About a month ago, we introduced to you the Omega Speedmaster Alinghi. I read a lot of comments on the fact that a Seamaster wasnt used for this partnership, and I get that. However, Omega sent us a Speedmaster Alinghi for a hands-on review, and here are my thoughts about the watch. And the partnership.Omega introduces this watch as a special edition. Meaning there is no unique number on the case, aside from the serial number. That means this watch will be in the collection for a certain (unknown) amount of time. My guess is that it is more or less the same as with the Speedmaster Tintin, although there was no partnership there (as we know all too well). Perhaps this watch will be in the collection as long as there is a partnership with Alinghi, or till the next Alinghi edition is created. Lets have a closer look at the watch first, before I dive (no pun intended) into the Alinghi partnership.Omega Speedmaster AlinghiIn this article from the end of July, I showed you the Omega Speedmaster Alinghi and discussed some of its details. I dont want to go in recap mode, but just talk about how the watch works (or not) on the wrist. Of course, I will also touch upon the Speedmaster versus Seamaster discussion. More importantly, though, discuss the watch now that weve seen it in the flesh.Omegas Speedmaster Apollo 8Dark Side of the MoonThis Omega Speedmaster Alinghi is basically a Dark Side of the Moon version, much like the Apollo 8. I called the Apollo 8 the best Dark Side of the Moon version available, and I still stand by that. But, that doesnt mean the Omega Speedmaster Alinghi isnt worth some investigation. For example, my wife hates the color yellow. I guess many people suffer from the same affliction. Enter the Omega Speedmaster Alinghi a swarthy black (and red) alternative.The Alinghi is not a MoonwatchThere, I said it. It is very clear to us, enthusiasts and collectors, but go to the Omega website and you will find the entire Dark Side of the Moon selection categorized under Moonwatch. I get Omegas explanation, that it shares some DNA with the Moonwatch. Not only the case shape but also?in this particular case the base movement. That said, it isnt the Moonwatch, nor does it make sense to categorize it as such.Creating a separate subfamily Dark Side of the Moon would make more sense, but further sub-dividing the Speedmaster category is clearly not a priority. That said, there are plenty of divisions already so surely one more for the sake of clarity wouldnt hurt? It still makes more sense to add a subcategory than to call this the Moonwatch. End of rant.Omega Speedmaster Alinghi on the wristNow that we have that out of the way, lets have a look at the Omega Speedmaster Alinghi on the wrist. Just like the OG Dark Side of the Moon, or the Apollo 8 edition, it is a 44.25mm case. But, it does wear a bit smaller than that. I didnt unleash Robs Visual Impact Index methodology on the Alinghi, but I can imagine it is somewhere in the region of 1 millimeter less than the actual size.Rob: Youre getting pretty good at this. The VII read-out came in at 43.45. The 13.8mm thickness is remarkably close to perfect for a 44.25mm case (according to my theory, the ideal thickness would be 13.828125mm).?Even with modest-sized wrists, you will get away with the 44.25mm diameter Speedmaster case. Even Michael Stocktons baby-sized wrists handled the Grey Side of the Moon quite well a few years ago. I have a 19cm wrist size, and the watch handles very well.RedWhat I like about this Omega Speedmaster Alinghi, are the red accents. While I needed to get used to the yellow accents on the Apollo 8, the red Alinghi was easier to like out of the box. The thing Ive read online, after its initial introduction, is that people have issues with the logo. If youre not into Alinghi or sailing at all, the logo doesnt make much sense. But, in the end, this watch is there to mark the partnership with Alinghi, so youll find the logo on the dial and on the pusher. In the end, it didnt bother me. This might be different though if I were to purchase the watch for my own collection. Partnerships are always tricky in my book.Alinghi teamed up with other watch brands in the past, just like Ferrari did, for example. Is this watch for Alinghi followers, sailing fanatics, or for Speedmaster enthusiasts? Or another possibility is it just for someone who likes the watch and the colors. In the case of the latter, it doesnt really matter, except that theres a logo of some company on the dial that has little meaning to them. If you can look past the Alinghi logo, this watch is just a great colorful addition to the DSotM collection.FinishingAs I wrote in the introduction article a month ago, Omega used its laser ablation techniques to decorate the movement. This is applied on both sides, as the open-worked dial reveals parts of the movement as well. Caliber 1865 is using the famous 1861 as a base, but with different finishing (and colors), as you can see. Omega used the Alinghi ship as inspiration. You can see this in the carbon and honeycomb patterns on the dial.In the distant past, Omega used the caliber 865 for its famous Gen Dve Chronostop movement. While caliber 861 was a Moonwatch movement, and later updated to 1861, the caliber 865 wasnt. Historically, the numbering is seen as a bit weird. On the other hand, I dont see the brand coming back with a new Gen Dve Chronostop watch any time soon. Whether you are into sailing or carbon etc. or not, the movement looks pretty awesome. I really enjoyed observing it during my time with this watch.Not a SeamasterSo, in the SpeedyTuesday group on Facebook (consisting of a few thousand friendly Speedmaster fans), the most recurring response to this watch was It should have been a Seamaster or words to that effect. I get that. Theres sailing, theres water, you might want to have a proper water-resistant watch. But, Omega decided to use the speed of the sailing boat as an angle. And, after all, sailing is not the same as swimming (as long as things go well). But, water equals Seamaster to many of you (myself included).Verdict on the Omega Speedmaster AlinghiHey, it is no secret I collect Speedmasters and have a weak spot for Omega in general. I like a lot of things about this watch, such as the ceramic case, the beautifully finished movement, and the red accents. I just have a hard time associating a specific customer with this watch. Some of our readers, and Speedmaster fans, already bought or ordered one, just because they love the red and black. They dont care much about Alinghi and just went for the watch. This is the healthiest approach I think.Does everything need to make sense, or can you just buy a watch you like, or not buy a watch you dont like? I dont know any specific Alinghi fans or sailors, so I am not sure what this watch would mean to them. I also think there are people, who, for example, just bought one of the Speedmaster Snoopy editions of the Speedmaster Speedy Tuesday edition because they just like the design, and not specifically for the story behind it.Although I dont complain about the number of readers/visitors we receive every day here on Fratello, I am well aware that there are more people out there than us watch enthusiasts. People who just buy a watch because they like how it looks. And, perhaps, thats also the most important rule when buying a watch. If they dont mind the very specific logo, then thats good for them. Will I buy this watch? No. I mainly collect Moonwatch models and if I add a DSotM edition, it will be the Apollo 8 for sure.Price and availabilityThe black ceramic Omega Speedmaster Alinghi reference 311.92.44.30.01.002 comes on a rubber strap with a buckle. The strap has been perforated, giving it a sporty look. It works for meYou can easily put it on another strap, or NATO if thats more to your liking. The retail price of this watch is 10,300 (including VAT). I already showed you the box in this article. It is similar to the Seamaster Ploprof packaging. Omegas Speedmaster Alinghi is available already, but your best chance is with the official Omega boutiques.Limited schlimitedThe watch is not a limited edition, but rather a special edition. It seems that limited edition is becoming a bit of a dirty word in watch collecting, but for the collectors of a certain brand or model, it shouldnt be (and luckily isnt). Although the funny limited edition memes out there are plenty, you can wonder if those who make them, or agree with them, would have been customers anyway. A limited-edition surely puts some fun into the game of hunting for a watch, and some editions shouldnt be always in the collection in my opinion. Numbered editions or special editions are just dodging the limited bullet, but in the end, it is exactly the same thing (but sometimes without a specific number). More information on the Speedmaster Alinghi here. Watch specificationsBrandOmegaModelSpeedmaster Dark Side of the Moon ALINGHIReference311.92.44.30.01.002DialBlack, skeletonizedCase MaterialCeramicCase DimensionsCase diameter: 44.25mm, 12mm thick, 49mm lug-to-lug, lug-width: 21mmCrystalSapphireCase BackSapphireMovementCaliber 1865, base caliber 1861, hand-wound, special finishing (see text), power reserve: 48 hours, ticking speed: 21600vphWater Resistance50 metersStrapBlack (and red) rubber strap with buckleFunctionsTime, Chronograph, TachymeterPrice10,300WarrantyFive years of international warranty