Watch Paparazzi

Singer Marco Mengoni spotted wearing Omega

Marco Mengoni stepped onto the Eurovision Song Contest stage representing Italy, and sharp-eyed viewers noticed the watch on his wrist was no throwaway accessory: an Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional in stainless steel, reference 310.30.42.50.01.002 — arguably the most historically loaded wristwatch in existence.

The Speedmaster's competition pedigree predates Eurovision by decades. Introduced in 1957 as a racing chronograph, Omega's Speedmaster was NASA-qualified in 1965 after surviving gruelling environmental tests that eliminated every rival. Astronauts wore it on Gemini missions, and on July 20, 1969, Buzz Aldrin wore a Speedmaster on the lunar surface — Neil Armstrong had left his aboard the Eagle as a backup timer. That single fact cemented the model's place in history permanently.

Ref. 310.30.42.50.01.002 is the current-generation Moonwatch Professional featuring the sapphire-crystal caseback, distinguishing it from the entry-level hesalite version. Beneath that display back beats the hand-wound calibre 3861, introduced in 2021. Omega rebuilt the movement around a Co-Axial escapement and silicon balance spring, then submitted it for METAS Master Chronometer certification — guaranteeing accuracy of 0/+5 seconds per day and resistance to magnetic fields exceeding 15,000 gauss. The 42mm stainless steel case retains the asymmetric crown-protector and black anodised aluminium bezel ring that define the Moonwatch silhouette, unchanged in spirit since the ref. 105.012 of the Apollo era.

Among collectors, the calibre 3861 generation is considered the most mechanically sophisticated Speedmaster ever produced while preserving the hand-wound character purists demand. The sapphire-caseback variant carries a modest premium over the hesalite edition and remains the choice for those who want to observe the movement in motion — a feature the original Apollo watches never offered.

Mengoni, who won Eurovision 2023 with "Due Vite," has a public affinity for considered style choices. Selecting an Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch on a stage watched by 160 million viewers is a statement that connects craft, performance, and human achievement — themes that resonate well beyond the watch world. The official list price sits at approximately €8,600 for this reference, with grey-market values tracking close to retail given strong and consistent global demand.