The MoonSwatch, that is the Omega x Swatch collaboration that led to the creation of an ironic collection of Swatch in bioceramics with style and measurements of the venerated Omega Speedmaster copy watches Moonwatch, was the most popular topic on social media in the last three days and, to follow, a lot also searched on the web. However, it is necessary to take a step back and reconstruct the history of this exceptional marketing experiment, questionable or not, which in recent days has turned into collective “madness”.
What is MoonSwatch
The Omega X Swatch or MoonSwatch project, this is the name of the collection, is a co-branding project between two brands belonging to the same group. For newbies, in fact, the Swatch Group owns the luxury brand Omega and Swatch represents its street brand par excellence, the accessible (once) exclusively plastic watch invented by Mr Hayek and an authentic fashion phenomenon in the eighties, such as will remember who lived that era (myself).
The Omega x Swatch project is a collaboration that has brought the philosophy and general characteristics of the Moonwatch to Bioceramic models of the Swiss consumer watchmaking brand. Recently introduced by Swatch, the Bioceramic case is a compound based on ceramic, for two thirds, and a third material deriving from castor oil. It is a proprietary Swatch compound, which is patented.
The characteristics of a MoonSwatch
Swatch has not officially released the specifications of the watch, except that it adopts the Bioceramic case. However, the MoonSwatch is not a “prop” of the original and the main odds confirm this. The case measures 42mm and is 13.25mm thick compared
to the original Moonwatch’s 13.18mm. The distance from handle to handle measures 47.34 mm against the 47.2 mm of the steel version, while the space between the lugs measures 20 mm in both cases. It is proof that the designers have almost faithfully reproduced the Speedmaster’s dimensions and the graphics of the dial, with some differences.
The arrangement of the counters betrays the different technical architecture, consisting of a quartz movement with a chronograph function. The arrangement is in fact of the 2-6-10 type instead of the classic 3-6-9 and is noticeable at first glance. Not only that, the information available is different from the original.
The glass is clearly made of plastic but replicates the logo hidden in the center; in this case it is possible to observe an “S” instead of the classic symbol “Ω”.
MoonSwatch is made in Bioceramics
Introduced in 2021, Bioceramic or Bioceramic is a material patented by Swatch. According to the brand:
“Bioceramics are made up of 1/3 of plastic
of biological origin and 2/3 of ceramic! Bioceramic offers much greater resistance and, at the same time, a silky soft feel to the touch ”. Whereas ceramic is made from zirconium oxide,
biological plastics are made from castor oil. Bioceramic is a material that Swatch plans to extend to other collections in the future.
What movement does a MoonSwatch mount?
This is information, also in this case, not released by MoonSwatch mission to moon, but easily deducible from a quick search on the net. The caseback bears the clearly visible V8 wording which indicates that the caliber is of ETA production (there was no doubt about it) and of Swiss production.
V8 does not refer to quartz calibers but applies in general. According to the authoritative Caliber Corner, the quartz chrono caliber could be the G10.212 model whose battery lasts 38 months and replicates the same characteristics that the watch has: small seconds at six, chrono at 1/10 of a second at two o’clock. , 60-minute counter at ten o’clock. As with all quartz movements fitted to Swatch watches, it is a replacement caliber in case of breakage. The watch has a two-year warranty.
Technical specifications
- Case: Bioceramic
- Diameter: 42mm
- Thickness: 13.25mm
- Distance from handle to handle: 47.34 mm
- Distance between the lugs: 20mm
- Glass: plastic
- Strap: Velcro strap
- Water resistance: 30 meters
How many MoonSwatch models are there?
The MoonSwatch declination includes eleven models that vaguely recall the concept of the classic Omega Moonwatch but extend it to eleven planets / satellites of the Milky Way, ironically, with the colors made available by Bioceramics, both the color of the planets and that of our satellite , the moon. Click on each image in the gallery to find out the model name.
Each model in the series shows, in miniature, an image of the planet reproduced from a photo produced by NASA. Slyly, the image acts as a battery cover for the battery that powers the quartz movement. Each model takes the name of an ideal mission,
and is called “MoonSwatch Mission to …” or “MoonSwatch Mission on …”.
Different from the others: MoonSwatch Mission to best replica watches sites to buy from Venus
Have you noticed that the Mission to Venus edition of MoonSwatch has a different bezel from the other editions? The tachymeter scale does not extend to the outer edge but leaves one half of the ring uncovered on which there are also carvings.
Why this choice? Is it dictated by the technology in Bioceramic or more simply by purely aesthetic needs? We asked Swatch and here is the official answer regarding the differences between the Mission to Venus and the other MoonSwatch models: the dial, first of all,
is inspired by the women’s 38mm model with oval counters.
You will notice, looking at the photo above,
that the Speedmaster 38mm model adopts elliptical counters
(the scale is always circular but the edge is flared),
although on the MoonSwatch model in question it is quite a reason; the registers are obviously circular in shape and it could not be otherwise. It can also be seen that the
bezel of the Omega models has a tachymeter scale that does not completely cover the bezel,
the outer ring of which has grooves (cannelures), just like on the Omega x Swatch watch.
How much does MoonSwatch cost
The price was set at 250 Euros but,
given the huge demand for the offer at launch,
a speculation began that on more than one occasion has far exceeded the price list of the original Moonwatch!
What is the realistic price of a MoonSwatch?
The market value and hype created by Omega x Swatch is so strong that it deserves a banner on the homepage on the StockX website, the world’s first marketplace in the sector of popular and trendy consumer products such as sneakers, electronics,
wearable tech. The American company has created a dedicated page which you can access from the home page or you can go directly to this address:
and get an idea of how much a MoonSwatch costs if you intend to buy one of the eleven models, or how much you can achieve by selling it, according to the platform’s supply and demand algorithm.
Is the MoonSwatch limited edition?
The answer to the question is: “No!”. the goal is to produce them continuously in order to meet market demands that have largely exceeded demand. At the time of the launch, which took place a few days before the opening of a major watch fair,
“The launch of the Bioceramic MoonSwatch Collection is an incredible success that has exceeded all expectations. We remind you that in the coming weeks the watches will be available again in selected Swatch Stores,
as they are not a limited or numbered edition. For now, we need to update the purchase limit to just one watch per person until further notice. We will return to two watches per person as soon as possible ”.
However, the announcement has not so far calmed the mark up and speculation effect. On Ebay,
price varies from 600 euros up to over 5,000 euros for models that replicate the real Moonwatch. A similar phenomenon,
but to a much lesser extent, involved the NASA Casio a few years ago, sold exclusively in the United States of America. The “Moon Watch” undoubtedly has a great impact on the public.
MoonSwatch: where can I buy it?
The competition to grab one or two watches (each person can buy two at the most) officially started on March 26 in selected boutiques of the brand around the world. Needless to say,
when some newspapers released the first Reels and images,
later on Instant Messengers such as WhatsApp, generated an unexpected race, senseless in some cases, with people who started doing long lines from early morning.
To maintain public order near the opening of the boutiques, the intervention of the police was in some cases necessary. My suggestion is to wait patiently; the watch is not a Limited Edition and will soon be available on the Swatch online store.