasp, along with the recessed round subdials, are borrowed from the classic Moonwatch, while the case thickness is 1,25–1,55 mm greater than that of the space watch — 14,75 mm. At the same time, the model remains compact and is suitable for both men and women, especially considering the short lug-to-lug distance of 44,96 mm. According to experts, this is the most accessible and comfortable Moonwatch — for those who love the original but want greater refinement on the wrist.

Speedmaster 38 in the Omega 2026 Collection: Faithful to Tradition

Considering the growing popularity of the long-discontinued Speedmaster Reduced, Omega decided to update its famous space watch. Another attempt was made in 2025, when, ahead of the XXV Winter Olympic Games, the watch world saw the Speedmaster 38 Milano Cortina, marking the company’s participation in the sporting event for the 32nd time.

Since August 2026, six more updated models have brought the Omega Speedmaster 38 collection closer to the aesthetic codes of the Moonwatch. All the new versions feature:

• a date at the “6 o’clock” position;

• caliber 3330 with a date display;

• round counters;

• polished hands and markers.

Each version has its own character, expressed through sporting classicism, refined luxury, or understated freedom:

1. Two versions in stainless steel cases:

• 324.30.38.50.02.003 — warm grey aluminum bezel, silver opaline dial, Sedna Gold markers, and PVD-coated hands, making the palette of silver, grey, brown, and rose tones particularly elegant;

• 324.30.38.50.04.001 — blue ceramic bezel with a white enamel tachymeter scale, white lacquered dial, blue markers and CVD-coated hands, with the same shade repeated in the numerals of the date window.

2. Two two-tone versions:

• 324.20.38.50.02.001 — stainless steel + 18-carat Moonshine Gold with a green aluminum bezel insert and a gold tachymeter scale, while the silver opaline PVD-coated dial harmoniously complements the gold hands and white Super-LumiNova luminous material;

• 324.20.38.50.02.002 — steel + 18K Sedna Gold, a brown bezel and cream-colored dial complemented by brown subdials bring back the popular “cappuccino” design in combination with Sedna Gold.

3. Two of the most refined versions, each set with 52 diamonds and featuring rhodium-plated hands and markers with luminescent coating, differing in their dial shades:

• 324.15.38.50.03.001 — icy blue;

• 324.15.38.50.05.001 — luminous white mother-of-pearl.

Overall, the 38 mm Speedmaster remains the same 38: automatic, compact, with a wide range of color combinations and materials, naturally combining gold and diamonds in its design.

How to Choose Your 38 mm Speedmaster

The new 38 mm Speedmaster models are distinguished above all by their comfort, even on the slimmest wrist. That is why true enthusiasts of space watches choose references not by the numbers on the price tag but by character, although technical specifications are, of course, important:

All 38 mm Speedmaster models are COSC-certified chronometers and are therefore precise and comfortable:

• black no-date version — for purists and traditionalists who want maximum similarity to the Moonwatch;

• steel with a blue or grey bezel — for everyday and versatile wear;

• two-tone versions — for those who appreciate warmth in color, individuality, and attention to important details;

• diamond-set versions — for special occasions and for those who appreciate jewelry aesthetics and love to shine.

Overall, the Omega Speedmaster 38 mm is an excellent choice for those who want a Moonwatch but are not ready for 42 mm on the wrist. The experts at our Chrono 10:10 boutique will help you choose a version to suit your style, temperament, and mood, rather than simply your budget, because these are genuine 38 mm Speedmasters that can grow old with you.

All Speedmaster models: https://chrono1010.com/en/kupit/swiss-watches/omega/speedmaster