Okay, so, a few days ago, I got this idea stuck in my head. I wanted to mess around with the OMEGA Speedmaster 310.92.44.50.01.001, also known as the Apollo 8 “Dark Side of the Moon” edition. Yeah, that one with the rocket design. It’s a pretty cool watch, but way out of my budget. I mean, I saw some listings online, and the prices were crazy—like, $14,000! Another one was a bit cheaper at $11,950, but still, that’s a lot of money for a watch, at least for me.
So, I thought, “Why not try to replicate it?” I’m not talking about making a fake watch to sell or anything. Just a personal project to see if I could get close to the real deal. And to make a real difference, I decided to change the movement to 3869, cause I saw that the 3869 is basically a 3861 but with a laser treatment on the dial that looks like the moon’s surface.
Getting Started
First, I grabbed a standard Speedmaster. It wasn’t the exact model, but it was close enough for what I wanted to do. Then, I started looking into how to get that “Dark Side of the Moon” look. The main thing was the dial. I found some info online about how they use laser ablation to get that moon-like texture. Sounded complicated, but I was determined to give it a shot.
- Finding the Watch: I didn’t want to ruin a super expensive watch, so I got a used Speedmaster. Cheaper that way.
- Researching the Dial: This was the hard part. I read up on laser ablation and how it works.
- Movement Replacement: Swapping out the movement for a 3869 was going to be tricky, but I found some guides online.
The Process
I won’t lie, it was tough. Trying to replicate the laser ablation was a nightmare. I tried a few different methods, none of which really worked that well. I even messed up a couple of dials in the process. But hey, that’s part of the fun, right? The movement swap was also a challenge. I had to be super careful not to damage anything. It took a lot of patience, but I eventually got it done.
The Result
After all that work, did I end up with a perfect replica of the Apollo 8 “Dark Side of the Moon” Speedmaster? Nope. Not even close. But did I have fun? Absolutely! I learned a lot about watches, laser ablation, and my own limits. Plus, I ended up with a pretty unique Speedmaster that’s special to me. It’s not perfect, but it’s mine. And, the best part, I didn’t have to spend $14,000 to get it, I spent much much less than that. I call it a win.
Would I recommend this to others? Maybe, if you’re into this kind of stuff. It’s definitely not for everyone. But if you’re looking for a challenging project and don’t mind getting your hands dirty, go for it. Just be prepared to make some mistakes along the way. And hey, if you manage to do a better job than me, let me know! I’d love to see how it turns out.
Anyway, that’s my little adventure with the OMEGA Speedmaster. Hope you enjoyed the story. Until next time, folks!
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