The first wristwatch worn on the moon has taken a new giant leap... towards affordability.
Omega, the Swiss watchmaker behind the Speedmaster Professional that was selected by NASA for use on the Apollo lunar landings, has collaborated with its sister company Swatch to create the MoonSwatch, a collection of solar system-inspired watches based on the Moonwatch, but available for a fraction of the price.
Jurg Bolli Member
Posts: 1241 From: Albuquerque, NM Registered: Nov 2000
posted 03-24-2022 04:35 PM
Intriguing, and a great idea! Very creative.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 53434 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 03-24-2022 04:42 PM
My guess is that the Moon is going to be the most popular among the 11, but Neptune is a quite nice shade of blue.
Pluto also caught my eye given that the colors are the some of the same as this site (burgundy/maroon and gray).
MartinAir Member
Posts: 414 From: Registered: Oct 2020
posted 03-24-2022 07:12 PM
WOW, a fantastic move by the Swatch group!
BarryLowe Member
Posts: 27 From: Castle Rock, CO Registered: Mar 2003
posted 03-25-2022 10:58 AM
I'm definitely adding this to the shopping list. I don't have a store near me so I hope the wait for online orders won't be too long and I hear about it when it happens. Moon version for sure and probably Neptune as well.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 53434 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 03-25-2022 12:15 PM
The Swatch website now lists the Moon model as (temporarily) sold out.
Due to high demand this product is currently not available.
As an open edition collection, more will be produced.
skyguard23 Member
Posts: 78 From: Central Switzerland Registered: Dec 2016
posted 03-26-2022 07:36 AM
Well, by 11 o'clock the entire series was sold out at the store in Lucerne. I was told that some people spent the night in front of the shop.
A new batch is expected by Tuesday or Wednesday.
Philip Member
Posts: 6284 From: Brussels, Belgium Registered: Jan 2001
posted 03-26-2022 11:57 AM
Reality check: a playful idea for a younger generation, a huge cash inflow for Swatch in the short term. Impact for Omega on the long term? Time will tell!
David Carey Member
Posts: 1050 From: Registered: Mar 2009
posted 03-26-2022 01:19 PM
Neat idea. Might serve as a gateway for the eventual Omega Speedy buyer but I don't see it substituting, even though it has the 'Dot Over 90' (DON) bezel
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 53434 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 03-26-2022 02:49 PM
Update from Swatch:
The launch of the Bioceramic MoonSwatch Collection is an incredible success that exceeded all expectations.
We would therefore like to remind you that there will be watches available in the selected Swatch Stores in the coming weeks as it is not a limited edition.
For the moment, we have to update the purchase limit to one watch per person until further notice. We will revert back to two watches per person as soon as possible.
Spacepsycho Member
Posts: 905 From: Huntington Beach, Calif. Registered: Aug 2004
posted 03-29-2022 09:53 AM
In So Calif a few guys have gotten their hands on these Swatch Omega's and are selling them for $1000 to $3000. I don't know if they're trying to misrepresent these watches to buyers, who aren't aware of the new issued pieces or thinking these are scarce and taking advantage of the shortages.
Regardless, I'll wait till Swatch catches up with demand in a few months.
328KF Member
Posts: 1391 From: Registered: Apr 2008
posted 03-29-2022 02:33 PM
Several new owners have been posting online that the coloring from either the case itself or the battery cover is bleeding into the skin after wearing.
SpaceAholic Member
Posts: 5403 From: Sierra Vista, Arizona Registered: Nov 1999
When the MoonSwatch was introduced in March exclusively at Swatch boutiques, buyers thronged stores from Sydney to New York. Three months later it remains hard to get, with stores selling out within minutes of receiving resupplies. Hayek insists he could sell 10 million MoonSwatches. "It lit instantly, putting Swatch back into the spotlight," he says. "Everybody's interested." ...
Hayek says the Omega collaboration has made the Swatch brand part of the luxury conversation again, even with prices that are a fraction of high-end timepieces. Commercial landlords want Swatch boutiques alongside top luxury fashion names, he says, and customers who stop by looking for the elusive MoonSwatch often check out other models. The company says that Swatch brand sales in Switzerland—excluding the MoonSwatch — are up 41% since the release, and that other regions have seen similar increases.
Rocket Chris Member
Posts: 452 From: Guttentag Registered: Nov 2009
posted 03-06-2023 06:20 AM
Swatch and Omega will release tomorrow a new version of the Moonswatch called Moonshine Gold. The watches will be available from tomorrow in dedicated stores as announced here.
Seems that the dial has some kind of Kapton-foil appearance. Does not beat the original Moonwatch, but for Moonswatch fans an adorable thing!
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 53434 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
Almost a year after introducing the MoonSwatch, a "giant leap" between a Swatch watch and the first chronograph worn on the moon, Swatch and Omega have taken a "small step" toward bringing a bit of moonshine to your wrist.
On Tuesday (March 7) in conjunction with the evening's full moon, Swatch issued for sale a special edition of its MoonSwatch "Mission to the Moon" model featuring a seconds hand made using "Moonshine Gold." According to Omega, which made the Speedmaster Professional on which the design of the MoonSwatch is based, its exclusive Moonshine Gold alloy is a "paler hue than traditional yellow gold" and has a higher resistance to fading.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 53434 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 04-05-2023 04:16 PM
Swatch will release a new wave of Moonshine Gold MoonSwatch watches on Thursday (April 6) at the following locations:
KaDeWe Berlin, Germany 8:30 PM CET
Galeria Canalejas Madrid, Spain 8:30 PM CET
Swatch Store Times Square New York, USA 7:00 PM EST
Swatch Store Main Square Macau 6:00 PM CST
Swatch Store Rue du Marché Geneva, Switzerland 6:00 PM CET
Swatch Store Via Del Corso Rome, Italy 8:00 PM CET
Swatch Store Yokohama Vivre Yokohama, Japan 6:00 PM JST
Swatch Store Pitt Street Sydney, Australia 7:00 PM AEDT
Swatch Store Toronto Eaton Centre Toronto, Canada 7:00 PM EDT
Swatch Store Plaza Satélite Naucalpan de Juarez, Mexico 7:00 PM CST
Swatch Store IFC mall Seoul, South Korea 7:00 PM KST
Trafford Centre Manchester, United Kingdom 6:00 PM BST
Swatch Store Kai Chiu Road Causeway Bay, Hong Kong 6:00 PM CST
Swatch Art Peace Hotel Shanghai, China 7 pm CST
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 53434 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 12-19-2023 09:28 PM
Since the release of the Mission to the Moon Moonshine Gold on March 7, 2023, there have been nine more special editions of the MoonSwatch. Most of them were a variation on the MoonShine Gold second hand (e.g. the addition of other colors), one was a change from the "Mission to the Moon" model to another planet and most recent was a exclusive to a London luxury department store:
Mission to the Moon Moonshine Gold Pink Full Moon pink Super-LumiNova May 5, 2023
Mission to the Moon Moonshine Gold Flower Moon floral pattern June 3, 2023
Mission to the Moon Moonshine Gold Strawberry Moon strawberry pattern July 3, 2023
Mission to the Moon Moonshine Gold Swiss Lantern Swiss Lantern pattern August 1, 2023
Mission to Neptune Moonshine Gold August 30, 2023
Mission to the Moon Moonshine Gold Harvest Moon barley grain-pattern September 29, 2023
Mission to the Moon Moonshine Gold Lollipop glow-in-the-dark detail October 28, 2023
Mission to the Moon Moonshine Gold Beaver Moon glow-in-the-dark, bark pattern November 27, 2023
Harvey Nichols-exclusive exclusive colorways (orange, olive and maroon) and matching ostrich leather straps December 8, 2023
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 53434 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 12-30-2023 10:04 AM
As it turns out, Swatch had one more MoonSwatch special edition for the year, coinciding again with the full moon:
Mission to the Moon Moonshine Gold Cold Moon snowflake pattern, glow in the dark December 26, 2023
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 53434 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 01-24-2024 05:53 PM
Tomorrow, Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024, is the first full moon of the year...
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 53434 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 02-02-2024 09:46 AM
Omega release
11 MoonSwatch Moonshine Gold Suitcases To Be Auctioned at Sotheby's for Orbis
From February 12 - 24, Omega will auction 11 MoonSwatch Moonshine Gold suitcases through Sotheby's, each containing all of the 11 OMEGA x Swatch "Mission to Moonshine Gold" timepieces.
This is the very first time that these rare models are offered together in one set, and the first time that the special suitcase is available to buy, giving fans the chance to own a truly unique compilation. 100% of the auction proceeds will be given to Omega's long-term partner, Orbis International, who fight avoidable blindness and vision loss around the world.
Before the auction concludes on February 24th, the 11 "Mission to Moonshine Gold" suitcases will go on display at 11 Omega Boutiques around the world from February 1st to 11th, including Boutiques in Zurich, Tokyo, Bangkok, Singapore, Hong Kong, Beijing, New York, London, Milan, Paris, and Sydney. Visitors are encouraged to drop by and set their eyes on the collection being offered.
Omega Supports Orbis
Orbis's work is especially valuable for children, allowing many of them to see their parents, the moon, and the stars for the very first time. Through its programs and on board the Flying Eye Hospital, Orbis has provided care for millions of patients, while also training eye care professionals in areas with the greatest need globally. Omega has supported Orbis since 2011 and this upcoming auction will highlight the brand's ongoing commitment to the cause.
Seconds hand coated in 18K Moonshine Gold
Throughout the months of 2023, the collection was given a radiant twist – in the form of the "Mission to Moonshine Gold" versions. These 11 watches each feature a seconds hand coated in 18K Moonshine Gold – a distinctive alloy created in-house at Omega that offers a more subtle and long-lasting form of yellow gold. Each of the Moonshine Gold hands also reveal their own special detail, such as a strawberry pattern for the Strawberry Moon in July, a flower pattern for the Flower Moon in May, and even a lollipop design that follows the Speedmaster CK2998 watch from 1961.
The unique suitcases
The suitcases themselves are truly unique, as they contain a golden monocle with the Omega x Swatch logo, and a one-of-a-kind coin, engraved with the 3-letter aviation code from their displayed city (such as HKG for Hong Kong). This same code will be engraved on the side of all watches within the suitcase for that particular city.
Follow the auction
The auction will be hosted by Sotheby's and accessible globally online at Sothebys.com where the bidding will start on February 12th and end on February 24th — the next full moon. It's a space-inspired series that will create excitement across the planet.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 53434 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
The NASA safety mascot (and "first beagle on the moon") appears on the latest version of Swatch's popular timepieces that are styled after the first watch worn on the moon. What's more, the comic strip character stars as part of a moon phase indicator, a feature absent from the previous solar system-themed MoonSwatches and the Omega Speedmaster Professional on which they are all based.
"Houston, the Bioceramic MoonSwatch 'Mission to the MoonPhase' has landed. A new model, all in white to celebrate the full moon, has touched down on the moon smoothly, in the planned location and on schedule," announced Swatch in a press release.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 53434 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 04-04-2024 01:16 PM
Swatch is teasing on Instagram that a black dial version of the Mission to MoonPhase starring Snoopy is coming on April 8, 2024 — this Monday, the same day as the total solar eclipse across the United States.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 53434 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 04-05-2024 02:35 PM
Swatch release
Bioceramic MoonSwatch Mission to the MoonPhase Lands on the Moon Once Again
The Bioceramic MoonSwatch "Mission to the MoonPhase" is seeing double. After the model launched on March 26, Swatch is now celebrating the new moon, with the all-black "New Moon" watch. Just like the "Full Moon" model, this watch features a moon phase on the dial, with Snoopy catching some zz's on it.
Two years after the launch of the legendary collaboration with Omega, Swatch releases not one, but two new, non-limited models celebrating the moon. The "New Moon" model depicts a black moon phase disc with a black semi-transparent mask, to celebrate the new moon.
The Bioceramic MoonSwatch "Mission to the MoonPhase: New Moon" is available from April 8, only in selected Swatch stores. As with the whole Bioceramic MoonSwatch Collection, only one watch can be purchased per person, per day and per Swatch store.
On the subdial at 2 o'clock, Snoopy, NASA's mascot, is lying on the moon phase. On the model's moon phase mask and disc, a hidden quote from a Snoopy comic strip is nestled amidst crescent moons and stars, that can be seen under UV light. The Silver Snoopy Award is the most prestigious honor the United States' space agency awards to individuals and organizations for outstanding achievements related to human flight safety or mission success. This prestigious prize was awarded to Omega in 1970 for its role in the history of space exploration, including its essential contribution to bringing the crew of Apollo 13 back home safe and sound.
In 1970, an exploding oxygen tank during the Apollo 13 mission placed the astronauts' lives in danger. One of the many challenges the crew had to face was timing the 14-second launch time that would allow them to get back to Earth. Luckily, they had an Omega chronograph watch, the Speedmaster Moonwatch, to get the job done. Not only that, but in May of 1969, the Apollo 10 mission, which was tasked with carrying out the initial sweep before an attempted moon landing, had to skim the surface of the moon and 'snoop around' to identify the Apollo 11 landing site. The lunar module was christened Snoopy. Ever since then, the Snoopy emblem is considered a lucky charm among astronauts.
Snoopy also shows up on the moon phase disc of the Bioceramic MoonSwatch "Mission to the MoonPhase: Full Moon," which is already available at selected Swatch stores.
Like all the models in the Omega X Swatch collaboration, both Bioceramic MoonSwatch "Mission to the MoonPhase" watches are made from Swatch's patented Bioceramic, a unique mix of two-thirds ceramic and one-third biosourced materials produced from castor oil.
Fans will find in these two new non-limited models all the characteristic features of Omega's legendary Speedmaster Moonwatch, the first watch to go to the moon: the asymmetrical case, the famous tachymeter-scaled bezel with the dot over the 90 and the typical Speedmaster subdials. The Bioceramic MoonSwatch "Mission to the MoonPhase" watches feature their mission statement on the caseback, and the Omega X Swatch logos on the dial and crown. A moon inspired by the world of Snoopy can be seen on the battery cover. A spacesuit-ready Velcro strap adds that final touch of astronaut chic.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 53434 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
A new collection of watches inspired by the first timepiece worn on the moon has taken its hues from the astronauts' view when looking home.
Swatch has revealed three new models in its MoonSwatch line. The new "Mission on Earth" series builds upon the existing collaboration between Swatch and Omega by adding the flourish of Earth-inspired colors to the iconic Speedmaster chronograph design.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 53434 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 07-24-2024 10:35 AM
Swatch release
Mission to the Super Blue Moonphase
Celebrating the summer season and the blue moon of August 19, 2024 this chronograph features a blue Bioceramic case, crown and pushers as well as a blue Velcro strap with contrasting light blue topstitching and a blue Bioceramic attachment loop. It has a blue and silver-opaline panda dial with blue hands and hour markers.
Unlike the other models in the Bioceramic MoonSwatch Collection, the blue Bioceramic bezel features a pulsometer scale with white markers. This model stands out with its moon phase function, arguably the most poetic of all watch complications. Two oversized blue moons rest against a dark blue moon phase disc, which rotates in the subdial set at 2 o’clock. Under UV light, a secret detail appears on the moon phase mask and disc. A moon with various shades of blue can be seen on the battery cover.
All dials in the collection carry the OMEGA X Swatch branding, the iconic Speedmaster logo and the MoonSwatch logo. The box-shaped biosourced glass construction, the etched "S" in the center of the glass referencing the Swatch logo, the fine and sophisticated circular pattern on the dial outer ring and the recessed subdials, the sharp and smooth lugs construction and of course the unique Bioceramic feel are common to all models. The indexes, hour and minute hands and chronograph seconds hand sport Grade A Super-LumiNova for a perfect glow in the dark.
This model is available for purchase only between August 1 and August 19, 2024 and only from 5 pm onward at selected Swatch points of sale worldwide.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 53434 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
Imagine you are an astronaut living on the moon and before going out on a walk, you want to know if your path will be lit by the light from a full Earth. Swatch now has the wristwatch for you.
The Bioceramic MoonSwatch "Mission to Earthphase," the latest release to come out of the collaboration between Swatch and Omega, is the first-ever timepiece to have both moon- and Earth-phase indicators. Styled after Omega's Speedmaster, the first watch worn on the moon, "Mission to Earthphase" replaces two of its three chronograph sub-dials with displays showing the relationship between our home planet and its natural satellite.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 53434 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 10-31-2024 10:42 AM
Swatch has now made four of the original MoonSwatch watches available for purchase online. They are $270 each.
Mission on Earth
Mission to the Sun
Mission to the Moon
Mission to Mars
All of the other models remain only available at select Swatch stores.