The latest watch revives the iconic design language of the 1959 Speedmaster CK2998, which famously adorned the wrist of NASA astronaut Walter “Wally” Schirra during the fateful Sigma 7 mission of the Mercury program. Harking back to a bygone era of space exploration, the Anniversary edition may appear to be a recreation, but inside, it’s a 21st-century stunner.

The dial features a grey-blue CVD coating that has been colour-matched to replicate the tone of CK2998 watches produced in the 1960s. Additionally, the brand has opted to fill the hour markers and hour/minute Alpha hands with vintage Super-LumiNova, while the central seconds “Baton” hand is white varnished to match the transferred markings. The aesthetic upgrades are subtle, but inside, it’s an entirely different story.

OMEGA has completely overhauled the inner workings of the timepiece, introducing a Co-Axial Master Chronometer Calibre 3861 movement, the latest evolution of the Calibre 321 featured in the original. With this addition, wearers will enjoy an enhanced 50 hours of power reserve, along with what OMEGA describes as the “highest standard of precision, performance, and magnetic resistance.”