Have you managed to buy an Omega Swatch MoonSwatch watch yet? Most likely not, as the surprise announcement of a Swatch iteration of Omega’s legendary Speedmaster resulted in hordes of eager buyers besieging Swatch stores around the globe.
With deliveries limited to just hundreds of units per store, and crowds typically many times more, it was clear demand was going to outstrip supply.
We’ve long been fans of Swatch’s casual cool, but the mainstream reaction to this particular collection has been phenomenal. Buying a ‘Mission to the Moon’ MoonSwatch was more like Mission Impossible. You can probably blame James Bond. No time to buy?
Many buyers camped out overnight, in scenes reminiscent of a new games console or iPhone launch, to be first in line for the March 24 drop.
Clearly unprepared, with no crowd control, chaos ensued. London Swatch stores in Carnaby Street, Oxford Street and Covent Garden closed shortly after opening, citing ‘health and safety reasons.’
Comparable crowds flocked to Swatch stores as far afield as Taipei and Delhi, Melbourne and New York.
The Swatch MoonSwatch retails for £207 but quickly appeared online for prices in excess of £1,000.
Despite the excitement, Swatch is clear that this collection is not a limited edition. The MoonSwatch is not numbered. It’s a catalogue item. If you can’t buy one now, buy one later. Bide your time. For a full list of Swatch stores stocking the MoonSwatch, click here.
The Swatch MoonSwatch retails for £207 but quickly appeared online for prices in excess of £1,000…
While picking up a MoonSwatch from a Swatch store looks unlikely at present, Swatch says it will move to online sales shortly. The hope has to be that the brand doesn’t become the target of the same relentless bot scalpers who continue to make purchasing a PlayStation 5, which was released in 2020, a challenge.
This is the first Omega Swatch collaboration. The two brands are part of the same Swatch Group stable, which is also home to Hamilton, Tissot and Longines.
The demand for this pop spin on an iconic high-end timepiece was always sure to be high, years of careful Omega product placement in the James Bond franchise have made sure of that. There’s been literally decades of pent up Omega brand awareness.
What is an Omega x Swatch MoonSwatch?
An irresistible synthesis of luxury and street, the MoonSwatch collection comprises eleven watches (after Apollo 11) named after planetary bodies, each with their own colour scheme and iconography.
‘Mission the the Sun’ dial up close…
The colourways and sense of fun are pure Swatch, the detailing appears authentically Omega.
All MoonSwatches have cases made from Swatch’s patented Bioceramic material, a novel mix that’s two-thirds ceramic and one-third bio-plastic. The majority feature a 42mm case, although the pink ‘Mission to Venus’ edition is 38mm.
The various finishes, including red, gold and pale blue are characteristically Swatch, the key Moonwatch design traits have been retained. They feature the same asymmetrical case, tachymeter scale with dot over ninety and classic Speedmaster subdials.
The original Omega Speedmaster Professional became known as the Moonwatch, as it was worn by Apollo 11 crew during their 1969 moon mission. It’s directly celebrated in this collection by the black ‘Mission to the Moon’ homage, featuring hands and tachymeter scale in white. If you’re only going to buy one MoonSwatch, this is probably the one to have.
Every MoonSwatch features a bespoke mission statement, themed engravings and joint Omega X Swatch logos on the dial and crown. Cutely, the battery cover features a picture of its planetary object, sourced from NASA. Like all Swatches, the collection use a quartz engine powered by a battery cell.
All hours, minutes, chronograph seconds hands and hour markers are splashed in superluminova so they glow in the dark.
The MoonSwatches come with a matching Velcro wrist strap, as indeed did the original Omega’s worn by Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins.
The Omega x Swatch MoonSwatch collection is available from Swatch stores, and 70 Omega outlets. Purchases are being limited to one watch per customer.
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Spinnaker has released an updated version of its Cahill ‘dress’ dive watch. The new Cahill 300 Automatic comes with a 43mm, 13.8mm thick case size (slim enough to wear with a suit or tuxedo), and is powered by the reliable Japanese NH35 TMI Seiko movement. The dial style benefits from the more generous proportions, withContinue Reading
The inaugural Salon Privé London festival will be the place to buy a classic car this spring, as organisers announce the motoring garden party will feature a unique Concours de Vente, featuring 60 classic automobiles, all of which will be put up for sale. The cars are being entered by specialist dealers from across theContinue Reading
Have you managed to buy an Omega Swatch MoonSwatch watch yet? Most likely not, as the surprise announcement of a Swatch iteration of Omega’s legendary Speedmaster resulted in hordes of eager buyers besieging Swatch stores around the globe.
With deliveries limited to just hundreds of units per store, and crowds typically many times more, it was clear demand was going to outstrip supply.
We’ve long been fans of Swatch’s casual cool, but the mainstream reaction to this particular collection has been phenomenal. Buying a ‘Mission to the Moon’ MoonSwatch was more like Mission Impossible. You can probably blame James Bond. No time to buy?
Many buyers camped out overnight, in scenes reminiscent of a new games console or iPhone launch, to be first in line for the March 24 drop.
Clearly unprepared, with no crowd control, chaos ensued. London Swatch stores in Carnaby Street, Oxford Street and Covent Garden closed shortly after opening, citing ‘health and safety reasons.’
Comparable crowds flocked to Swatch stores as far afield as Taipei and Delhi, Melbourne and New York.
The Swatch MoonSwatch retails for £207 but quickly appeared online for prices in excess of £1,000.
Despite the excitement, Swatch is clear that this collection is not a limited edition. The MoonSwatch is not numbered. It’s a catalogue item. If you can’t buy one now, buy one later. Bide your time. For a full list of Swatch stores stocking the MoonSwatch, click here.
While picking up a MoonSwatch from a Swatch store looks unlikely at present, Swatch says it will move to online sales shortly. The hope has to be that the brand doesn’t become the target of the same relentless bot scalpers who continue to make purchasing a PlayStation 5, which was released in 2020, a challenge.
This is the first Omega Swatch collaboration. The two brands are part of the same Swatch Group stable, which is also home to Hamilton, Tissot and Longines.
The demand for this pop spin on an iconic high-end timepiece was always sure to be high, years of careful Omega product placement in the James Bond franchise have made sure of that. There’s been literally decades of pent up Omega brand awareness.
What is an Omega x Swatch MoonSwatch?
An irresistible synthesis of luxury and street, the MoonSwatch collection comprises eleven watches (after Apollo 11) named after planetary bodies, each with their own colour scheme and iconography.
The colourways and sense of fun are pure Swatch, the detailing appears authentically Omega.
All MoonSwatches have cases made from Swatch’s patented Bioceramic material, a novel mix that’s two-thirds ceramic and one-third bio-plastic. The majority feature a 42mm case, although the pink ‘Mission to Venus’ edition is 38mm.
The various finishes, including red, gold and pale blue are characteristically Swatch, the key Moonwatch design traits have been retained. They feature the same asymmetrical case, tachymeter scale with dot over ninety and classic Speedmaster subdials.
The original Omega Speedmaster Professional became known as the Moonwatch, as it was worn by Apollo 11 crew during their 1969 moon mission. It’s directly celebrated in this collection by the black ‘Mission to the Moon’ homage, featuring hands and tachymeter scale in white. If you’re only going to buy one MoonSwatch, this is probably the one to have.
Every MoonSwatch features a bespoke mission statement, themed engravings and joint Omega X Swatch logos on the dial and crown. Cutely, the battery cover features a picture of its planetary object, sourced from NASA. Like all Swatches, the collection use a quartz engine powered by a battery cell.
All hours, minutes, chronograph seconds hands and hour markers are splashed in superluminova so they glow in the dark.
The MoonSwatches come with a matching Velcro wrist strap, as indeed did the original Omega’s worn by Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins.
The Omega x Swatch MoonSwatch collection is available from Swatch stores, and 70 Omega outlets. Purchases are being limited to one watch per customer.
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Danish watchmaker Nordgreen has unveiled the Guardian, a sustainable timepiece that it says is built to last 100 years. Designed by award-winning industrial designer Jakob Wagner, this Scandi timepiece uses recycled stainless steel and sapphire glass, backed by a full-service repair and refurbishing program. The brushed silver case is available in 40mm and 36mm sizes,Continue Reading
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Spinnaker has released an updated version of its Cahill ‘dress’ dive watch. The new Cahill 300 Automatic comes with a 43mm, 13.8mm thick case size (slim enough to wear with a suit or tuxedo), and is powered by the reliable Japanese NH35 TMI Seiko movement. The dial style benefits from the more generous proportions, withContinue Reading
Inaugural Salon Privé London to feature classic car Concours, with all entrants up for sale
The inaugural Salon Privé London festival will be the place to buy a classic car this spring, as organisers announce the motoring garden party will feature a unique Concours de Vente, featuring 60 classic automobiles, all of which will be put up for sale. The cars are being entered by specialist dealers from across theContinue Reading
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